There were days when I sought out every last bit of news and shred of info on an upcoming, in-development Kevin Smith movie. Inevitably, I found myself learning more about the movies than I wanted to know before seeing them. I went into Zack & Miri as blind as I could. I'm not exactly the movie-watcher that the viral ads and promo sites are made for when it comes to a filmmaker I already like and respect a great deal.
As a reader of Kevin's "My Boring Ass Life" Blog, I came across a post where he described the Weinsteins' decision to finance and distribute the movie, along the lines of Kevin saying (paraphrased) "I have a script called Zack and Miri Make a Porno and Harvey said, "I'm going to make that movie". That's very similar to how I felt about it: Kevin Smith directing plus Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks starring equals something I'll definitely go see, no question.
What I didn't expect at all was the dead-on sociological messaging wrapped in the plot going further than I had figured based on prior experience. A number of people who have already seen the movie have resorted to ranking it compared to all of Smith's other work, which I don't find to be a valid means of comparison here. Zack and Miri has many of Kevin's calling cards, from coarse (though honest and realistic) dialogue to Star Wars references, but it's really an entirely different animal overall.
The recent financial crisis and the woes most regular folks (like me and many of you) out there are going through are reflected in the flick, sure, but what I found myself realizing as the reels went on was that I was watching something that was a PSA for the Fuck What Everyone Says, Go Make Your Dreams Come True Foundation.
The question picking at me briefly during the movie was "what has he not already said about all that?" and it took a while to sink all the way in what he was doing.
Spiritually it's a coda to Clerks, showing off the best tools Kevin has had in his arsenal all along, just evolved further and more precise overall. I have friends who slam Smith's work for any number of reasons, among them that he's "too melodramatic" or something like that, but I think the vast majority of them are saying that out of a need to sate their feelings of inadequacy for not striking out and making their own stuff. This movie doesn't just tell these guys to man up and make something out of themselves they're proud of, but that everyone can and should, no matter who they are. It also doesn't matter what form it takes either, and it really doesn't matter what people think once you finally do it.
As for the performances themselves, Banks and Rogen have fantastic chemistry and timing together. Smith stalwarts Jason Mewes & Jeff Anderson deliver solid performances as well, but honestly the scene-stealer Craig Robinson swiped the movie out from under everyone else. Well, everyone except Justin Long, who makes Brandon "Superman" Routh bite off half his tongue he's so funny. You'll know when you see it.
I could say more about the performances, summarize the plot and so on, but that'd be a disservice to you. Go in as blind as I did and I think you'll like it a lot depending on your sensibilities.
I enjoy all of Kevin's movies, and yes, that includes Jersey Girl (I'm the one guy who bought it day-and-date on DVD), but I didn't just enjoy the movie out of some sort of serial fanaticism, it's a genuinely good look at regular people doing something that changes their lives (in a number of different ways for all in the flick). I'm pre-planning a mass outing with friends, and you should do the same come the end of October.