Clerks (1994)

reviewed by
Chad Polenz


                                    CLERKS
               A film review by Chad Polenz
                Copyright 1997 Chad Polenz

**** 1994, R, 92 minutes [1 hour, 32 minutes] [comedy] starring: Brian O'Halloran (Dante), Jeff Anderson (Randal), Marilyn Ghiglotti (Veronica), Jason Mewes (Jay), Lisa Spoonauer (Caitlin), produced by Kevin Smith, Scott Mosier, written and directed by Kevin Smith.

"Clerks" is really a landmark in film history, although I don't think anyone will recognize it as such. This is a film that cost about $25,000 to make, yet it is much more enjoyable and better written than most commercial films costing a thousand times as much. This is a film about Generation X slackers hanging out in a convenient store talking about their lives and little idiosyncrasies in a way that is so mundane, yet so unique and sometimes vulgar, but still brilliantly hysterical. We don't get a story with characters trying to overcome a conflict, we essentially get a fictional documentary that really captures the essence of dialogue, especially modern dialogue. Many non-Gen Xers may find it rather offensive and unrealistic at times, but those of us who are essentially the same as the characters in the film can relate all too well.

This is a film about two buddies hanging out in their place of employment. There is Dante (O'Halloran), the clerk who tries to do his job and get on with his life - "I don't bother them and they don't bother me." Dante hates his life but somehow finds a way to deal with it, he comes to work and does his job just hoping that tomorrow will be a better day. And then there is Randal (Anderson), the rude, but very funny slacker who represents the attitude that we Gen Xers think, but don't say aloud. He speaks his mind, he poses questions that we don't really think about (one involving an extremely detailed, but very hilarious analysis, of the "Star Wars" films), he also refuses to be nice to customers, nor swallow his pride just for the sake of etiquette and courtesy.

Dante and Randal are both 22, work full time at minimum wage jobs serving the public, are not in school and may never go back. They hate everyone and everything, and this tension is often relieved on their customers. The entire atmosphere of the film is so campy and almost "realistic" in a way, as it was shot in a very grainy black and white and does not feature a celebrity, which only makes the tone more suited for the story. These bare essentials are what force us to pay attention to the basic elements of theme, mood, and dialogue.

I can relate to this film so well because I have had experience in very similar occupations. There are conversations in this movie that are almost word-for-word duplications of conversations I have had with co-workers. For example, when Dante and Randal start to complain about customers and their stupid questions, I was dying laughing because it was just so true for me. There is a very funny scene in which Randal beats a customer at their own game, as he blatantly admits that he doesn't care for them and that it feels good to point out the shortcomings of others, ahh... how true that is. Even if you are not, or never have been in a position like this, it is still hysterical because of the genius knack of dialogue that Kevin Smith has, and his sense of character for Gen Xers.

Dante and his girlfriend Veronica (Ghiglotti) constantly argue over the importance of college, the differences in the requirements to make men and women come to orgasm, and deciding who and what is most important in a relationship. Specific examples are not given, but the entire atmosphere of the film really gives one the sense of what modern relationships are based on, that is, nothing.

At some points "Clerks" can get rather crude, but the dialogue did not seem unbelievable to me. Even though the actors are not professionals, they are able to deliver a credible and very entertaining performance. There are many scenes where it is obvious that they are reading cue cards, one scene even shows the actor admitting that he messed up the line, but the improvisation is still funny and does not break our concentration at all.

I still think that "Clerks" is truly a landmark of sorts, as it is somewhat following a trend of telling funny stories about "nothing" as this story is the epitome of that idea and does not become commercial at all, as it relies upon its originality and comical genius to provide for a very funny, very entertaining, and very unique film unlike any you will ever see. Kevin Smith has basically exploited my generation, and for that I thank him. [other films by Smith: "Mallrats"] (3/19/96) (12/18/96)


The review above was posted to the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup (de.rec.film.kritiken for German reviews).
The Internet Movie Database accepts no responsibility for the contents of the review and has no editorial control. Unless stated otherwise, the copyright belongs to the author.
Please direct comments/criticisms of the review to relevant newsgroups.
Broken URLs inthe reviews are the responsibility of the author.
The formatting of the review is likely to differ from the original due to ASCII to HTML conversion.

Related links: index of all rec.arts.movies.reviews reviews