Brian O'Halloran, Jason Mewes, Jeff Anderson, Lisa Spoonauer, Lisa Spoonhauer ...( see more  see more... ) , Marilyn Ghigliotti

The trials and tribulations of a New Jersey convenience store clerk and his best friend, a video store employee.

Flixster Users

89% liked it

254,036 ratings

Critics

87% liked it

47 critics

R, 1 hr. 45 min.

Directed by: Kevin Smith

Release Date: October 19, 1994

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DVD Release Date: June 29, 1999

Stats: 17,399 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (17,399)


  • September 18, 2009
    Clerks is a nice little independent film and you have to admire how well Kevin Smith did with it. It's just not as good as everyone says it is, it's ridiculously overhyped!
  • September 9, 2009
    Wow. So I somehow managed to have never seen this before this weekend, and despite the fact that I've been lukewarm on Kevin Smith in the past, I ADORED this! Hilarious and endearing, proof that a shoestring budget doesn't mean you can't spin gold.
  • August 14, 2009
    "Just Because They Serve You...Doesn't Mean They Like You."

    A day in the lives of two convenience clerks named Dante and Randal as they annoy customers, discuss movies, and play hockey on the store roof.

    REVIEW</
    ...( read more)u>
    This ultra-cheap debut of Kevin Smith has none of the elements that make movies work, but somehow still does. It's unconventional, it's experimental, and some people have stated that it's actually barely a movie, which leaves me with little rebuttal. However, this grainy, black and white recording about nobodies doing nothing is hypnotic in a way, and most of all strangely funny. Having Jay and Silent Bob (both seldom seen) dance is one of the most random things I've ever seen in a movie, but it really cracked me up. There isn't really a plot, and nothing is ever resolved, but this doesn't matter, cue off the wall dialogue about hermaphrodite porn. I have no idea why I laughed, I have no idea what I've even watched, but this is really good stuff. Only thing that bothers me is the little relationship story, it doesn't feel realistic because I'm a superficial bastard. The girl playing Veronica is quite a lot more attractive than the girl playing Caitlin, which makes the last twenty minutes or so a bit bothersome. Either way, this is an instant classic.
  • July 17, 2009
    Randal: This job would be great if it wasn't for the fucking customers.

    Along with Dogma, this is my favorite Kevin Smith film. A cheaply made film focused on 20 somethings reflecting on their life status, which started the whole Smith View Askweniverse.

    Dante Hicks: I'm not e...( read more)ven supposed to be here today!

    The story centers around Dante Hicks, a college dropout who works in a convenience store. The movie moves over the course of a particular day where a number of things happen including Dante dealing with his ex and current girlfriends, his interaction with his best friend/foil Randal, where to stage a hockey game, how to attend a funeral, and the antics of the drug dealers hanging outside the store, Jay and Silent Bob.

    Randal Graves: Which did you like better? "Jedi" or "The Empire Strikes Back"?
    Dante Hicks: "Empire".
    Randal Graves: Blasphemy.
    Dante Hicks: "Empire" had the better ending. I mean, Luke gets his hand cut off, finds out Vader's his father, Han gets frozen and taken away by Boba Fett. It ends on such a down note. I mean, that's what life is, a series of down endings. All "Jedi" had was a bunch of Muppets.

    What I love about this movie is the rapid fire, quick witted dialog that makes up all of Smith's films, this being where it started. As Smith has stated himself, people don't talk in real life the way he writes dialog, but its still much more interesting than scattered sentences, as well as much funnier and poignant at times.

    Dante Hicks: You hate people!
    Randal Graves: But I love gatherings. Isn't it ironic?

    Dante and Randal make a great team, and I am glad that I was able to see their further exploits in a cartoon series along with the sequel. The movie is very funny and manages to hit a number of relatable issues. Sure, a lot happens all in one day, but it's a movie, why would I want to watch a story of an uneventful day?

    Dante Hicks: Embolism in a pool, what an embarrassing way to die.
    Randal Graves: That's nothing compared to how my cousin Walter died.
    Dante Hicks: How did he go?
    Randal Graves: He broke his neck.
    Dante Hicks: You call that embarrassing?
    Randal Graves: He broke his neck while trying to suck his own dick!

    Shot super cheap, with some shotty acting from some supporting players, the movie still moves along great through Smith's written dialog patterns, which includes plenty of sexual, pop culture, and Star Wars references. I can easily watch it over and over.

    Blue Collar Man: Excuse me, I don't mean to interrupt, but what are you talking about?
    Randal Graves: The ending of "Return of the Jedi".
    Dante Hicks: My friend here is trying to convince me that any independent contractors working on the uncompleted Death Star were innocent victims when it was destroyed by the Rebels.

    The extremely quotable nature of the movie also makes it great along with the hysterics of the building sequence of events that occur and the cool enough alternative rock soundtrack.

    Randal Graves: Some guy came into the store refusing to pay late fees. Said the store was closed for two hours yesterday. I tore up his membership.
    Dante Hicks: Shocking abuse of authority.
    Randal Graves: Hey, I'm a firm believer in the philosophy of a ruling class. Especially since I rule.

    Just a great movie, full of vulgar dialog, plenty of memorable lines and good fun to enjoy.

    Randal Graves: Fine then, just let me borrow your car.
    Dante Hicks: What for?
    Randal Graves: I want to go rent a movie. What was that?
    Dante Hicks: You work at a video store!
    Randal Graves: I work at a shitty video store! I want to go to a good video store and get a good movie!
  • June 10, 2009
    Well, you have to admire Kevin Smith, sinking $25,000 or so of his own money into this, without having developed any real skill in movie making.

    It is as flawed as the Beardmore Glacier: the aspiring movie-makers fell into the age-old trap of neglecting sound, and as a result re...( read more)corded a nigh-on unusable track that subsequently required a lot of processing to bring it up to some sort of standard. They also lacked full coverage of the material they needed (resulting in a rather random cut at one point), and the film has no narrative development whatsoever. If that wasn't enough, the humour is hardly sophisticated. Oh, and the acting is laughable - really. They are method actors insofar as their method is to say their lines deadpan no matter the occasion.

    Yet it works.

    The grainy black-and-white footage with it's snowy, dropped out sound alll forms part of the atmosphere in it. I might even go so far as to say that its amateurish nature warms you to the characters and helps overcome some of the more disgusting elements in Smith's writing. That, and the eminently likeable Silent Bob, who adds a measure of decorum to the occasion (what am I saying?).

    And that's something to think about. Kevin Smith is often discussed in some circles for his writing skills. And he can write an enjoyable romp. However, in large part he has played one (cheap) trick, a low flush of controvery. He would do well to broaden his humour.
  • January 23, 2010
    Very clever dialogue and an off beat story, Clerks is an ammusing film that is an unjoyable watch.
  • January 17, 2010
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  • January 16, 2010
    I love low-budget indies, and this is one of the most clever.
  • January 13, 2010
    OMG!!! CAN'T GET ANY BETTER!!!
  • January 7, 2010
    One of my all time favorite films.

Critic Reviews


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Comments


  • Rossjm
    May 27, 2008
    Mightyshort, your acting like a big film buff, but you can't be if you hate black and white films. Grow up. Just because a film isn't colour doesn't mean it is bad. you are a *Great guy*.
  • thelovecats
    July 21, 2007
    MightyShort, you're a terrible, terrible person! "its black and white!" oh my god!hahah
  • pullupyourshirt
    June 17, 2007
    berserker!
  • MightyShort
    March 30, 2007
    Seminal? Christ. Think for yourselves, folks, and don't just agree with whatever pot-smoking morons happen to dribble their opinions.

    This clumsy and embarrassing student film doesn't have a single worthwhile idea. "People who work in shops are bored!" God, really? Get this man a Nobel Peace Prize.

    The acting is horrifying. The direction is half-assed. Also, the dialogue is the worst I have *ever* heard. Humans do not talk like that.

    It's black and white! It has words like "Catharsis" against black screens! Like, we make Star Wars jokes too! Well it *must* be a work of genius, then...

    Sex jokes + Star Wars jokes / Drugs jokes, Repeat. A formula for a career.
  • craigthet4
    October 30, 2006
    I LOVE Clerks so much I think i'll go home and see it tonight
  • mustangmike6
    August 25, 2006
    haha... i love it!
  • hill61
    June 22, 2006
    This film is bobbins!

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Clerks Trivia


  • The first film in motion picture history to have a cost of obtaining the rights to the soundtrack (approx. US$27,000) that outweighed the entire production (approx. US$26,800).  Answer »
  • Which movie is this a tagline from? Just Because They Serve You... Doesn't Mean They Like You  Answer »
  • What actor plays the character of Silent Bob in Mallrats, Clerks etc..?  Answer »
  • Fill in the blank from Clerks 2: "Kelly can be a ___ ____ too, hey!"  Answer »

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