Silent Bob Speaks: The Collected Writings of Kevin Smith (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

If you're not an admirer of Kevin Smith (the writer and director of Clerks, Chasing Amy, Dogma, Mallrats, etc.), it's unlikely that this book will turn you into one. Consisting of essays originally published in the British magazine Arena, the book presupposes an intense interest in, among other things, production minutiae surrounding the films Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and Jersey Girl, Ben Affleck, Star Wars, comic books and Smith's bowel movements. Yes, Smith's bowel movements. While bodily function humor has been done well by other humorists (Monty Python, anyone?), in Smith's hands, it is nothing short of revolting. Who wants to know the "oily and fatty" effects that Smith's obesity pills have on his stool? Those who do might be interested in the author's musings on such topics as sex with his wife ("one hot-lit piece of ass who was giving me a boner like you wouldn't believe") or his preteen habits (he "used to get off on pissing in a cup"). To be fair, Smith peppers his writing with self-deprecating comments, and he divulges a few good gossipy tidbits, such as when he meets Reese Witherspoon and declares that she comes off as "faux-erudite as all hell, and condescending to boot." And when Smith isn't discussing bowel movements, sex or people he dislikes, he almost seems personable. (His description of his highly anticipated meeting with David Duchovny, "a really funny and well-versed guy who I instantly love," is almost warm). For some readers, however, such moments will not justify wading through these repetitive and self-indulgent ramblings.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Smith, director of the indie hit movie Clerks as well as Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, gathers here more than two-dozen columns he has written for the Left-leaning British political-cultural magazine arena. These pieces, however, are to columns what most sweatpants are to dress slacks: far more casual and a lot dirtier. His rants and raves are all over the place: Britney Spears, masturbation, David Lynch's Mulholland Drive, lap dances, Spider-Man, the author's "morbid obesity," a nude painting of Smith's wife, and interviews with Ben Affleck and Tom Cruise, among others. Through the mess, we see Smith's appealing fidelity to his craft and to his family within an industry that tears at both. There are surprisingly candid insights into how a director prepares for a film, especially the delicate politics of casting. And, as shamelessly fawning as he is, Smith inspires wonderful conversation from Affleck and Cruise, both of whom seem to reflect genuine appreciation for Smith's work. Alan Moores
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Miramax; 3rd Printing edition (April 13, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401359736
• ISBN-13: 978-1401359737
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #60,399 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #9 in	Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Arts & Literature > Movie Directors
  #76 in	Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Arts & Literature > Artists, Architects & Photographers

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Don't read this review - just buy the book! , March 29, 2005

By	Biffybeans "rockin' the shekere" (Northeast, PA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

It's a quick read, primarily made up of articles that Kevin wrote for Arena magazine. Definitely worth the $10 Amazon's charging for it. The bit where Kevin interviews Tom Cruise is one of my favorites. Pretty funny stuff - caught my self laughing out loud at just about every story. Oh man, when Ben is telling Kevin's daughter that he's her real father.....

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Jersey Boy in L.A...., August 16, 2005

By	JR Pinto (New Jersey) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

OK, there are pros and cons to this book. Lets do the cons first. There is no new material in this book - it is a collection of articles that Smith had written for the Internet a number of years ago. The result is that most of the information is hopelessly out-of-date. The reader will not find any new gossip - just old gossip. Also, I don't know if any movie's production needs so much documentation - let alone Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. It is unlikely that this book will make it into the annals of Great Literature.

However, on the good side, Kevin Smith is a surprisingly good prose writer. I know from his movies that he can be funny and turn a good phrase through dialogue when he really wants to, but these essays show that, not only does he have the ability to be funny on the printed page, but that he is quite a skilled narrative writer as well - conjuring a scene with a few lines of economic, effective description. Even when describing what he does in the bathroom, Smith is a master of finding le mot juste.

Also - like the nonfiction works of William Goldman - this book provides a look inside Hollywood from a "regular guy's" perspective. Kevin Smith will always view himself as some jerk from New Jersey who got incredibly lucky and fell in with the beautiful people. I can certainly relate to his preference for living in the Garden State and his aversion to life in L.A. - having lived in both places. He is quite willing to dish the dirt like an old lady on Hollywood phonies such as Reese Witherspoon - whom he refers to as "Greasy Reese Witherspoon."

I don't think that this book is for everyone. As in his movies, Smith's basic flaw is his lack of confidence in himself as a writer. It's obvious that he is talented - if he were only more disciplined, or had better editors, he would produce better product. When Smith is desperate to be funny, he will simply be as crude as possible. Still, I like his movies and - as Smith himself acknowledges - many people like HIM, and hence pay money for his stuff. If you are one of the fans of Kevin Smith as a character unto himself, this book is just the thing for you.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Kevin Smith Fans Will Love It., January 9, 2007

By	L. Sawicki (Rochester, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Silent Bob Speaks: The Collected Writings of Kevin Smith (Paperback)

I bought this book for my husband who is a huge Kevin Smith fan. If you are a fan, you won't be disappointed. If you are easily offended by language, the occasional potty humor and thinking out of the main stream its probably not the book for you. He is a brilliant writer who can write about everything from being obese to meeting Tom Cruise. It's a good (and quick) read.