In the winter of 1994 I dragged two friends into Manhattan to see “Clerks” at the Angelika. It was in a tiny theater with six people in it, including the three of us. Little did we know that the movie was an absolute riot that would launch the (well-known if only marginally celebrated) career of Kevin Smith and become a cult favorite in the years to come.

So it was with a mix of skepticism and joy that I threw myself into deja vu Saturday, walking to the Angelika to see “Clerks II” in a theater with eight people in it (granted, it was 1:20 in the afternoon). And I’m happy to report that the sequel was a lot of fun. Not particularly good filmmaking, and not hilarious—I smiled a lot and laughed a little—but fun. The upbeat on-set attitude was palpable and contagious, the references to the original film amusing and touching and with the right perspective.

Also: Trevor Fehrman is a riot. Someone get this boy a pilot.