Clerks III

I had initially wanted to rerun through all of Kevin Smith's films before getting to "Clerks 3" but as it's on Amazon Prime now, it's probably better to watch it whilst I can. I think I'd view this as being one I watched appreciating its aimable charm, rather than one actually liked.

When a heart attack causes him to question the value of his life so far, Randall Graves (Jeff Anderson), decides to turn his experiences into a low budget film, set in the convenience store, starring himself and Dante (Brian O' Halloran), and utilising Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith) who own the weed store next door. Though Dante agrees to help, a personal tragedy in his own life threatens to overwhelm him.

When I saw "Reboot" a year or so ago, I thought that perhaps it would be impenetrable to anyone who wasn't already a pretty big fan of Smith's work, and not a good film to anyone that was. "Clerks 3" is better film, in my opinion, even if I still think that unless you've got a pretty good memory and a gnawing affection for "Clerks" it's just not going to mean much to you. I do have those - so came away generally feeling that the film was an acceptable time, but more because of how poignant and sweet the film becomes, in line with, I think, the director himself as he's become older.

I didn't find it funny though, which could be considered a pretty big failing for what is essentially a comedy. The religious aspect, with Trevor Fehrman's Elias denouncing God for Satan in light of Randall's heart attack feels forced, indeed most of the lines attempting comedy, from Randall or Jay feel like (or in fact are) call backs to previous movies. The use of NFT's as a plot point feels hilariously out of date, for a movie that was only released last year.

"Reboot" was just a cavalcade of "remember this character, here they are" and though "Clerks 3" has some of that, it's written into a comedy drama that has a more interesting and complete plot. It's pretty far from perfect, it's pretty far from good, even.... But I came away feeling positive about it, despite its flaws.

It's mawkish, messy, not particularly clever about its meta commentary, and some of the jokes fall incredibly flat... but you know what? A good deal of this really works. The emotional stuff feels like it's straining, but it still got to me when it needed to. Emotions were felt.

I'm truly thankful I liked this for the most part, as I thought Kevin Smith's last two movies were genuinely awful. I can safely say that it's a huge improvement on Yoga Hosers and Jay and Silent Bob Reboot. It may be that I just have a soft spot for Clerks, but either way, I thought this was really good in parts, to the point where I can overlook some (but certainly not all) of the obvious flaws.

This is a film in three parts. The first reacquaints us with Quick Stop crowd and is quite funny although depressing that these guys haven't moved on at all in the last thirty years.

The second is a boring mid section that drags on while the two main characters make/ or remake the first Clerks movie.

The third is a well made emotional journey that, hopefully, says goodbye to the franchise forever.

Considering the awful Silent Bob and Jay movie as well, this whole set of characters are totally played out. Finished. Over-cooked.

I hope that Kevin Smith now moves to something a little more original.

Yes, I was the guy who was practically sobbing during the finale of "Clerks III." If I wasn't so embarrassed to weep while sitting next to one of my best friends, I can tell you with full confidence that I would have been ugly crying before this film drew to a close. And that fact is what makes "Clerks III" one of the most unorthodox comedy films in recent years, but also one of the most emotionally satisfying ones.

Admittedly, I am a huge Kevin Smith fan - admiring him more as a person than as a filmmaker, I think Mr. Smith is a hilarious, humble person whose storytelling techniques make for funny anecdotes and engaging narratives. His question and answer sessions are legendary in terms of their comedic value, and I find myself enjoying the man so much that I can't help but look forward to his movies. And - unlike his abilities to recite the spoken word - his filmmaking skills do seem to be hit or miss. While I have enjoyed a majority of his films, I do recognize that many of them suffer from a lack of focus; relying too much on overindulgent humor and overly drawn out editing that lingers on jokes and scenes so much so that they wear out their welcome, Kevin Smith movies can be diamonds in the rough. Granted, bits of dialogue and drama that border on genius are always sprinkled throughout Smith's films, always elevating his movies, risking making them great if only these sequences weren't in between sequences of crude humor that, no doubt, alienate mainstream audiences. And "Clerks III" is no different, except for the fact that it contains a surprising emotional punch that shows Kevin's newfound maturity.

Yes, "Clerks III" has all the juvenile humor your precious heart could ever want, but it's all wrapped around a touching story of friendship and loss that will manage to cut deep into the souls of even the most jaded viewers. My theatre was full of uproarious laughter, but also of sniffles and nose-blowing, demonstrating to me that Kevin finally struck the perfect balance of drama and comedy - making "Clerks III" a dramedy, if you will. But that's exactly what makes this movie so good. Cleverly subverting expectations after giving audiences exactly what they expect, Smith created an emotional and simultaneously laugh out loud film that is sure to crowd please while also forcing viewers to come face to face with their own mortality.

So, if you're a fan of the previous movies in this series, you'll certainly find a lot of entertainment value from the sharp dialogue and witty gags that Smith has written into this film. While the humor doesn't hit as hard as it did in the first two movies, it still offers enough chuckles and belly laughs to tickle the funny bone of most viewers. The humor is more outrageous than the first film, but more subdued than the second, finding its footing in between stretches of emotional resonance.

When watching "Clerks III", you'll be privy to weed humor and potty-mouthed adults, but you'll also witness a very human story about friendship and coming to terms with life. I'm telling you, I didn't expect to practically break down in the theatre, but as tears rolled down my face I began to realize that I was watching Smith's most thoughtful movie since "Chasing Amy." And it is exactly this thoughtfulness that makes "Clerks III" work on multiple levels; you can walk into the theatre expecting a raunchy comedy, and you'll get it. You can walk into the theatre expecting an adult drama, and you'll get it. By giving audience members what they want in various different ways, this movie is a truly satisfying experience. That works for both Smith and non-Smith fans alike.

The more I think about this movie, the more I love it. With a wholly satisfying and life affirming ending, "Clerks III" is the drama wrapped in a comedy that I never knew I needed. If you are a Kevin Smith fan in the slightest, you owe it to yourself to watch this movie - and even if you're not a fan of Smith, I'd still recommend this film based on its dramatic merits. Not interested in seeing it? That's okay - after all, you weren't even supposed to be here today.

I like all of Kevin smiths movies. Some more than some and this would rank toward the bottom, but it's not that its bad, it's just that his other movies are that good. If you go into this movie with zero expectation of it being his best yet, you'll enjoy it along with the homage from the previous clerk movies.

As my title says, it's not a 10, but it's definitely not a 3. Some of the reviews (both 10's and 3's) have missed the mark of what this movie is supposed to be. A closing film of the clerks franchise.

Granted the first 45 minutes or so weren't that great, which is why my rating is only a 7, but the second half makes up for it in a big way.

I recommend watching it, just make sure you know clerks 1&2 inside and out or watch them both, in succession, prior to watching 3 so you have everything fresh in your mind.