Short(ish) review #14

Clerks (1994) -"Just Becasue They Serve You... Doesn't Mean They Like You"

One of the 90s cult classics, this film was the directorial debut of Kevin Smith and cost less than $30,000 to make. How? Bye bye comic books, insurance, college grant, etc. This is the kind of low budget film that inspires you to go out and make your own.

Dante Hicks has plans for his day off - playing a hockey match with his mates. However, he is called into work and encounters a number of problems, most notably his friend Randal. He learns the news that one of his ex-girlfriends is getting married and that another one has died; those keep plaguing his mind all day. However, there are number of customers who annoy him, from a health advocate who tries to discourage people from buying cigarettes to guidance counselors looking for the perfect dozen of eggs.

Kevin Smith was working in a store at the time of making the film and deciding to shoot it in the same store. He was only allowed to film outside of business hours and could not afford bright lights. That's why there is an explanation as to why the shutters were down. He began work at 6am and finished at 11pm, but filmed until 4am for 21 days straight. They also edite it in the video shop next door.

There are numerous funny scenes and quotable lines, especially from Randal. However, actor Jeff Anderson was supposedly uncomfortable about reading out a list of porn film names in front of a woman and her child. His interaction, or lack of, with the customers is amusing, summing up why he has no particular interest in his job, which is why he spends most of his time annoying Dante. Mind you, they do have very though-provoking discussions, including all the unfortunate contractors killed off by the destruction of the Death Star at the end of Return of the Jedi. It is a very dialogue-heavy film, though it is witty.

My particular favourite scene is when Dante is arguing with his girlfriend Veronica:

Dante:Well? 
Veronica: Um... something like thirty-six. 
Dante: WHAT? SOMETHING LIKE THIRTY-SIX!? 
Veronica: Lower your voice. 
Dante: Wait, what is that anyway, "something like thirty-six?" Does that include me? 
Veronica: Um... thirty-seven. 
Dante: I'M THIRTY-SEVEN!? 
Veronica: I'm going to class. 
Dante: Oh, my God. [customer walks up to pay] Thirty-seven! My girlfriend sucked thirty-seven dicks! 
Customer: In a row?

As you may know, the success of this film inspired a sequel, Clerks II where Dante and Randal work at a fast-food restaurant. I haven't seen it in full; I've seen the scene where Randal has a debate with an employee and customer about which was the better trilogy - Lord of the Rings or Star Wars. In Randal's opinion, "there's only one "Return," okay, and it ain't of the King, it's of the Jedi". I am also aware there is a scene involving a donkey wearing a gimp mask. You don't want to know. Clerks III is currently in the pipeline. Part of this film's lasting legacy are the characters of Jay and Silent Bob. They feature in numerous other Kevin Smith films, such as Mallrats, Dogma and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

There are those who don't find the gags funny, so it is a very audience-specific film. It is essentially two people talking to each other, yet it still managed to win awards at Sundance and Cannes.