Clerks III
“Clerks III”
To anyone that has worked retail in any shape or form in their life I have to believe that there was at least one thing that made them laugh in the three film arc that is Clerks. In this most recent entry into the View Askewniverse our fearless leader Kevin Smith is once again playing with his favorite characters Randal and Dante our favorite smart ass convenience store clerks and now owners of the legendary Quick Stop. Smith gives us all the characters from his films that we have come to know and love and all the cameos that any Kevin Smith film fan could ever hope for.
For those who don’t follow the likes of Mr. Smith like I do this most recent film in the Clerks saga is very much a reflection of Kevin's life the last few years and how a life changing heart attack changed his outlook on things. In this film art imitates life and Randal has a heart attack and decides that he is living on borrowed time and he is going to do something with the extra time he has been given and make a movie about day to day life at the Quick Stop. Sound familiar? Dante is on his own personal journey and giving us a side to Kevin's film making that I feel he hasn't shown us much of since Chasing Amy which is actual sorrow. Smith has long shown longing and love in most if not all of his films but in this film Dante's journey in particular is sorrowful as he deals with a tragic loss. Dante is so focused on lifting his friend up and trying to help him achieve his dream he neglects to heal himself, as it is easier to avoid your own problems when focusing on helping others with theirs.
For any Kevin Smith fan this movie is prime for repeat viewings just from the piles of easter eggs that litter this film from all walks of Mr. Smiths life be it his movies, pod casts or just life long family and friends popping in periodically to say hi. For us fans it makes it more than just a movie to us. Its like a little love letter to all of us that yell “Ralph” when pod cast friend and co-host Ralph Garman pops up on the screen. The ending is very bittersweet but beautiful in its execution with the haunting and pitch perfect end credits song ‘I’m from New Jersey” by John Gorka to send us home . Kevin is doing something in this movie that is hard if not impossible for any creator to do, he’s letting someone he loves go. This in any creative work is hard to do much less in one that is inherently tied to ones film making identity. It is from listening to Kevin's pod casts were he is constantly saying “Just go make a thing” as a big reason for why I write these goofy little movie reviews. Making stuff is fun and so is this movie so go make a thing 4 out of 5 Yellow Suckers
*This movie review was originally published in The Current River Observer as the River Reels article written by Jeffrey Riggs
