# Clerks (1994)

### reviewed by
Jason Overbeck

    CLERKS
    ***1/2 of **** grade is B+

CLERKS is raunchy, obscene, cheap and very funny throughout. Made for just 27,000, and set mostly in a convenience store, this represents a vry good film made for very little money. Often films get special treatment and consideration if they cost less, and this is unfair because it can be done.

Clerks cronicles the day of a Quick Stop Convience Store clerk Dante and his buddy Randal next door who runs a bad video store. Randal shows up and starts utterly pointless yet often hilarious results. Did independent contractors get killed in The later of the Star Wars tilogy, it was still being built when it was blown up?

Kevin Smith, the films writer and director, said that Randal represented who he wants to be and Dante is who he is closest to. You can tell by the dialogue provided for his characters. Dante is a loser, he pins for two women and doesn't understand when one of them gets upset, he also complains about his job constantly. Randal doesn't care about anything, he sits around, BS's with Dante and somethimes the costumers (when he's not assaulting them), he is also provided with a great deal of the funny dialogue.

Jeff Anderson, who plays Russel, hasn't acted since his turn in Clerks. This is very unfortunate, Anderson provides perfectly cynical spins on every line of dialogue, making even the dialogue that doesn't quite work seem funny. Smith is moving towards bigger movies with bigger stars and I wish we would get another look at Anderson and Brian O'Halloran in more films. In Clerks they have a perfectly funny chemistry, and deliver this movie home. People have criticized the acting in this film , calling it a true sign of the films budget. I think the acting is perfect for this films feel, and I want to see more of them.

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