As the great “Office Space” allows us to easily relate to the mundane nature of clerical work, “Clerks” does the same for those of us who have spent any time in a retail environment.
The 1994 debut of filmmaker Kevin Smith has fixated itself amongst the upper echelon of indie films, and in particular the independent film movement of the 1990s. It stars Brian O’Halloran and Jeff Anderson as the titular clerks—a pair of twenty-something-year-old Generation X slackers who spend the day working behind the menial counter of a neighborhood convenient store in New Jersey.
The movie is presented in an amazing way, and it’s interesting to note that Kevin Smith drew inspiration from another ’90s indie classic “Slacker.” There’s little in the way of a plot, other than catching a quick glimpse into the lives of the characters as they go about their day. It’s almost a scripted version of a reality show as we become firsthand witnesses to how the life of a retail worker is interrupted by random and often annoying customers.
Dante (O’Halloran) is called into work on his day off, and begrudgingly agrees. Dante’s life is filled with the types of things many of us can relate to. He’s having issues with his girlfriend (Marilyn Ghigliotti) and ex-girlfriend (Lisa Spoonauer) and was supposed to play hockey with his friends since it is his day off. He’s a regular guy that seems a pushover at times. “I’m not even supposed to be here today!” he comically laments several times throughout the movie. Dante is joined by his friend Randal (Anderson) who abandons his post at a video store to hang out with Dante. Throughout the day, Dante and Randal encounter a host of unique people, including the debut of enigmatic characters Jay and Silent Bob, played by Jason Mewes and Smith himself.
There’s little, if any in the way of special effects or high end wizardry behind the camera. Kevin Smith worked at the convenience store where the plot takes place, and got permission to film inside after hours (an early scene reveals to us why the blinds of the store are closed—a plot point done to conceal the fact that filming was done while it was dark out). Smith pawned his extensive comic book collection and maxed out his credit cards to secure funding—less than $30,000—to shoot “Clerks.” The movie is in black and white, and offers a perfect blend of indie tawdriness with a visual comparison to the way convenience store security cameras would look.
The dialogue between all of the characters, specifically Dante and Randal, is purely organic and completely mesmerizing. It’s quick and witty, borrowing a page from then popular shows like “Seinfeld” and fellow independent movie “Reservoir Dogs.” If you ever worked at a store (like me) you can certainly relate to the bevy of annoying customers that come and go throughout the day, each with a varying degree of quirkiness themselves. “This job would be great if it wasn’t for the fucking customers.” Randal states.
The aura of the era is well represented, and fans of the ’90s will be giddy as they see newspapers, cheap coffee, VHS rentals, and corded telephones. The use of music is a nice touch—some big names like Alice in Chains lend their talents, and who wouldn’t fall in love with the fashion? Flannel shirts, backwards hats, and Dante’s taut goatee. One character is sporting a San Jose Sharks cap and it took me back to high school.
“Clerks” is a great film for its presence on the indie stage as well as a time capsule for all things ’90s.
