Clerks
During an unwanted shift at a New Jersey convenience store, a frustrated clerk navigates romantic disappointments, existential boredom, and his abrasive best friend's chaotic companionship.
Overview
A day off turns into a chaotic series of misadventures for a convenience store clerk.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- sardonic
- deadpan
- lazy sunday
- indie movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film's authentic middle-class setting, quirky characters, deadpan comic dialogue, and inventive low-budget independent filmmaking.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Dante and Randal's workplace interactions, customer encounters, and pop-culture arguments carry much of the film's humor.
Dante and Randal hate their jobs yet remain trapped in routine, while Dante repeatedly questions the direction of his life.
The film's black-and-white photography and convenience-store and video-store settings create an austere, grounded portrait of ordinary work.
The narrative unfolds during Dante's unwanted shift, where routine customer service is interrupted by arguments, annoyances, and personal crises.
Films like Clerks, and why
Mallrats
shares deadpan workplace comedy, profane dialogue, slacker protagonists, and an independent production sensibility
Chasing Amy
shares irreverent ensemble comedy, male friendship, rapid-fire pop-culture dialogue, and cult appeal
Stranger Than Paradise
shares black-and-white independent filmmaking, conversational humor, and aimless young adults confronting stalled lives
Clerks II
shares profane dialogue, eccentric characters, low-budget independent style, and a single-day comic structure
Movie Details
- Director
- Kevin Smith
- Release Date
- 1994-10-19
- Runtime
- 92 min
- Rating
- 7.4 / 10 (2877)
Cast
- Brian O'Halloran
- Jeff Anderson
- Marilyn Ghigliotti
- Lisa Spoonauer
- Jason Mewes
- Kevin Smith
- Scott Mosier
- Scott Schiaffo
- Al Berkowitz
- Walt Flanagan
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Paramount Plus Essential
- Rent
- JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Clerks about?
- During an unwanted shift at a New Jersey convenience store, a frustrated clerk navigates romantic disappointments, existential boredom, and his abrasive best friend's chaotic companionship.
- What is Clerks like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Clerks as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Clerks violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Clerks as mild.
- What did critics think of Clerks?
- Critics broadly praised the film's authentic middle-class setting, quirky characters, deadpan comic dialogue, and inventive low-budget independent filmmaking.
- Which films are like Clerks?
- Films with a similar feel include Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Stranger Than Paradise, and Clerks II.
- How long is Clerks?
- Clerks runs 92 minutes.
- Where can I watch Clerks?
- In United States, Clerks streams on Paramount Plus Essential.
