Yoga Hosers

A strong contender for Kevin Smith’s worst film, Yoga Hosers follows Canadian clerks Colleen (Lily-Rose Depp) and Colleen (Harley Quinn Smith) as they’re forced to take up arms against an ancient evil alongside a quirky demon-hunter named Guy Lapointe (Johnny Depp). Filmmaker Smith admittedly does a fine job of initially drawing the viewer into the off-kilter proceedings, with the pervasively oddball atmosphere perpetuated by an ongoing emphasis on entertainingly silly elements and performances – with Smith’s dialogue occasionally, though not often enough, echoing the pared-down chatter of the Clerks films. It does become increasingly clear, however, that the younger Depp and Smith are simply not up to the task of leading a full-length feature, as the two actresses deliver thin, mostly shrill performances that are about as far from charismatic and compelling as one could imagine (ie it’s exceedingly difficult to root for these one-dimensional figures). The movie eventually (and ultimately) progresses from almost watchable to somewhat interminable as the narrative transforms into an egregiously over-the-top mess of pointless digressions and silly special effects, with Yoga Hosers, in the end, confirming its place as a misbegotten endeavor that could only be enjoyed by a stoner (or maybe small children).

*1/2 out of ****