Review: ‘Madness in the Method’ Jason Mewes’ Directorial Debut
“I just want to be taken serious for once.”
This month Jason Mewes (Clerks) made his directorial debut in the movie Madness in the Method, which he also stars in. When hearing the name Jason Mewes, most are familiar with his portrayal of Jay, from films such as Clerks and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. This movie takes what fans already know, and turns it into a dark meta therapeutic comedy with a touch of murder.
Spoilers beyond this point.
The Jason in the movie is tired of being the poster guy for the stoner friend, both in real life and his acting career. While at an audition for a serious, main lead part in a movie, the director corrects him and says he saw him as the stoner buddy role. That is not what he wants. Jay wants to be taken seriously as an actor and not just portray different versions of “Jay” from Jay and Silent Bob. In a conversation he has with Kevin Smith, he finds out about a book that could change his life. Enter Fernando (Jaime Camil), who gives him the book ‘Rob Weston’s Guide To Method Acting For Prestigious Talented Performers With Ambitious Goals For Career Advancement.’ Fernando gives him the book with one ominous warning, do not read it too fast.
“Once you read the book, you cannot unread it.”
Of course, Jay does not listen. His life then begins to spiral out of control from there hilariously. It starts when he gets arrested and brought in for questioning by the police. The publicity from that raises his image on a celebrity site resulting in more jobs in serious roles. All he has to do is make sure he stays relevant in the media and knock out the competition.
From framing a close friend for murder, odd meetings with Dean Cain, thinking your wife was cheating on you with Brian O’Halloran, and the breakdown of the Jay and Silent Bob relationship. You never know what he is going to do next as he embraces this new way of thinking because of the book.
I enjoyed the movie, and it had me laughing out loud a few times. Viewers do not need to have seen any Mewes and Smith movies beforehand, but it does help to understand some of the jokes and one-liners. It was entertaining to see the other actors play eccentric versions of themselves or another character…where else can you see Danny Trejo in a pink feather boa? There was even a cameo by the late Stan Lee, where he makes fun of Jason. The quality the movie gave a documentary feel which added to the meta factor of it. If you are a fan of Jason Mewes, this is a film for you!
My directorial debut #MadnessInTheMethod is available On-Demand and Digital on Amazon and Apple TV! https://t.co/fShZNTAqH1 pic.twitter.com/RRo8Yl7be9
— Jason Mewes (@JayMewes) August 13, 2019
The movie features such celebrities as Jaime Camil, Gina Carano, Vinnie Jones, Stan Lee, Danny Trejo, Teri Hatcher, Dean Cain, Brian O’Halloran, and so many more.
You can watch Madness in the Method now on multiple streaming services like Amazon Prime Video and iTunes. Watch the trailer below!