MPAA Rating: R/ Genre: Comedy/ Stars: Brian O’Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Marilyn Ghigliotti, Rosario Dawson, Trevor Fehrman, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith, Amy Sedaris, Austin Zajur, Ben Affleck, Fred Armisen, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Michelle Buteau, Marc Bernardin, Justin Long/Runtime: 100 minutes
I think it can be safely said that for the past three decades, the iconic and genuinely one of a kind helmer that is Kevin Smith is one that has managed to possess a quite distinct rollercoaster sort of career that also has the distinction of being one that can be viewed in three different phases. The first phase was the one that saw Smith introduce movie goers to what has since come to be known as the View Askewniverse. A cinematic universe that was a connected collection of stories set around the same area in New Jersey that looked at everything from the day in the life of two corner store employees and shenanigans occurring at a mall to two rebellious angels nearly causing the end of the world. The third phase on the other was a bit of an oddity since it is here where we see Smith dabbled a wee bit in the realm of horror cinema and gave us such movies as State, Tusk, and the particularly infamous slice of cinema that is Yoga Hosers (a movie that incidentally didn’t even age well the day AFTER it came out). With the benefit of being able to look however, perhaps the most intriguing era of Smith’s is the second phase since this phase is where we saw Smith give us three movies that were a bit more on the tenderhearted side of the coin. This trinity was made up of a 2004 movie called Jersey Girl which gave audiences a sincere view at being a dad and Smith a movie he could poke fun of for the rest of his days, and a 2008 film called Zack and Miri Make a Porno which mixed together Smith’s distinct toilet comedy with a romance that was actually well-done. Oh and 2006’s Clerks II, Smith’s first dip back into View Askewniverse Pond that blended a remembrance for what came before with a narrative that worked more or less about bros Dante and Randall realizing they needed each other in their lives no matter what. Sadly, due in large part to how Zack and Miri and especially Jersey Girl performed box office wise, we saw Smith put walls up around his sentimentality and move on to the ominous tales that were previously mentioned. Yet, in the aftermath of his near-fatal heart attack a few years ago, we see that Smith is ready to tackle the View Askewniverse again, but by letting his sentimental side work in tandem with the rest of his directorial style. As a result, we see that with 2019’s Jay and Silent Bob Reboot not only does he have a certain character become a fairly devoted father, but Smith also managed to take the chance to right a few wrongs committed by a film he made in the 90s known as Chasing Amy. Yes, Jay and Silent Bob Reboot is by no means a perfect slice of cinema, but at the same it also serves as a fairly effective leaping off point for this new phase Smith seems to have embarked on. Namely one where he goes back to see his more iconic characters, but not because he is sure that will get audiences to watch his movies. Rather, he is going back with heart and emotion that might not have been there before and continuing the story with those in hand. Yet even though we have seen him do this before twice now in measured doses, we now see the results of a whole film done in this manner with Clerks III and honestly the end result is fairly beautiful if I’m being honest. Indeed, not only has Smith made a warmhearted and potent ode to powerful friendships that can weather any storm, but he has also made a wonderful look back at his roots as a film helmer whilst also making sure to show a deep and immersive appreciation for quite a few of the people who have done their part to assist him in being the man he is today. Yes, it might not be perfect, but there is no denying that Clerks III is definitely one of the finer films Smith has made in quite a while both behind and in front of the camera.
The plot is as follows: In grand View Askewniverse fashion, Clerks III drops right back off into the care of the dynamic duo that is Dante and Randal who, despite things looking up for them at the end of Clerks II, really do seem like they are right back in the rut as now-owners/front desk operators of the Quik Stop convenience store that they were in close to three solid decades ago. Indeed, not only does Randal still watch the same movies, but he still acts like the same man child he always has to everyone from the customers to his long-suffering pal Dante. Dante meanwhile is going through his own issues as marriage to Becky aka his and Randal’s former boss at Mooby’s Restaurant from the 2nd movie, just isn’t what it used to be for reasons I think I will leave for you to discover for yourself. As for our two favorite stoners Jay and Silent Bob they’re thankfully still around and doing what they do best: smoking and selling weed. Yet, in an ironic twist, we see that since the state of New Jersey has made marijuana use legal now, they no longer have to loiter outside the Quik-Stop to do it. Instead, they’ve taken over the old VHS rental store next door and turned it into a literal drug store. However, just when it looks like things couldn’t possibly get any worse, they do courtesy of Randal suffering a near fatal heart attack while at work one day. A heart attack that, besides nearly killing him, makes Randal really look back on his life and think about how he really hasn’t done anything worth living for. As a result, we see our boy genius decide that with his remaining time that he wants to make (get this?) a movie about his and Dante’s time at the Quik Stop. One that also happens to include, among other things, a potty-mouthed drug dealer and a mute one, a game of hockey on the roof, and shutters that won’t open due to gum jamming up the lock. Wait a minute I think I’ve seen this movie they’re making before…..
Now if you have managed to put two and five together and realized that the written plot synopsis sounds even vaguely familiar then trust me when I say that is by no means an accident. That is because, perhaps in one of the more meta look backs at a career I have seen in some time, the movie being made within this movie by this slice of cinema’s cast is in fact the first Clerks movie from 1994. With that in mind however, it should be said that Clerks III behind the camera may still have moments like that one did where the 4 letter words flow free and the smoke from the joints still forms thick clouds in the air, but this is most assuredly a movie being made by a much more mature filmmaker than the man who gave us even Clerks II. This is because whereas Clerks II was just taking the first movie and making some minor tweaks, but ultimately just wound up making the creative choice to just go ahead and give audiences the same old antics from the Quick Stop, but just transfer them over to the world of Mooby’s instead, Clerks III actually is Smith legitimately trying (and by and large succeeding) to satisfy his drive to tell a good story and not allow the land of movie magic or his own long buried juvenile immaturity to hold him down in any way. In other words: this isn’t a trilogy capper like The Hangover Part III that tried to go bigger than the first two plus embrace the juvenile antics from those entries. Now, despite the fact that there is a lot more drama in this one than you might be anticipating, I can also say that Smith does remember to thankfully dip his toe back into the NSFW comedy pond that has managed to get these movies the fanbase they have over the years even if, like everything else about the movie, it is also tinged with the same wonderful degrees of nostalgia, heart, and maturity as everything else. Suffice it to say that if this is Smith’s farewell tour for these particular characters then trust me when I say this is an incredibly well-done exit stage right to go out on.
Of course, it wouldn’t be the same if, as previously stated briefly in the prior section, the other big component that really helps this slice of cinema work on the level that it does would be the performances from the Kevin Smith Acting Troupe aka the cast of regular players that have been assembled for this. This starts (surprise surprise) with the work done by both O’Halloran and Anderson in the roles of Dante and Randal respectively and it has been nothing short of incredible seeing these two characters age and lean on each other through the years through thick and thin. This is true especially when taking into account the fact that this film shows that Dante has been through the wringer since 2006. Yet even though these revelations could have been handled with a degree of sappiness and artificial sentimentality, Smith instead gives them both the heart and respect that they deserve. He also does a wonderful job of trusting O’Halloran with quite a bit of emotional thrust here due to not only being scared he’s going to lose Randal, but also deep in thought about all the tragedy he has accrued to this point and thankfully O’Halloran does not let him down. On the other side of the coin, we see that this film also manages to get phenomenal work out of Anderson who, as Randal, finally is able to make the most of his character as well courtesy of an arc that sees him finally pushed to give his all towards doing something in this life that he can be genuinely proud of all whilst also getting his own moments where he questions the choices he has made in life that manage to prove to be legitimately emotional in their own right. Suffice it when you also factor in wonderful work from the other returning players including Trevor Fehrman, the always iconic Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith himself as fan favorites Jay and Silent Bob, Rosario Dawson who shines despite her limited screentime for….reasons, and a collection of side-splitting and heartwarming cameos there is no denying that the collection of performances on display are nothing short of fantastic.
All in all is Clerks III a perfect slice of cinema? Honestly no. Not even close. Sorry to disappoint you if you thought I was going to think that. At the same time though, is this slice of cinema one that is a downright dud in the vein of something like the aforementioned Yoga Hosers? Absolutely not and believe me I (and other Kevin Smith fans) should most assuredly be very thankful for that. Indeed here is a slice of cinema that manages to originate from not only the mind, but also the heart of one of America’s most distinct film helmers and scribes who, with the passage of time, has managed to become a fair bit older and also a fair bit wiser along the way even as he also has managed to accomplish something else. Namely that he has come to develop no fear whatsoever when it comes to laying bare the more personal corners of his soul for all the world to see. As a result, not only is this slice of cinema one that proves to be comedic in the ways that Smith fans have come to expect, but it is also a delightful yet very much welcome all the same blend of emotional and moving as well as also potentially tear-jerking especially in regards to the fact that this film deals with living life to the fullest with your remaining time on the planet. More than that however, Clerks III is a riveting in more than one aspect look at a rather special friendship that has aged fairly well alongside its target audience whilst also packing quite the wallop when it clicks that not only do our two main characters really need each other in their lives, but we also need them in ours too now and always. Thus there may be some flaws with this slice of cinema, but the work behind the camera is skilled and the cast assembled in front of the camera is definitely in top-tier form no matter how big or small their roles may be. Suffice it to say that it may not even supposed to be here today as a certain iconic character once said all the way back in 1994, but if you are a fan then definitely check this slice of cinema out. I promise you will most definitely be glad that you did. On a scale of 1-5 I give Clerks III a solid 3.5 out of 5.
