'Clerks II': A satisfying return to roots

Kevin Smith became something of an indie film cult hero in 1994, when his audaciously grungy, no-budget debut, "Clerks," was shown at Sundance and then selected for distribution by Miramax.

A dozen years, and a half-dozen films later, the sequel, "Clerks II," brings Smith back to his roots, and his strengths as a writer-director. And that's good news for longtime fans. But for those who may only know Smith from his flat and sappy 2004 Bennifer misfire, "Jersey Girl," this raunchy, freewheeling return to his former ways may come as a bit of a shock.

Weinstein Company 'Clerks II' B The verdict: A solid sequel after 12 years is a neat trick. But it quickly begs the question: What's next? Director: Kevin Smith Starring: Jeff Anderson, Rosario Dawson, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, Trevor Fehrman Run time: 1 hour, 37 minutes. Release date: July 21, 2006 Rating: R for language, sexual content and drug use. See showtimes Meet the director Kevin Smith says he seeks to tell stories he can "identify with." On the web Official movie site View the trailer    Trailers require Quicktime Rate 'Clerks II'   Go see it   Make it a matinee   Wait to rent   Don't bother Voter Limit: Once per Hour View Poll Results Q&A: 'Clerks II' director Kevin Smith

Shot in grainy black-and-white, the original "Clerks" glimpsed the slacker days of Dante (Brian O'Halloran) and Randal (Jeff Anderson), a pair of 20-something New Jersey convenience and video store workers. They endure the tedium of dead-end jobs with torrents of witty, obscene banter about women, sex and pop culture -- while their stoner shadows, Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith), hang out in the parking lot, cranking a monster boom box and dealing drugs and attitude.

All four characters and actors are back, but living in saturated color this time. Dante and Randal, now in their 30s, are serving time in fast-food hell as counter men at Mooby's -- a burger barn where the cow theme is taken to "udderly" ludicrous extremes. And Jay and Bob are, well, sort of, kind of trying to clean up their act. Strengthening the cast considerably are smart and sassy Rosario Dawson as Mooby's manager Becky, and Trevor Fehrman as Mooby's callow clerk-in-training Elias.

After all these years, Dante and Randal are still arrested adolescents. But Dante suddenly has some new prospects, thanks to his control freak fiancee (played by Smith's wife, Jennifer Schwalbach Smith) and her well-to-do family in Florida. Complicating that future, though, are Randal, who doesn't want his old buddy to leave him behind, and Becky, who has developed a different, more intimate kind of relationship with Dante -- one that has him cooing and confiding while painting her toes.

Smith devotees and others with a taste for transgressive humor will dig the blue streak of gags, set pieces and wisecracks that roll from relations with pickles and donkeys to the twisted confusion of Anne Frank and Helen Keller. And then there's a hilarious extended riff on "Star Wars" vs. "Lord of the Rings" that epitomizes Smith at his most comfortable and competent, both celebrating and lampooning the fan boy world of comics, movies, music and video games.

As the latest installment in the Smith franchise, "Clerks II" doesn't rank with his best (the ambitiously philosophical "Dogma") or his worst (the ill-conceived "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back"). But by turning around to reprise his earliest work, he proves again just how good he is at creating distinctive characters and dialogue. Still, a big question remains: Where will Smith go from here?