Rating: 
Summary: A simple film that's simply funny
Review: Kevin Smith writes some of the best scripts in today's cinema world. Sure, he can be crude and even a little too descriptive, but he can also be clever and insightful. "Clerks" was his first attempt at movie making, and it created such a splash that he now has the money and ego of one of today's top director.
"Clerks," a black-and-white, not necessarily visually-pleasing film, tells the story of Dante (Brian O'Halloran), an unhappy convenience store clerk with relationship troubles. His carefree video store worker pal Randal (Jeff Anderson) provides advice, good or bad, and comic relief to try and brighten Dante's day. This movie was sort of a behind-the-scenes at the Quick Stop in addition to being a comedy about Dante's lovelife. We get a look at annoying customers, being stuck at work on your day off, drug dealers making sales outside the store, and challenging authority. These are all issues clerks deal with, although maybe not everyday. After all, it's not everyday that an old man has a heart attack in the employee restroom. But for comedic purposes, Smith crammed as much as he could into this sort of mockumentary, giving Dante and Randal plenty to deal with and keeping the plot going.
This movie is kind of an acquired taste. A lot of people don't like the long dialogues between Randal and Dante, such as the one about independent contractors in the Death Star. But I found them to be to funny. Lots of people sit around and talk about nothing like these two guys do. Therefore, those conversations are something audience members should relate to. But to each his own. Some viewers want more action in lieu of long, intelligent dialogue.
The DVD has some good stuff on it, including commentary by the director, cast and crew, and extended scenes. One of the coolest features is the original ending. I won't spoil it for you if you haven't seen it. For the record, I like the way the movie ended in the final cut better.
Love it or hate it, this movie was groundbreaking and one of the most inexpensive success stories in film history. Bravo to Kevin Smith for a great first effort.
Rating:
Summary: Take That All You Stupid, Big Budget Excuses For Movies!
Review: Clerks was made on a low budget and it shows, but it's still much more enjoyable, witty, smart, and hilarious than numerous movies on a big budget. The movie follows a day in the lives of two "clerks", one in a convience store (Dante) and one in the "crappy video store" (Randall). The story centers around Dante's troubled love life: he's has a girlfriend he loves (Veronica), but he longs for an ex-girlfriend (Caitlin) who cheated on him numerous times. Dante finds out his ex is engaged and tries desperately to find out if it's true and why he wasn't informed before hand. In the midst of this, Randall and Dante discuss Star Wars, make clever observations on life and the world around them, go to a wake that ends with Dante and Randall being chased out of the funeral home by a mob of angry guests, play hockey on the convience store roof, and put up with some clueless and annoying customers ("You expect me to drink this coffee hot?").The dialog from writer/director Kevin Smith carries the movie as there is little action, but it works. You get a sense that the characters are real people as opposed to many movies in which the characters are empty and emotionless. Dante and Randall are smart and witty, and you get the sense that they have some kind of great talent that they don't know what to do with. Dante is especially unsure of what he wants to do with his life, and it takes Randall to point him towards the source of his problems. Anyone who has worked retail (including me) can relate to some of the annoying customers and how at times the job can become mind-numbingly and painfully boring. I will not spoil the most notable scene for those that haven't seen the film. It happens off screen, but will still leave you with a look of shock when you find out what happened. Clerks is not for those who are easily offended by strong language or those uncomfortable with talk about sex (including "snowballing" and deadly means of self-gratification). But the movie works without resorting to crude, sickening humor. And of course, the infamous Jay and Silent Bob make their debut. This is a must-see for Kevin Smith fans and a great place to start if you want to get into Kevin Smith's work.
Rating:
Summary: CLERKS!
Review: The highly talked about movie "Clerks" was an independent film that Kevin Smith funded with ten credit cards, by selling his comic book collection, money from an insurance claim, money from his friends, and from paychecks working at Quick Stop. I expected the film to be comedic, mostly because anything with Jay and Silent Bob is hilarious. Clerks started out at the IFFM (Independent Feature Film Market) where it was viewed and liked by Bob Hawk, a member of the Sundance Advisory Committee. It was then shown at Sundance in 1994 where Miramax Films picked it up. From there they did advertising.
The movie is a comedy and has a relationship story with the main character caught between two girls. His old high school sweetheart and his current girlfriend. The movie is basically about Dante who is somewhat of a loser by society's standards. He works at a local Quick Stop and comes across several characters including Jay and Silent Bob. The love story is what holds the movie together and gives it some body. Without it the movie would have been a disaster. The movie gives you relaxed vibes and has a chilled out atmosphere about it, which is helped by the great soundtrack.
The main characters are Dante, Randal, Veronica, Caitlin and Silent Bob. Jay (Jason Mewes) dances around like an idiot and sells drugs; Silent Bob (Kevin Smith), of course, just stands there. Dante (Brian O' Halloran) thinks he is really something special and that his job needs him. He thinks he's the only man for the job and things will fall apart without him. Randal (Jeff Anderson) recognizes that anyone can do their job and that they are just two losers working at a video and local liquor store. The acting isn't super but I think its meets the standards for an independent flick.
This of course was Kevin Smith's first movie. He is also known for his other works titled, "Chasing Amy" and "Mallrats". The film does get somewhat slow during some parts, such as the love scenes but I think its somewhat unavoidable when it comes to those things. The film was all black and white with settings in the Video Store, the Quick Stop along with the roof, outside the Quick Stop and at Dante's House. Technical camera angles weren't really in effect due to the fact that it was an Independent film and released back in 1994.
All in all I enjoyed the film. The good points had to be the classic petty arguments and wide range of vocabulary used in Kevin Smith films and Jay's crazy antics. The only bad point for me was the black and white. Some people might like it but I'm a man of the color age. If your into comedy and you enjoy any of the other Kevin Smith films this movie is a must see!
Rating:
Summary: Simple, yet brilliant.
Review: At first, I was a bit hesitant to watch this movie because it was in black and white. Later, as I opened up my mind more, I gave it a shot. Hey, Psycho, Pi, and Night of the Living Dead are B&W and I loved those. After I watched this movie, I came to the conclusion that this is a true modern classic. It represents the attitude of young people in their mundane lives wonderfully. Out of all the Kevin Smith films, this happens to be the best even though it was his lowest budget film ever. For a film that's B&W, the characters are extremely colorful. You have Dante, the main character that is depressed about work because lots of things go wrong that he doesn't want to deal with but does anyway. And then you got Randall, his insensitive buddy. Basically the movie is a day of one clerk going completely wrong with sort of spur of the moment trifles. Essentially, the movie is just made up of silly discussions that have a somewhat stoner philosophy. Watch out for a debate on Star Wars, probably the best argument I've ever heard. The characters are easy to relate to. There will be someone in this movie that reminds you of someone you know in real life. And that's the beauty of this movie. For people between the ages of 18-25, it reflects your life. Simple movie with not much of a real plot, yet it achieves more than a lot of other fancy million dollar movies I've seen.
Rating:
Summary: Great Movie, Great DVD (or Laserdisk).
Review: I'm not going to tell the plot of Clerks, since tons of other reviewers have already done that, but instead I'm going to focus of the DVD, because I don't feel enough people write about that. First off here's the special features: Audio Commentary: This commentary features a nearly countless amount of people, but mostly Kevin Smith with the occasional tid bit from actor Brian O' Halloran (also known as Brian Christopher O' Halloran) or producer Scott Mosier. Funnily, Jason Mewes showed up drunk for the recording of this and lies on the floor past out most of the time, sometimes waking up to swear or scream "Snootchie Bootchies." Obviously only one mike was used for this, but that never bothered me much, because the commentary is a load of fun, with tons of interesting things and laughs. I like this much better than the overrated Mallrats commentary. Deleted Scenes With Introductions by Kevin Smith: There are about 6 deleted scenes, almost all of them extended bits, but all of them interesting. Ones I particularly liked were the longer Gum Guy's speech, the longer conversation with Dane and Veronica, and the longer talking between Veronica and Randal. The only completely additional scene is in #3 where Randal tries to pursuade a customer to rent Smokey and the Bandit 3. Not very funny, but interesting. The introductions to the scenes by Kevin Smith are very good, short and to the point, where as in all the other DVDs he rambles on for about two minutes about why you should visit Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash or mumbles or wastes time going "Um," you get my point. In these intros he simly states what you'll find new in the scene and then you view, I think the longest intro is about thirty seconds. Excellent. Original Ending: The shocking original ending is included for your enjoyment, and it is obvious why it was cut, although I personally love the scene and think it'd be a great ending to the film. Why? Because it ends on a downer, just like Dante and Randal talk about early in the film, and is more realistic (OK, maybe not, but I like it). Sit through the short set of credits for a breif cameo by director Smith. The ending features an introduction where Smith states how happy he is that the scene was cut. Interesting. Music Video: The funny music video for Soul Asylum's "Can't Even Tell", featuring a recreation of the hockey scene, in color no less! It's an interesting look at what if would be like if the movie was in color, but it's also a pretty good song, and the video is entertaining, measuring around four and a half minutes. Introduction by Smith is included, which is pretty interesting. Theatrical Trailer: The film's original trailer is included with introduction by Smith, where he states how crazy he is for it and that it's one of his favorite trailers ever. It's a nice trailer and all, but really, it is just a trailer, and I think he sees into it more than most people will (though I read a review that called the trailer "a piece of film itself"). Anyway, those are the extras. It doesn't look like much, but quality overwhelms quantity, and all these extras are very cool, and worth your time. The sound and picture on the film is fine, at least when you think about it. Remember Clerks cost less than a car to make, and the picture is consistently grainy throughout, as well as black and white (oh boo hoo to all you people who can't watch a black and white movie), but I could always tell what was going on, and after about two minutes, I got used to the grain (you will, too). The sound is a 2.0 surround sound that is always clear and never bothersome. There's minor hiss, but barely irritating (or noticeable). Anyway, I like CLerks a lot, although most people won't watch it because of the black and white picture and a lot of people find it boring, but I just don't understand how anyone could find a movie with such great acting and dialouge boring. Well, if you need an explosion or a bunch of action every ten minutes..... Hope you liked my review (kind of long, sorry), and please vote if it was helpful. Thank you for reading.
Rating:
Summary: Classic Indie film with raw style
Review: Kevin Smith is quick to be pigeonholed as a writer of vulgarity and immaturity. Underneath the language, however, he has always shined with his insightful "askewed views" of life and reality. CLERKS, Smith's debut effort, was a realistic (sometimes not) look at what can happen in the daily routines of a convenience store employee. Rather than rely on special effects or dramatic plots, CLERKS delivers pure meaning without all the fizz and sugary icing. Unfortunately he spent too much money on MALLRATS, the next movie which didn't have nearly the charisma of this one. Who can forget an anti-smoking advocate accusing a clerk of "just following orders"? Would you ever imagine going into a movie store to request a film, only to have the names of pornos recited in your face? Have you ever had the desire to play hockey (or any other field sport) on the roof of a building? Are you the type that wishes you could attack your customers? A "yes" answer to any of the above means you should see this movie. It's profane and not for little kids, but for intellectual teenagers and liberal-minded adults, CLERKS is a gem you won't forget soon. Kevin Smith is the Misfits of movies!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Impressive that it was made by a young man,
Review: but by the time you are 30, you'll know and understand everything this film has to say. I'm an old fart, thus I didn't really learn anything from Clerks, but it had some interesting parts from a cinematic perspective. Net, net, don't see this unless you are under 30, or are really interested in film.
Rating: 
Summary: A very original, entertaining flick
Review: Kevin Smith maxed out a batch of credit cards (... worth) to make this hilarious and very clever film. There's no real plot--basically, it's a day in the life of a couple of clerks and the assorted oddballs who populate their lives--but "Clerks" has ten times the energy and originality of nearly every big-budget, small-minded Hollywood production in recent memory. This is due in large part to Smith's profane, irreverent dialogue, surefooted direction, and some convincing performances. Many memorable, laugh-out-loud moments; my favorites have to be the "Star Wars" discussion, and the "sexual revelations" bit. (It's a riot hearing people discuss "Star Wars" as seriously as some would debate Plato's "Republic"). The low budget means this looks more like "The Blair Witch Project" than "The Matrix," but big production values do not a great film make (see "Pearl Harbor" for a prime example). This is what filmmaking should be--not about noisy, splashy effects, demographics, or the bottom line, but about the art of filmmaking. Kudos to Kevin Smith and company for a funny and creative film.
Rating:
Summary: Inside the World of the Jersey Trilogy
Review: What's great about the Clerks Collector's Edition DVD is watching it scene by scene. I did that one weekend afternoon: I'd watch a scene, then I'd go back, turn on the commentary from Kevin Smith, et al, and be entertained. I learned several things: 1. Smith originally wanted to play Randall, but decided that he couldn't be a major character and direct the film without going nuts. Instead, he became Silent Bob. The world hasn't been the same since. 2. The idea for Mallrats came out of a guy at Sundance wanting to re-shoot Clerks as an A-movie, with color. That's one big reason that Mallrats is just as much a "buddy movie" as Clerks is. 3. The scenes with Randall randomly driving through town are completely incorrect--they're going nowhere near the funeral home they end up defacing later on in the movie. 4. The guy who owned the funeral home really didn't expect them, and wasn't too happy with them. There's plenty more, but for the insight into the world of the Jersey Trilogy, this is a good bet.
Rating:
Summary: Customer Service Rocks
Review: Title: Clerks Director: Kevin Smith Cast: Brian O'Halloran ... Dante Hicks
Jeff Anderson ... Randal Graves
Marilyn Ghigliotti ... Veronica Loughran
Lisa Spoonhauer ... Caitlin Bree
Jason Mewes ... Jay
Kevin Smith ... Silent Bob Tagline: "Just because they serve you...doesn't mean they like you." Plot Summary: Two guys spend a day at work in adjacent stores, and a lot of weird things happen. Review and Comments: Like that summary? Very concise. The problem with writing a review of this movie is that what happens is an overview of a day at work for these two characters, and anything I say can and will ruin the jokes that make this film worth seeing. I'll attempt to apply my vast amounts of reviewing skill to this review in order to convince you why this movie is worth seeing WITHOUT giving away every single thing that happens. So. Has anyone here ever worked a crappy, low-paying service job that required immense amounts of patience and customer service skills not to wring the necks of everyone that came into the place asking stupid questions? This movie is for you. Here lies a collection of anecdotes about all the things that can happen throughout the years working at a convenience store (and a video rental place) all set in the timeframe of one incredible day at work. The customers that ask stupid questions, the things that break and must be fixed, everything that can and will go wrong at once, it's all here. To give away the little things that happen would be to rob the viewer of the enjoyment of watching it happen, so I'll say no more. There are several exaggerated things that happen, comedic moments that we hope are fictional, but at its core what works about the comedy is that there are recognizable hilarious moments that we recognize if we've worked these kinds of jobs before. Holding this film together, there is a relationship between the main character, Dante, (played by Brian O'Halloran) and his girlfriend Marilyn, (played by Veronica Loughran). Their relationship has lasted awhile, and they're hitting some rough spots in trying to see whether it should continue or end immediately. Most relationships hit such a spot, and the revelations they make to each other and the reactions that occur should be recognizable to anyone who's ever had a relationship that hit some rough spots ("I can't believe you never told me that..." "You're overreacting..."). Again, I'm not going to give anything away, but suffice it to say that much of the dialogue here is funny because it's true. So throughout the day, strange things happen, the main characters react, and the relationship problems are discussed. The problems get worse, the tension mounts, and at the end, everything is resolved in such a way that the characters may or may not have learned something. The plot follows the standard film school outline, but the twist is that the whole story occurs in the midst of vignettes that follow the quirky things that can happen throughout a day at a customer service job (with a few fantastical, exaggerated situations) and the little stories are interwoven with the main character's dilemma in a way that I found highly entertaining. The grainy, black and white style of this movie (slightly above surveillance camera quality...no joke) belies the small budget, but I found it effective. It may annoy a lot of people, though, so be forewarned. This movie doesn't look slick and polished. This movie is full of "inappropriate" language. Don't let your four-year-old watch this movie unless you want him to get kicked out or preschool for repeating the dialogue. Lots of people don't like this movie (or any of Smith's movies, come to think of it) because they complain that it has no plot and it's not funny-it's annoying. Keep that in mind. If you don't like the comedy, you won't like the movie. The Bottom Line: I loved it.
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