Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back

After granting the titular burnouts scene-stealing interludes in each of his previous films, it was only a matter of time before writer-director Kevin Smith gave them their own heavy-lidded feature romp. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back catches up with the duo at their convenience-store hangout, when they learn that some Hollywood bigwig has optioned ”Bluntman & Chronic,” a comic book starring ganja-puffing characters based on them (the comic first appeared in Smith’s 1997 romantic comedy ”Chasing Amy”). Fearing it will brand them as sellouts — and determined to put the kibosh on the flick — they thumb their way to Tinseltown.

In true road-movie tradition, the barely-there plot is clotheslined on a series of absurd encounters, which Smith crams with self-deprecating cameos. Among the most inspired are ”American Pie”’s Seann William Scott (as a sensitive animal rights activist), Chris Rock (as a scabrously racist director), and Ben Affleck and Matt Damon (playing themselves in a hilarious ”Good Will Hunting” parody).

Running amok through it all is Jason Mewes’ Jay, the tale’s foulmouthed ringmaster with the mentality of a 15-year-old and the vocabulary of a mack daddy. He’s also the flick’s supreme pleasure. Smith has pledged that ”Jay and Silent Bob” would be their swan song, which would be a shame. Mewes’ comic potential alone is cause to hope he won’t bogart such a promising franchise.