I haven’t been in a convenience store in forever, though I’ve often entertained the idea of having pigging out on food from one in the event that I feel like killing time while waiting for Family Matters reruns.  I’ve even entertained the idea of working at a convenience store.  And although it could be interesting kicking back and talking about irrelevant shenanigans while working the register, it just wouldn’t be as funny as the goings on in Clerks.

Released in 1994, Clerks is about the working life of Dante Hicks (played by Brian O’Halloran), who works in a Quick Stop convenience store.  Throughout the film, he deals with annoying customers and his overall angst.  During this, he hangs out with his friend Randall Graves (played by Jeff Anderson), who works in a video store next to the Quick Stop.  Together, they hang around and fight boredom by talking about random things.

It may not sound like much on the surface, but it’s actually very smart with it’s simplicity.  Watching the characters come to life is great, especially as Dante and Randall have conversations.  They go into various subjects such as relationships, work ethics, Star Wars, even their own personal philosophies.  How it all comes about, as well as what happens between their discussions, makes for a lot of memorable scenes.  Mentioning any of them or some of the best lines would ruin the surprises.  And since this is a comedy, watching it with a fresh mindset is the best way to go.

This also happens to be Kevin Smith’s cinematic debut.  He wrote, directed, and even appears in the film.  It’s inspired by his experiences as a convenience store clerk, and some of the dialogue is actually based on conversations he’d have with his friends.  Even random moments from the film were inspired by things from his life.  There’s no question about it, this is some of the most unique, sharpest, funniest writing out there.

At the time, Clerks was notorious for its sexually explicit dialogue (and to its credit, it still is).  The idea of R-rated comedies was relatively new, so Kevin’s films have often had a hard time gaining the type of success of big-releases.  In addition, his core audience has, for the most part, been a lesser-known demographic (although it has grown in the recent years).

His stories have elements which appeal to young-yet-maturing audiences.  There’s a feeling of discovery, that idea of being lost, and yet there’s sincerity in his work.  The characters are full of life, and they’re always after something.  They have their own philosophies, even if they’re a little on the quirky side.

Clerks is one of those films that appeals to the “MTV Generation” (or, as more commonly known, Generation X).  Another one that falls into this category is Richard Linklater’s Slacker, which actually inspired Kevin to get into filmmaking.  In turn, Clerks went on to influence other filmmakers, most notably Judd Apatow (who would later popularize R-rated comedies and make them more mainstream), as well as Rob McKittrick, who took a lot of inspiration for his movie Waiting.

This is the movie that started Kevin’s career, and it went on to become a comic book as well as a short-lived animated series.  It also got a sequel that, in my opinion, is just as funny as the first.  There are plans for a third, and there’s even a biopic about the making of the film titled Shooting Clerks, which is set to release sometime later this year.

For anyone who’s ever worked in retail, customer service, or anything akin to that, I highly recommend Clerks. It’s easily one of my favourite Kevin Smith films, and I’m always looking forward to what he does next.

Until next time, always remember to watch that first step, ’cause it’s a real doozy.  Later taters everyone.  o/