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Until recently I was pretty much a Kevin Smith virgin, but in the last few weeks I have been introduced to his work. I'm glad that is the case because Clerks II contains several references to other Kevin Smith films, the most obvious, of course, being the original Clerks. However, as a film I still think Clerks II stands on its own two feet and works perfectly successfully on its own. In fact, I found this sequel to be more entertaining and more involving than the original. Somewhat unexpectedly, the factor that elevated Clerks II above its predecessor was not the humour but the main romance storyline that drives the film. I found it to be a really touching plot thread, helped immensely by Rosario Dawson's sparkling turn as Becky, the manager of the fast food outlet where the film takes place. It wouldn't be a Kevin Smith film though without plenty of crude humour and movie references, and sure enough, you definitely get your fair share here. One slight issue I have with Kevin Smith's writing style (which I found to be most prevalent in the first Clerks) is the fact that while his dialogue is often witty and funny, it sometimes sounds a bit too contrived and unnatural to be completely believable. That's only a small fault though, and doesn't really harm this film too much. Essentially, if you're not easily offended, Clerks II is definitely worth a watch.
The summary
Clerks II is a surprisingly heartwarming film, crammed with entertaining dialogue and some outrageous comedy set-pieces.
