Hola all. Massawyrm here.
Kevin Smith is one of those rare, cherished, but equally derided film makers that possess such a distinctive voice that they seem incapable of making films that can break free from the escape velocity of their own powerful personality. Their voice is so inseparable from their work that almost no attempt to mask it can convince you that anyone else could have made it. And when other film makers are inspired by their work, it is simply referred to as an –esque film. Tarantino-esque. Allen-esque. Coen-esque. The fans love these films FOR that voice; their detractors because of it. Most filmmakers aren’t like this – they can go from project to project and lend their voice, no matter how strong or milquetoast a voice they have, and can make films that target a different demographic every time. But not Kevin Smith. And his last film, Clerks 2 seemed to be his admission and acceptance of that fact.
So having broken free of the desire to do something different than his small little potty mouthed Jersey films, he instead embraced his place in the environs of the film scene and created the single best piece of film he’s turned out since Chasing Amy. Make no mistake, Zack and Miri Make a Porno is every bit Kevin Smith as you’d expect. There are all manner of sex and scat jokes – even the occasional gross out bit. Pop culture references drop out of the mouths of his cast almost as often as expletives. And there are appearances by a number of old favorites, including the ever present Jason Mewes. And yet, by freeing himself of trying to be something that he is not, he has actually managed to elevate the material to make what on the surface appears to be one of the most juvenile attempts at humor this year into something deep, heartfelt and positively adorable.
What I disliked about Jersey Girl was that Smith wanted to make something touching, but felt that in order to do that he had to dull the edge on his sense of humor to bring it down to PG-13 levels. Kevin Smith is not a PG-13 guy. I, of all people, can appreciate that. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be sweet. And watching him try to fumble around with more family friendly humor hurt. Here he tells a similarly sweet story, but does so with the full brunt of his wit and holds nothing back. The result is a hilarious, gut busting tour de force of comedy that will occasionally leave you doubled over, heaving for breath. And yet it’s a date movie with a lot to say about the nature of mature relationships and what it is that make one work.
What’s interesting here is how Smith has assembled a cast that gets his writing on a level very different from previous casts. Looking at the words on paper, this dialog is every bit the voice of Kevin Smith. But the vast majority of his cast has taken ownership of the dialog and in their own ways tweaked the delivery. Unlike many of his films which feel like half a dozen Kevin Smiths sitting around debating Star Wars, we get half a dozen people different people sitting around…debating Star Wars…in what feels like their own distinct voices, but still backed up by Smith’s sharp enduring wit. And it is the cast’s deviation from the pacing of dialog to which we’ve become accustomed that makes this one of his most accessible works to date.
I found this every bit as funny as his other works, but with an open, exposed heart that has a lot to say about making relationships work. It is a maturity we haven’t seen from him in well over a decade and may well prove to be the most rewatchable film he’s had in about as long. But as adorable as it is do not forget that this is still Kevin Smith we’re talking about. He’s made a date movie…in which someone gets covered in bodily fluids. As much as this is a date movie, it is a date movie for couples who can handle simulated sex and gross out jokes. So before you make this your weekly date movie, take stock in your significant others threshold for locker room humor. Otherwise, if you think they can handle it, this makes for a fun, cute movie perfect for theaters in which you can lift the armrest.
Until next time friends, smoke ‘em if ya got ‘em.
Massawyrm
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