Zack and Miri Make a Porno (R)

by Matthew Berlyant
3 November 2008

OK first off I’ve been a fan of KEVIN SMITH since I first saw Clerks back in the mid ‘90s. Having loved his 1st 3 movies and seen them more times than I can count, I’ve gone to see every one of his subsequent films in the theater. Increasingly, though, aside from Clerks 2, I feel like I’ve been left with diminishing returns. It’s similar to buying every album by a favorite band, but not liking it as much as the first ones you heard.

In this case, though, I think the problem is just that Smith is out of ideas. Maybe I’m just older as well, but the raunchy humor no longer shocks and it’s nowhere near as funny. Seriously, what was so shocking about this movie? The donkey show in Clerks 2 pushes way more boundaries than anything in this movie. Also, at times I felt like I was watching Chasing Amy (the conversations between Zack (played by SETH ROGEN) and Miri (played by ELIZABETH BANKS) about whether or not they should sleep together and how it would affect their friendship) and the entire plot line seemed to be rehashed from Clerks or as one viewer suggested it, he just re-enacted how they actually made Clerks (after hours at the convenience store Smith worked at during that time), except as a porno. With all that said, I’ll watch anything with Seth Rogen or other JUDD APATOW/Freaks and Geeks ensemble members in it. He basically saves this movie for me, and the casting choices of JASON MEWES as Lester and JEFF ANDERSEN as the camera guy are also inspired (not to mention TRACI LORDS as one of the actresses in the movie of the title). You sort of have to suspend disbelief that a woman as attractive as Elizabeth Banks would hang out willingly with Rogen, but hey it’s a Kevin Smith movie we’re talking about here.

Overall, I’d say go see this if you’re already a fan of Kevin Smith’s movies or flicks like Superbad, Pineapple Express, et al. Otherwise, you can skip it or just rent it.

Filed under film