Kevin Smith's cult classic, Clerks, probably didn't need a sequel. On Smith's part, a belated follow-up - 12 years after the original - felt a little bit like an attempt to rebuild some integrity after the critical and commercial failure of Jersey Girl. And yet the writer/director managed to avoid rendering something akin to a disaster with Clerks II, which - though not perfect - at least felt like it belonged. Not to mention the fact that, hey, it's pretty funny! The plot, as expected, picks up 10 years after the events of the first flick, with hapless duo Hicks and Graves now working at a fast food joint. Whilst much of the humour on show is juvenile and occasionally dumb, Clerks II is also filled with some keen observations about growing up, life after thirty, sex and relationships. To say that it is "smarter" than Clerks would probably be going a little too far, but you could certainly argue the case. If you hated Clerks, there's not much in Clerks II that will convince you of this franchise's merits. Much of the joy here relies on the nostalgia brought on by the first flick, after all. But where Kevin Smith could have been lazy, he - at least - attempts to pull together a sequel that has something real to say about these characters, even if said observations are clouded through layers of vulgarity that appear to have been implemented for vulgarity's sake.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
