Clerks III
My journey with Kevin Smith is a lot like several of his films- up and down, messy, sometimes scattershot, and yet, injected with nostalgic feelings. It makes sense because, when I first watched “Clerks” and “Mallrats” in the ’90s, I was not a fan. The vulgarity just rubbed me the wrong way. Then, with “Chasing Amy” and “Dogma,” I started to get it, and by the time “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back” came back, I was all-in. As he’s developed as a filmmaker, he’s found his way back to Dante (Brian O’Halloran) and Randal (Jeff Anderson); that’s where his most personal stories have always been. Everything else is him growing and challenging himself, and sometimes, just doing stupid stuff for its own sake.
A medical emergency is a life-altering experience. I should know; as I’ve written about several times before, my hospitalization in 2007 with pneumonia and a collapsed lung required reflection, and significant changes to how I dealt with my body and, as it turned out, my mind and emotions. Kevin Smith’s life-changing experience was a heart attack commonly known as the “widowmaker,” and no surprise, it takes a central place at the heart of “Clerks III.” It took me a couple of years to finally watch this because, honestly, it’s been a rough two years since this came out. As I decided to reunite with my own Jay for a podcast on the trilogy, it felt right to save it for the prep of said episode. I’m glad I made that choice.
When the film begins, we see a familiar site- Dante preparing the Quick Stop to open. We see him taking his place behind the counter, and we see a picture of Becky (Rosario Dawson) with dates on it. That feels like quite a startling choice to make, especially considering it implies she died shortly after the events of “Clerks II,” but it’s one that pays off handsomely as the film looks at mortality and living life through the eyes of two quintessentially GenX characters. On a regular day for Dante and Randal, Randal has a heart attack and is rushed to the hospital. When he gets out, he resolves to do something with his life- make a movie about his life. It’s by remarkable coincidence it feels as though it’s going to be something like “Clerks.”
Even as Smith reflects on his own mortality through “Clerks III,” it really doesn’t feel like he has a grasp on the real story through a lot of it. This is a messy movie, but it’s honestly hilarious. He understands these characters, what makes them funny, and he builds on what came before in ways we can only facepalm while laughing our asses off. Of course Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith) are back, and they’re running a weed shop where the video store used to be. So is Elias (Trevor Fehrman), the Christian Mooby’s worker we met in “Clerks II,” and amazingly, he’s arguably more of a scene-stealer here, dealing with both a crisis of faith and the fluctuating crypto markets while also taking shit from Randal. It’s the dynamic between Dante and Randal that feels off, though; suddenly, Randal is the main character of the story, and Dante’s own journey- which includes still mourning Becky- in the background. There is a method to his message, however, that a life-changing event is meant to change us, as well as challenge us to move forward, rather than dwell on the past. We also should not take those around us for granted. That’s the part that sometimes can get forgotten along the way.
That this is Smith’s best film since “Clerks II” isn’t much of a surprise- the 16 years between “Clerks” films have been filled with generic flicks, as well as some wild experiments. From the beginning use of My Chemical Romance’s “Welcome to the Black Parade,” Smith is shooting his shot that the wild misadventures of knocking over caskets and donkey shows are going to be left behind for a more melancholy film. This isn’t a maudlin film, however; as I said, the film maintains this trilogy’s outrageous silliness even as it deals with themes of life and death. The shifts between genuine emotion and raucous humor can be jarring, but in the end, Smith nails the landing. That’s growth that comes from experience, as well as a life-changing event. I’m grateful I’ve been able to take this journey with him.
