Clerks

Clerks

1994

Director: Kevin Smith

Writer: Kevin Smith

92 Minutes

Clerks – one of the great independent films of the decade – a film that launched the career of the great Kevin Smith and brought us the world of View Askew.

Clerks is about Dante (Brian O’Halloran) working in a convenient store with his friend Randal (Jeff Anderson) and each moment of his life represents the nine rings of hell (note: nine breaks in the movie) from dealing with asinine customers to balancing two love interests.

“Do you have that one with that guy who was in that movie that was out last year?” – Low IQ video customer.

A wasted life, to say the least.

Outside the store is Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (director Kevin Smith), two insulting, fast dancing, drug dealers stoners who hang out outside the Quick Stop Convenient store and undoubtedly represent R2D2 and C3PO from the Star Wars universe.

Entertaining characters.

In the scene above, the day has come to a close. Dante is counting the till and Jay and Silent Bob enter for a pack of smokes. When Jay asks if Dante wants to smoke some weed with them, Dante disrespectfully declines.

See, Dante holds himself to a much higher standard than everyone else. He wants something better. Better job. Better girl. Better life.

But, he’s not doing anything about it besides debate Empire Strikes Back, playing hockey with his friends, and trying to get back together with his beautiful, bitch x-girlfriend, while still dating his wonderful, loving girlfriend.

“Shit or get off the pot, my friend,” Randal comments. And that’s exactly what Dante needs to do.

When Jay leaves the store and only Silent Bob is left, Silent Bob delivers his only line in the film:

“You know, there's a million fine looking women in the world, dude. But they don't all bring you lasagna at work. Most of 'em just cheat on you.”

He’s right. Dante needs to realize his wonderful, loving lasagna-bringing girlfriend trumps the beautiful, cheating bitch x-girlfriend. He needs to go back to school. He needs to realize hanging out with Randal is unhealthy. And he needs to shit or get of the pot.

Kevin Smith took his own advice - shit or get off the pot - and made this independent film.

This film helped America believe that even a average guy from New Jersey can make a film about movie trivia and it still be successful. It was a movie for this generation. And everyone that saw and enjoyed this film, understood the characters in the film.

It’s because we are the characters in this film. Thank you, Kevin Smith for helping us understand ourselves a little more.