Kevin Smith coming to Olympia to show fan boys some love and screen ‘Silent Bob Reboot’
On Jan. 14, Silent Bob speaks — right here in Olympia.
Bob, half of the stoner duo Jay and Silent Bob, is the creation and alter ego of filmmaker Kevin Smith, who is coming to town as part of the “ ‘Jay and Silent Bob Reboot’ Roadshow,” a screening of Smith’s latest film plus a question-and-answer session.
The supremely self-referential “Reboot,” which had a limited release in October, is a remake/sequel of 2001’s “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back,” in which Bob and filthy-mouthed “hetero lifemate” Jay (Jason Mewes) aim to stop production of a film about their superhero alter egos Bluntman and Chronic.
The filmmaker of the film-within-a-film is, of course, Smith. In an interview with Alex Biese of the Asbury Park (New Jersey) Press, he imagined the audience reaction: “Boy, he’s in every frame of the movie. … It’s kind of gross. But clearly he was a big fan of himself.”
“Reboot” marks Smith’s on-screen return to the New Jersey-set world — known to fans as the View Askewniverse — of his early films, including the two that brought him both fame and critical respect: 1994’s “Clerks,” which won prizes at both Sundance and Cannes, and 1997’s “Chasing Amy,” widely hailed as Smith’s best film.
Bob and Jay, buddies in the Cheech and Chong or Bill and Ted mode, were last seen in theaters in “Clerks II.”
Smith, who in recent years has been directing horror films, podcasting and more, returned to the duo after having a massive heart attack in February 2018. As his bio puts it: “He … survived solely so he could direct his magnum opus, ‘Jay and Silent Bob Reboot.’ ”
There’s been a lot of interest in the roadshow’s Olympia stop, said Rob Patrick, film programmer for the Olympia Film Society, which is hosting the event. Tickets are still available, though the VIP packages ranging up to $750 a ticket are sold out.
“Kevin is a natural speaker with a fantastic and engaging stage presence,” Patrick told The Olympian. “He is not only a terrific storyteller, but he has a genuine rapport with his fans.”
Critics have not been kind to “Reboot,” but they recognize that it was made not for them but for devotees.
“Smith has never stopped making movies for the proudly arrested fanboy bro — but the bros who have been following him from the days of ‘Clerks’ are now middle aged, like Smith himself,” wrote Variety’s Owen Gleiberman. “Jay and Silent Bob Reboot” is a movie made, more explicitly than ever, for them. … It’s actually hard to imagine younger viewers being able to decipher it.”
But that works out perfectly for the roadshow. After all, those who don’t know Smith and his oeuvre intimately wouldn’t pay $45 to see him — and those who do will understand the layers and layers of in-jokes and references.
As IndieWire’s David Ehrlich put it, the film “internalizes ‘for fans only’ as a business strategy instead of a flaw.”
‘Jay and Silent Bob Reboot’ Roadshow
- What: Filmmaker Kevin Smith will host a screening of his latest film then answer questions.
- When: 8 p.m. Jan. 14
- Where: Capitol Theater, 206 Fifth Ave. SE, Olympia
- Tickets: $45-$50
- More information: 360-754-6670, olympiafilmsociety.org
- In Seattle: The roadshow stops in Seattle on Jan. 9 and 10 at the Neptune Theater. Tickets there are $35.50-$43.50. 800-982-2787, stgpresents.org
This story was originally published December 27, 2019 at 7:00 AM with the headline "Kevin Smith coming to Olympia to show fan boys some love and screen ‘Silent Bob Reboot’."