Jersey really is an armpit

But funny, like one that makes farting noises

Clerks II

Starring: Jason Mewes, Rosario Dawson

Director: Kevin Smith

Rated: R

Clerks II is better for what it represents than for what it is. As the latest in Kevin Smith's empire of New Jersey based, slacker-friendly, dialogue-heavy flicks, Clerks II is neither the best nor the worst. But, taken as a testament to Smith's own rise as an independent producer, as the matured vision of a filmmaker who has created a unique style and rapport with his fans, and as a delightful break from the pretentiousness of most summer blockbusters, Clerks II is exactly what you would want.

Fans of the 1994 Clerks - which Smith shot while actually working as a clerk-will be pleased that Jeff Anderson and Brian O'Halloran have reprised their roles as Randal and Dante, smart-alecks who rely on sarcasm, pop culture, and sex discussions to survive their tedious job as clerks. Since the last Clerks installment, Dante and Randal have moved from the Quick-Stop to Mooby's, a fast food chain with a manager (Rosario Dawson) far too attractive to be left out of the plot for long. But even bigger changes are on the way for Dante, who is about to take off for Florida with his fiancee Emma (Jennifer Schwalbach Smith), leaving Randal and the rest of his Jersey crew behind.

Most of the movie takes place on Dante's last day, giving Smith ample time for the witty, meandering discussions that make up his films, along with a few cameos by stalwarts of the View Askewniverse such as Ben Affleck, Jason Lee, and, of course, Jay and Silent Bob (Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith).

As per usual, Smith's characters and dialogue, rather than visuals, drive the movie, and this reliance lends Clerks II both its charms and its weaknesses. When the dialogue is on-and it often is-the movie is a constant source of hilarity, each joke more outrageous than the next. When a joke wears out its welcome, when you don't get the reference, or when the encroaching sentimentality bogs down the pace in the middle, you might find yourself without much to look at but your watch-or Dawson. However, these complaints are part and parcel of any verbally-driven comedy, and the overall enthusiasm of the movie overcomes its missteps.

It's especially hard to find much fault with a movie so openly aware of its own hang-ups. Smith is not out to make the next Pirates of the Caribbean, or the next Brokeback Mountain: he's out to make people laugh, and to make people accept the validity of goals that may depart from the conventions of "success."

Continuing with the semi-autobiographical vein of the original Clerks, Smith zeros in on the frustrations inherent for Dante and Randal, 30-somethings who haven't yet figured out what matters most to them. Smith deepens the relationship between Randal and Dante to allow them to realize that their love of sex jokes, New Jersey, and pop culture isn't as directionless as they thought, a lesson that Smith himself learned back when Clerks struck a chord.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.