9) Jason Mewes
Kevin Smith may not be as renowned as a filmmaker as he once was (or maybe I’ve just gotten older), but if nothing else, the character of Jay is still an example of the ability of Smith as a wordsmith and Jason Mewes’ ability to turn a wicked phrase. It’s yet another example of a partnership between two artists, one with an aptitude for coming up with the perfect string of words, and the other with a skillfulness in delivering them in such a way that unleashes their full potential.
The closest thing I’ve seen to a reproduction of Mewes’ terrifically childish but ever so slightly winking Jay character is Steve Howey in Shameless, although Kevin comes off as a mature statesman by comparison. Any time a disconnect arises between a characters tough talk and the feeble action, I’m on board, and the contrast between Jay and Silent Bob in this area works nicely. Mostly, Mewes provides just one of those characters that is fairly repulsive but one you could listen to forever.
Published: Mar 14, 2014 10:28 am