Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019) Review

Title: Jay and Silent Bob Reboot

Year: 2019

Director: Kevin Smith

Country: US

Language: English

American Director Kevin Smith (Clerks) had a health scare in 2018 when he suffered a massive heart attack after performing stand-up comedy. Once weighing over 400lbs, Smith decided (it was this or die) to become serious about becoming healthier by adapting a vegan lifestyle and a tremendous amount of weight. On the road to recovery he decided to make the Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, another entry in the Smith canon known as The Askewniverse. 

Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith) return to Hollywood to stop a reboot of the 'Bluntman and Chronic' movie from getting made.

It's hard to be too critical of Jay & Silent Bob Reboot because one can easily see the passion and heart involved in its production. Smith made this picture thinking that he did not have much longer to live & it's clear he made the film with his fans in mind. There are many references to his movies; some subtle & many more overt. I'm not the biggest Smith fan, having only enjoyed Chasing Amy (1997), but I did enjoy seeing Ben Affleck's Holden McNeil one last time. 

Filled to the brim with star cameos, some of humour is enjoyable, like the moment with Val Kilmer, & some of it (such as Jay pretending to be Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs) is cringey and dated. The homophobic and transphobic jokes that are littered throughout the picture are quite unwelcome and mark a stain on an otherwise fairly enjoyable picture. "I'm Jay, he's silent bob. We're hetero lifemates" Yes we get it, you're not gay. 

It's not Kevin Smith's worst movie, but considering he has made Yoga Hosers that isn't saying much. If you completely shut your brain off, Jay and Silent Bob Reboot has a few scenes that will make you smile, though you'll still have to suffer through "comedy" about Jay getting pegged by his dream girlfriend.