(l-r) Jeff Anderson as Randal Graves and Brian O’Halloran as Dante Hicks star in The Weinstein Company’s Clerks II, © 2006.

The relationship that Dante Hicks and Randal Graves share in the original Clerks is that of a true best friend. Most of the entire movie involved the two engaging in conversations of sex, movies, and questions man asks about his universe. Their contemplation of both disgusting and just plain silly subjects, such as the death of innocent carpenters who were working on the Death Star when it was blown up in Return of The Jedi, is treated with such a serious tone as if any of it really mattered makes it absolutely hilarious.

The reason that Clerks was especially meaningful to me, was because I share pretty much the same relationship with my two best friends, and was reluctant enough to get out and see Clerks II with them. We talk about the silliest and discuss the most unecessary knowledge known to man and enrich each other, completely straight faced. This is truly what friendship is really about, and be able to enjoy each other’s company no matter what the place or situation.

Ten years after the first film, in which Dante Hicks (Brian O’Halloran), the twenty something Quick Stop (convenience store) clerk who is just plain bored with life and his existence, faced a traumatically long day, facing a girlfriend’s dirty secret, a scheduled hockey game that he can’t miss, and hanging on the fact that “I’m not even supposed to be here today!”, and has only the company of his best friend, local video store clerk, Randal Graves (Jeff Anderson), the immature sex maniac obsessed with Star Wars and making movie references.

After Randal burns down the Quick Stop by leaving the coffee pot on, the duo (now in their thirties) are forced to seek a job at Mooby’s, an attrocious fast food eatery. Dante is now engaged to an excited blonde woman (bearing a t-shirt that reads “Mrs. Hicks”) and Randal is obviously a little depressed that today is Dante’s last day before Dante and his new wife marry in Florida and remain there. Two new characters are introduced into this film, their attactive boss, Becky (Rent’s Rosario Dawson), who Dante obviously has taken a liking to, and Elias (Trevor Fehrman), the goody-two shoed Christian virgin with an obession for the Lord of The Rings and Transformers who Dante and Randal pick on. Oh and of course Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Director Kevin Smith) returns as well, now standing outside Mooby’s. While Dante stresses over possible second thoughts, Randal decides to give him the ultimate going away present. Bestiality Interspecies Erotica. That’s right, a donkey show.

Kevin Smith’s screenplay is almost as rich as was the original Clerks, but not many expected to be just as rich. Obviously Smith couldn’t just create another “I’m not even supposed to be here today” situation, but actually had to give the characters something to do and introduce more characters to laugh at, especially since the original, Kevin Smith has made quite a few films, and Jay and Silent Bob are the only characters he’s kept up with. Even in this film, the drug-dealing partners are comic relief for even after the most dramatic scenes. Jay imitates Buffalo Bill from The Silence of The Lambs doing his twisted transgendered dancing to Goodbye, Horses.

The conversations between Dante and Randal, as well as Elias, are as twisted as they were originally, though Danteappears to be out-growing Randal. However, it is obvious that Randal is stressing the strongest factor of their friendship (their conversations) to try and get as much fun out of their relationship before Dante leaves.

The most enjoyable conversations in the film really involve Randal crossing the line on all levels. One involving how Randal debates with Elias and another LOTR freak that Star Wars is much better than LOTR. Especially because he believes LOTR was nothing but a bunch of walking and a charade of homoerotic themes. The other involving Randal and Dante yelling at each over what is and what is not a racial slur. The combination of acting, Randal’s fast-talking immaturity, and Dante’s stressed and serious tone, blend well with the casually perverted writing.

The reason that Kevin Smith’s directing of Clerks and Clerks II works on so many levels is because of his technique of using the simple disguise of making the films appear to be just a chunk of a regular day, and mixing into mental and conversational complexity. We all have a little Randal inside of us, a little taboo thinking that wants to express thoughts out loud, and we all are mostly Dante, stressed, and a little worried about where our life is going. In a way, it’s the intertwining of two parts of the human mind.

“Friendship is a single soul living in two bodies.”

-Aristotle

Something I find beyond hilarious that it almost brings me to tears to my eyes, is that if Aristotle were still alive, his favorite films would probably be Clerks and Clerks II.

Rated R for pervasive sexual and crude content including aberrant sexuality, strong language and some drug material.

Running time 97 minutes.

MAXimum Warning: Parents, I think it’s pretty obvious that this isn’t a film to take your kids to.