User reviews

The Clerks franchise, being the one that launched Kevin Smith's whole career off, is clearly his most personal and dearest to his heart out of all of his IP. Therefore it's no stretch to assume each Clerks entry is an amalgamation of what Smith himself is feeling or reflecting on in his personal life at the time of creating it.

And this time around, with Kevin Smith fresh off of a heart attack in his real life, it's no accident that themes of mortality heavily seep into every pore of this film. And what happens when we're smacked in the face with our own mortality? Much like the trope of our "life flashing before our eyes", it's very commonplace to look backwards into the past at good times and view them under a different, more appreciative lens.

This film is exactly that: the artist looking back at Clerks 1 (mostly 1, but a little bit of 2 as well) through that nostalgic lens. Smith's reflection on his own mortality bleed through to the characters flashing back on their lives in the same manner. Smith called this film his "Jersey version of Cinema Paradiso", but I saw it more as his version of Fellini's 8 1/2, especially given that he is literally holding a camera in the film.

The trilogy is now thematically complete: Clerks 1 embodied youth, part II aging, part III dying. While Clerks III may be an interesting enough art piece for these reasons, it's just nowhere near as funny as the other 2. To be fair, it's not really trying to be most of the time with the heavy themes it's taking on. But still, it is a Clerks film and a comedy, therefore it does have humorous lines and moments all throughout, even in the more morose moments. And these were simply nowhere near as funny as the other 2 Clerks films.

Overall this film did an excellent job on the nostalgia & fan service if Clerks means a lot to you personally, but otherwise it is the weakest entry in the series in terms of comedic substance.

Clerks III.... Not a comedy. By a long shot, though there were quite a few attempts.... Definitely a personal story coming from Kevin Smith in many ways. I love his filmmaking. But Clerks III felt rushed. I feel like this was a missed opportunity to get huge laughs and quotes we could spout off to our friends for years to come. And we all know Kev is capable of that. The editing wasn't the greatest either which kinda ruined some of jokes, especially in the first act. The second act picks up a little speed but overall is too much of an ode to the first Clerks. (Which made me just want to watch the first one lol)

The good: Super low budget and they did excellent with what they had. Loved the nods and breaking the fourth wall that are a staple in Kevin's films. Hilarious cameos. I just wish that the story and joke writing could have trumped the sheer star power of the cameos and nods.

I'm really hoping Kevin moves on from sequels and reboots and does something original again soon! He's one of the most clever filmmakers out there and I can't put his movies down.

I am a big fan of Kevin Smith, the person. In the early-mid 90's his underdog comedies were perfect to me. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back was a perfect blend of everything he had made up until that point. Then he started doing his speaking tours. The first Evening with Kevin Smith was hilarious! I watched the second one, and while not nearly as good as the first, it was still entertaining. Then Clerks 2 came out, and I heard a whole bit that he already did, almost verbatim, as an argument from one of the characters. Also, Jason Mewes getting sober, was a major plot point for his character as well.

I have heard Kevin talk about his heart attack, quite thoroughly. So it was kind of disappointing when his story played out almost exactly how it happened, in what was supposed to be something I hadn't seen. Also, most of the stories that went in to the movie, were also written almost verbatim, how he mentioned they happened when making Clerks, which he talked about in 2004's An Evening With Kevin Smith. It feels like Kevin is creatively bankrupt these days. That doesn't mean I don't enjoy hearing him talk about things. It just means that everything he talks about usually ends up in his next movie. Kevin is a humble, likable, friendly, intelligent guy. It just seems like if you've listened to his stories he's personally told on his, or other people's podcasts, you have heard everything he has to say, and seeing his latest movie will only be a rehash of what he has already said. It's hard to be critical of someone I like and respect, but his movies nowadays, are mostly autobiographical parts of his life, put in to his old IP. Sorry Kevin :(

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.

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.

I did not expect 'Clerks 3' to be one of the heaviest movies I watched in 2022. I love the 'Clerks' movies and consider the second one to be one of the all-time great comedies. It feels crazy to think that was 16 years ago. We finally got the third one and it was a very different experience to what I was expecting.

I would describe this movie as a love letter to nostalgia. It isn't always subtle about it, but it is hilarious about it. If you know the back story behind 'Clerks' then you are going to get a lot more of the jokes and references this movie is making.

I knew I'd laugh in this movie, however I didn't realise how upsetting it was going to be. I feel like Kevin Smith hit me with a sledge hammer - in the best (and worst) way possible.

The opening sequence in this movie is amazing. So much so that I had to go back and watch it again after the film was finished. I don't think 'Clerks 3' will be as rewatchable as the first two (I'm not even sure I'll be able to work up the courage to watch it again) but it may just be that little bit more memorable. 9/10.

Clerks III has some funny and charming moments, but is also strongly rooted in original Clerks nostalgia and Kevin Smith's personal life health crisis. I am not saying that's a bad thing, just the way this movie will play out even for the most committed fans of the series. We all enjoying seeing actors and characters we consider old friends still hanging in there, and my being in my late 50's helps to identify with the darker side of the life and death situation. This was fun to watch but will never be the original of course, what film ever is going to be that?

I say just give this movie a try and enjoy.

Want to know what a 45 year old white guy has to say about Clerks 3? Well, right now, I'm trying not to cry between the public theatre and my own apartment.

Are you kidding me, Kevin?

Why did you go and make the best film I've ever seen in my entire life when I'm this old?

I have survived two heart attack deaths so I understand the depression and desires that follow them. I also had a 100% blockage on my last one, 20% survival rating and had the same through crotch doo-hickey performed. And once open, I could also breathe.

This film was too close to me.

Way too close to me.

This was close to me not because of the two heart attack deaths I had, but because the two people I have loved the most in life had to deal with them.

As a convenient clerk for most of my miserable life I knew that if anyone could understand me It'd be those two Jersey boys, Dante and Randal.

But more than that, the writer of those cats, Kevin Smith, and his awesomeness sidekick, R2-Jay (bahaha)

"You touched a brothers heart," alright .... (a little Pumpkin Escobar for you)

But you've also made me laugh since I was 17.

And that...."that's a mighty long time...and I'm here to tell...you.... There's something else..."

Sorry, Now I'm going lyric mad...it happens

I'm so emotional right now and the cat won't even hug me.

Look man...

I just want to thank you for always being apart of my life and being the Sir Kevin Smith of GEN-X, our Captain Kirk, our Jedi Commander.

Only to come from the screen In a voice approved by The Lord, "CROM" or whatever Elias believes in

To tell us it wasn't all for nothing.

I came to Jersey to the Smodcastle for your overnight show. It was cold outside but worth the flight and car rental. Thanks for the souvenir pen.

Seriously, Thanks Kev!

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.

What happened to Kevin Smith? Seriously. It's been a long time since we've had anything from him that is really worth a watch. This one doesn't change that at all, sadly. It feels desperate to be honest. I had high hopes, but I was also more than a little cautious about getting my hopes up. After two fantastic entries in the Clerks series maybe a letdown was to be expected, but this one feels worse than that. First, the jokes fall flat most of the time. The ones that DO work are solid but there's just not enough of them. Second, the incredibly serious overtones feel out of place here, and that just gets more dire in the third act. Bottom line: it isn't as absolutely horrible as Yoga Hosers but it isn't in the same league as the first two films in the series. It isn't even half as good as Mallrats. My rating of 4 is given partly out of nostalgia for what it is. I can't say it earned it.

Anyone who actually watched this sequel is painfully aware of this fact. The movie doesn't even try to be funny most of the time and when it tries it fails. At the end it has some mediocre jokes anything before that falls flat with the soul-less delivery.

I should call this false advertising which seems to be Kevin's thing lately (He-man).

It is nowhere near the previous two Clerks. Not in quality, writing, dialogue... The actors are old, probably too old for this. Nostalgia alone can't make a good film.

I seriously dislike the events. Clearly there wasn't a problem with the availability of actors so they choose this miserable plot. Disappointing.

The bittersweet goodbye to the Clerk series, Kevin Smith comes up with a movie which is more of his own emotional message to the fans. This time the movie is entirely about Clerks. Randal suffers an heart attack which the doctor terms as widow maker, only few make it through and Randal is among those few. To cope up with post heart attack depression, the doctor suggests Dante to keep Randal occupied and happy. Ergo, they come up with the plan of making Clerks titled Inconvenience, to document their own lives up and till then. What we get is to view what went behind the scenes while making Clerks, a rewind of sorts.

Dante however is still stuck in the past, unable to get over the loss of his beloved. So for him, to go through the events again during the making poses as a tough ask. Kevin Smith dwells into the characters of Randal and Dante, letting them have their respective epiphanies and a proper showdown to finally let their heart out. Randal gets a proper character arc as well. This is an out and out fan service with everyone getting to replay their bit. The voiceover during end credits by Kevin Smith best sums up the movie.

Fun, low-budget comedy "Clerks III" bookends the 'Clerks' trilogy with Jeff Anderson & Brian O'Halloran (poor actors both - which kinda works) shooting an uber-low-budget b&w movie of their lives together as New Jersey convenience store clerks (ie writer / director Kevin Smith's first ever film "Clerks") supported by old pals like Smith himself, Jason Mewes & Rosario Dawson (and rad cameos from the likes of Ben Affleck, Anthony Michael Hall, Danny Trejo & Sarah Michelle Gellar). Smith's a genius writer (especially with pop culture references & meta) and while this doesn't touch his "Jay And Silent Bob Reboot" the deceptively clever screenplay still carries it through ok.

Clerks III, the ninth entry in Kevin Smith's View Askew universe, is a disappointing, upsetting mess that dangerously ruins the entire Clerks canon.

Inspired by Kevin Smith's own heart attack experience in 2018, Clerks III's haphazard tone of weed-fueled overacted wackiness mixed with forced sentimentality ruins Smith's own earnest message about life and death.

Whereas Jay and Silent Bob Reboot was a big inside joke movie servicing the most diehard View Askew fans, Kevin Smith has stepped into family video territory with Clerks III.

Kevin Smith's fan-service approach in his post-marijuana era has long run its course. From Yoga Hosers onwards, the self-referential inside jokes have become so inside that it's completely vacuum-sealed from being enjoyed by non-fans.

The only reason I could follow Clerks III was that I've seen all the View Askew films and listened to some of Kevin Smith's podcasts. The so-called "jokes", which either reference the previous Askew movies or a funny thing lifted verbatim from a Kevin Smith Q+A or podcast, are not funny. The comedy is not comedy, but rather a memory test.

The acting is quite poor and uneven; the actors are all directed to mug and ham it up to the nth degree for comedic effect. It's hard to buy any of the gags because people don't behave this way, high or not. When they shake it off and get serious for the dramatic scenes, it's incredibly jarring.

Jeff Anderson and Brian O'Halloran struggle with an inferior script. The chemistry is still there but they have fewer interesting things to do than in the previous Clerks films. They both fared much better in the dramatic scenes when they didn't have to sell a gag. The running gags with Trevor Fuhrman's Elias were downright atrocious.

I could see what Kevin Smith was trying to convey drawing from his own heart attack. It's an endearing and heartfelt message. The way it was delivered completely ruined it all. Overall, I don't know why he needed to say it through the Clerks characters.

The truth is, I miss the old Kevin Smith, including witty dialogue and original stories through his independent film, Catholic, comic-book-lover voice. The rhythm of his dialogue from his early films felt musical and was exciting to listen to. Smith used to balance the raunchy humor with an emotional core that kept the characters grounded and relatable. He's lost that touch.

As a fan, I'd really like Kevin Smith to just tell stories that are challenging and edgy again as a filmmaker and stop this phrase as a podcaster that occasionally makes movies for his subscribers.

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.

If the first Clerks was a mumblecore experiment and the second Clerks was a more rounded film feeding on the love for the first, the third is a loving goodbye to the series. I like that each film in turn was different from the one before, but fully acknowledging its existence. One might not see it immediately, but there are few situations like this, where the sequels are not just cash grabbing opportunities, clones of whatever came before, but evolutions of both story and characters. Clerks didn't really have a story to begin with, so anything is an evolution from there, though, right?

OK, trolling aside, I loved Clerks III. It wasn't perfect by any means, a bit too meta (why does everything have to be meta these days?!) and I felt like Kevin Smith inserted himself as a filmmaker in the story a bit too much. Also some changing of pace and character development was way too abrupt. However, for someone having seen (and grown up with) the other films, it felt like a bittersweet farewell to an old friend.

Bottom line: if you haven't seen the other movies, it makes no sense to watch this one, but if you did and you enjoyed them, I can't see how you're not going to like the end of the trilogy.

Its full of in jokes and pandering to the cast members/friends in the film. It proports to be a finale to the franchise, but who asked for it and who needed it.

Its had most of the jokes and charm sucked right out of the Clerks universe.

I have always liked Kevin Smith but must admit I was put off by him a little in a live show where he belittled Jason Mews for his problems and delcared himself Mews' saviour. It was tacky. In Clerks 3 I saw much of the same, Smith making sure those who didn't know, would know Clerks is his baby and the others should consider themselves lucky to be a part of it.

Largely the film is boring, unfunny and a little sad.

I have grown up with Kevin Smith movies and frankly This is a wonderful heartfelt love letter to the thing that started it all.

This felt really personal and seemed at times like it was something that Kevin Smith made for himself and that we were all just getting a glimpse of his own personal love letter to everything he built his career on.

I was truly expecting the same as many other Smith films.. A focus on quirky comedy, weed and disfunctional characters blowing simple issues up into something so over the top and stupid that it truly reminds me of my wonderful friends. What I actually got was a spattering of that wrapped around a big thank you and a reminder to appreciate those friends.

Given the amount of time since Clerks made its debut this really felt like it had naturally matured. Well done Kevin Smith you made a grown man shed a tear and feel the need to reach out to his friends...

None of the playfully stylized and witty banter from the first one, and none of the creative camerawork or production value from Clerks 2. The subject matter of the script is interesting, but the craftsmanship is sloppy. It feels like they just rolled cameras with minimal attention to cinematography or blocking, then just asked the actors to improvise some curse words and pop culture references. There is an interesting story buried somewhere in here, but it is frustrating watching Kevin Smith basically fly on autopilot for the majority of the film. The majority of his story is just filler with cameos and montages. The comedy and drama is often very tonally confused and feels forced and incincere. For as much as he makes self-deprecating about his own skills as a visual filmmaker, never has it been more apparent than in Clerks III. The original two films stand as inspired and masterful examples of how to shoot film dialogue in engaging ways, while this one is more in the spirit of Yoga Hosers and aims for the bare minimum in technical execution with Kevin's "good enough" attitude.