Since his 1994 debut, Clerks director Kevin Smith has been fixated on the characters and world he created within it. The film kicked off his View Askewniverse and helped make him a household name. In 2006 came the first sequel to Clerks, Clerks II, and now, after several years in development comes Clerks III.
Originally reported to have been an entirely different script and story, Kevin Smith was inspired by his own health scare. In 2018 the filmmaker suffered a massive heart attack, the severity is commonly referred to by doctors as the widowmaker. Fresh out of recovery, Smith went back to his existing Clerks III script, tore it all down, and started again. His personal life bled onto the page and so the story of Clerks III that made it to the screen sees Randal (Jeff Anderson) suffer a similarly near-fatal heart attack. In the wake of his health scare, Randal decides that he wants to make a film about his life-working in the Quick Stop.
With Clerks III Smith comes full circle, spending much of the time with Randal and Dante (Brian O’Halloran) as they piece together their project. It drives right into that nostalgia trend that audiences are obsessed with, featuring constant call backs to the original. The sentiment works to be something more than just a cheap inclusion and one that will be adored by fans of the first film. Seeing Smith return to his original stomping ground is something sweetly special. Having him reunite with his friends onscreen is a further touching delight. Clerks was, in many ways, made for themselves, and to have the world embrace it was a dream come true. Smith now returns the favour by creating something hearty for the loyal masses.
In addition to Randal and Dante, stars of the other films return to. There are also cameos from a raft of familiar faces. An appearance from Ben Affleck is the least surprising; a star of an iconic TV show is more of a shock. Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith) are of course back and somehow the pair still work even though they are far beyond their youthful years in Clerks. Ageing is a key cornerstone to Clerks III. The whole film is spent looking back on history, assessing decisions made and battling through regret. For the audience that have grown up alongside these characters, the kinship and bond will only deepen. Smith also explores the complexity of life-long friendships, mortality and the importance of letting those near you know how much you need and care for them. The sentimentality is a long way from the wacky donkey show plotting of Clerks II, but forms the perfect way to conclude Smith’s trilogy of retail fables.
Clerks III
Summary
Kevin Smith comes full circle with his Quick Stop swan song; Clerks III is a fitting goodbye to the characters that earned him a career.
Clerks III is out in UK cinemas from 16th September 2022.
