Kevin Smith Is An Odd Fellow
Odd in that he’s had a lot of success in show business but still seems like a regular guy.
Maybe being a “regular guy” is what has held him back from becoming the filmmaker we got a glimpse of in Clerks and, to some extent, Mall Rats.
Instead, he’s continually looked inward and backward to his home state of New Jersey for inspiration on Chasing Amy, Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back, Jersey Girl, etc.
When he does try to climb out that box he’s placed himself in he still comes up with stoner fantasy movies like Redstate and the one about the walrus person.
His one foray into Hollywood filmmaking ended in tragedy, or rather the tragic buddy-cop movie Cop Out, the failure of which Smith blame squarely on movie star Bruce Willis for doing movie star things.
I guess he wanted a literal demi-god on earth to just be a “regular guy.”
No Movies, Only Shilling Now
At this point in his career, Smith filmmaking has almost taken a back seat to his self-appointed status of King of All Geeks.
This reputation has afforded him the ability to go on extensive public speaking tours where he holds court with other marijuana abusers who pay $50 apiece to pack theaters and community playhouses and listen to the guy talk about how cool his life is.
I imagine most of the audience imagines that they could have been Kevin Smith too, if only their drama teacher didn’t hate them.
I often imagine that I could be Kevin Smith if I wasn’t a party alcoholic chasing adrenaline, fun and pussy in my early 20s.
Kevin also shills for horrible, horrible corporate entertainment product:
Kevin Smith talks about the last shot of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: crew members said seeing it would "melt your mind." #SDCC2019 pic.twitter.com/BtJ4E06hu9
— IGN (@IGN) July 20, 2019
Does anyone remember this “mind-melting” shot at the end of Rise of Skywalker?
No, I’m really asking because I haven’t seen the motherfucker.
I’d bet that Kevin Smith hadn’t either at that point.
To me, this is the real unforgivable sin. I respect the hell out of the guy and his rifts on behind-the-scenes Hollywood shit are fascinating — the guy can tell a story — so I’m happy for him that he found a niche where he can be both expressive and independent.
But slobbering all over anything and everything pushed by companies and people that he might at one point attempt to do business with really make him suspect.
What A Disappointment
Maybe this is the problem with being a “regular guy” when making movies.
You reach a ceiling of fans who are interested in regular guy things: regular guy speaking, regular guy thinking, regular guy feeling.
Consider the great directors working today: Nolan, QT, Scorsese, Singer.
Not “regular guys.” Not at all.
Eh, Who Cares
Here is the commentary track for Jay and Silent Bob Reboot which you can stream now
If you don’t have Prime, Amazon always offers thirty days for free, which might be especially helpful in these days of solitude.
The commentary starts around the 12:56 mark. Before that Smith rambles aimlessly.
But he does drop a particularly insightful observation right before the commentary:
“How much of a man could I have been if I tried in life?”
Good question: how far could we have gone if we really tried in life?
I know I wouldn’t be here writing on this web site.
I know you wouldn’t be here reading it.
