--- title: "Jay and Silent Bob Reboot: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/jay-and-silent-bob-reboot/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/jay-and-silent-bob-reboot" critics_score: 55 critics_reviews: 8 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019): what the critics said Critics' score 55 from 8 reviews: 2 positive, 3 mixed, 3 negative. Most critics agree on who this is for: people who know the earlier View Askew films by heart. Nearly every review calls it a nostalgia trip built from cameos, meta jokes and self-mockery, and the argument is only over whether that is a pleasure or a problem. Several critics single out the father-daughter thread and an emotional payoff they did not see coming, and a few of the stunt-cast cameos are credited with landing. The spread is wide, from a failing grade to four stars out of five. Reservations centre on the jokes, which are called flat, recycled and crude, and on a thin road-trip premise that drags. The AV Club argues Smith’s filmmaking has not matured in more than two decades, and RogerEbert.com calls it his most unfocused fan service. NME dissents most sharply, finding it better than snobbish critics allow. The two reviews that arrived later in November are noticeably warmer than the opening-day notices. ## Variety — Owen Gleiberman Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 16 October 2019. The critic sees the film as a shaggy, script-driven throwaway made for middle-aged View Askew fans, with meta self-mockery, gentle anarchy, and a chance for the characters to age somewhat gracefully. It passes the time amiably as a time-machine sequel, though it risks becoming too wise to stay true to its roots. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2019/film/reviews/jay-and-silent-bob-reboot-review-kevin-smith-jason-mewes-1203372001/) ## The AV Club — Ignatiy Vishnevetsky Rating D+. 16 October 2019. The reboot is crude, lazy, and mostly for diehard fans, with painfully winking self-references and listless cameos. Smith’s filmmaking has not matured in over two decades, resulting in long stretches that are awkward and unfunny. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/only-diehards-need-bother-with-kevin-smith-s-crude-and-1839083344) ## IndieWire — David Ehrlich Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 16 October 2019. The film is a crude nostalgia trip suited only for Kevin Smith super-fans who know his earlier View Askewniverse entries by heart. It relies heavily on cameos and self-referential humor that fails to engage a broader audience. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/jay-and-silent-bob-reboot-review-a-crude-and-cameo-driven-nostalgia-trip-for-kevin-smith-super-fans-only-1202182317/) ## RogerEbert.com — Simon Abrams Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 16 October 2019. The critic calls the film the most uninspired and unfocused load of fan service Smith has made, a disjointed comedy that is more of an ego trip than a funny road movie. Bright spots include some stunt-cast cameos, but the recycled gags and mawkish subplots fail to land. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/jay-and-silent-bob-reboot-movie-review-2019) ## NME — Greg Wetherall Rating 4/5. 29 November 2019. The film is a fine addition to the View Askewniverse that honours fan expectations while adding subtle reflections on generational knowledge and parenthood. It is a rip-roaring, meta romp that proves better than snobbish critics suggest. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/jay-and-silent-bob-reboot-review-kevin-smith-2581672) ## Digital Spy — Gabriella Geisinger Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 26 November 2019. The reboot leans heavily on meta references, cameos and self-awareness to deliver laughs despite some tasteless jokes and a lazy premise. The journey offers enough weed humour and an unexpectedly emotional payoff to make it worthwhile for fans. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a29992198/jay-and-silent-bob-reboot-review-kevin-smith/) ## /Film — Ethan Anderton Rating 6.5/10. 16 October 2019. The critic finds it a satisfying but clumsy return to form for Kevin Smith, praising the nostalgic elements and emotional beats like the Affleck scene, while complaining about flat jokes, forced plot points, and uneven new characters. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/569798/jay-and-silent-bob-reboot-review-a-satisfying-yet-clumsy-return-to-form-for-kevin-smith/) ## Consequence Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 16 October 2019. The critic finds it a fun but messy film that leans on excessive cameos and self-aware winks, with a thin road-trip premise that drags. Strongest elements are the surprisingly effective father-daughter reflections and some inspired comic-book jokes. [Read the review](https://consequence.net/2019/10/film-review-jay-and-silent-bob-reboot/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/jay-and-silent-bob-reboot.md