Clerks III is an American comedy film written and directed by Kevin Smith. It is the sequel to Clerks and Clerks II and is the latest entry in the overarching View Askewniverse.
Fifteen years ago, Dante Hicks (Brian O'Halloran) and Randal Graves (Jeff Anderson) became owners of the Quick Stop and RST Video. They are now in their late forties and, with the exception of Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith) turning the now-closed RST Video into a legal marijuana dispensary, and Randal and Elias (Trevor Fehrman) now working at the Quick Stop full-time, not much has changed.
Life goes on as usual until Randal has a near-fatal heart attack. This Near-Death Experience makes him reflect on his life and legacy, or lack thereof, giving him the idea to write and shoot an autobiographical movie.
Also returning are Marilyn Ghigliotti as Veronica Loughran, Jennifer Schwalbach as Emma Bunting, and Rosario Dawson as Becky Scott.
The movie was released on September 13, 2022. The first trailer can be seen here
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Tropes:
- Accidental Misnaming: Jay and Silent Bob have apparently spent the last 30 years believing Dante's name is "Sergio".
- Accidental Truth: Randal makes up a story about getting bitten in the ass by a rattlenake and Dante sucking the poison out. As Jay gladly confirms, this actually happened to him and Silent Bob.
- Achievements in Ignorance: Jay and Silent Bob somehow managed to watch a VHS tape of Dental School without a VCR, by holding the tape to the light.
- All There in the Stinger: The ending credits close with a monologue by Kevin Smith, in which he concludes the story by saying that Randal went on to become a critically acclaimed director and kept making movies until retiring at the age of 90, all while still working at the Quick Stop in between projects.
- All Part of the Show: When Dante's "The Reason You Suck" Speech ends with him collapsing with a heart attack, Blockchain Coltrane and the high school reporter's mother start clapping and cheering.
- Ambiguous Situation: Caitlin Bree is obliquely referred to several times during the film but does not appear either in the present (which would have been impossible due to Lisa Spoonauer's tragic real life passing) or in the archive footage from the original film. Her name is spoken out loud only once and another line from the original Clerks was altered to not mention her. It is never made clear whether the character has also passed away in the film's universe, is still catatonic from the events of the first film, is alive but uninvolved with the film within a film project or was around and involved and is simply 'off camera'. Possibly Handwaved early in the movie when Dante thanks Randal for leaving some stuff out of his script, although, according to Elias, it still features a Betty and Veronica plot.
- Amicable Exes: Dante and Veronica.
- And Starring: With Jason Mewes and Rosario Dawson.
- Author Avatar:
- Randal (a character Kevin Smith originally wrote for himself) almost becomes an in-universe version of Smith, between surviving a heart attack and both writing and directing the in-universe movie.
- Silent Bob, played by Smith himself, also describes himself as a filmmaker, taking on another aspect of Smith's real-life personality.
- When compared to the original Clerks crew, Randal, Dante and Silent Bob respectively represent Smith, producer Scott Mosier and DP David Klein.
- Bad "Bad Acting": Jay's first instinct when rehearsing his lines is to shout them with Trrrilling Rrrs. Later, he keeps flubbing his line, prompting Silent Bob to say it instead.
- Based on a True Story: Randal's "widowmaker" heart attack is directly based on the similar heart attack Kevin Smith suffered in 2018. Many elements of that experience (most notably, Smith not being comfortable with having his groin shaved due to his worries about his penis size) make it into the film as well.
- Bittersweet Ending: Dante dies of a heart attack, but while Randal misses his best friend, he goes on to continue running Quick Stop and says Elias is his new best friend.
- Break the Believer: Elias loses faith after becoming convinced his prayers caused Randal's heart attack and then didn't work to heal him, and immediately converts to satanism.
- Brick Joke: When Dante and Randal ask Jay and Silent Bob to let them shoot at RST THC, Silent Bob is seen filling up a huge joint. Jay is seen smoking it towards the end of the movie (this scene is seen in the trailer).
- Broken Pedestal: Elias, who looked up to Randal since the previous movie, going as far as to get the same tattoo as him, ends up lashing out at him after seeing his callous attitude towards Dante's state after his heart attack. They mend their relationship by the end of the movie.
- The Bus Came Back: Marilyn Ghigliotti returns as Veronica Loughran 28 years after the first Clerks.
- The Cameo:
- Justin Long appears as the nurse prepping Randal for surgery.
- The actors who show up to audition for Randal’s movie include Ben Affleck, Fred Armisen, Melissa Benoist, Ralph Garman, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Anthony Michael Hall, Bobby Moynihan, Freddie Prinze Jr., Donnell Rawlings, Danny Trejo, Chris Wood, Brian Quinn, James Murray, Sal Vulcano, and Joe Gatto. Also in this scene, Scott Mosier (producer of the first six View Askew films) reprises his role as Willam Black from Clerks, Ethan Suplee reprises his role as Willam Black from Mallrats, and Kevin Smith's mother Grace plays an auditioner who says that the screenwriter's mother should be ashamed of them.
- Walt Flanagan returns as the egg checker, now taking selfies with his eggs.
- Mike Belicose, who played the guy who asks "In a row?" after Dante rants about Veronica sucking thirty-seven dicks, returns to give a similar reaction when Dante says it'll take twenty-one nights to shoot Randal's movie.
- Ernie O'Donnell and Kimberley Gharbi return as Rick Derris and Heather Jones, reenacting their conversation about Dante being out of shape, but this time getting derailed by the mention of an "Asian design major" in the script.
- Donna Jeanne Bagnole, who played the customer who tries to trick Randal into admitting he watches movies, reenacts that scene for Randal's film, but insists on doing a take where she does it in an impression of Lucille Ball.
- Thomas Berke returns as the roofer, but keeps missing his cue and messing up the take. Berke's son also appears, trying to kick Jay's ass for making fun of his dad.
- Scott Schiaffo returns as the Chewlie's gum rep, having replaced his "diseased lung" prop with a rotting piece of organ meat in an attempt to play the role "method".
- John Willyung Jr. appears as Cohee Lundin from Chasing Amy, having been hired to play a robber who kills Dante at the end of Randal's movie. Willyung also played the robber who killed Dante at the end of the original cut of Clerks.
- Bob Hawk, who helped get Clerks into Sundance, reenacts the Pringles scene, replacing Chuck Bickel in that role.
- Vincent Pereira, who played the goalie in the original Clerks, reprises that role in the rooftop hockey game at the top of the movie.
- Clerks cast members Joe Bagnole (the guy who watches the cat shit), Virginia Sheridan (the woman who explains the egg checker), Frances Cresci (the little girl Randal sells cigarettes to), and Betsy Broussard Kurdes (the woman who's waiting for Randal to show up to work so she can rent Dental School) all have brief, silent cameos where their original scenes are restaged for Randal's movie.
- Rajiv Thapar, son of the Quick Stop's owners, appears briefly as an anesthesiologist when Randal's in the hospital. (He also had a walk-on role in Clerks, interrupting Dante and Caitlin's reunion.)
- Kate Micucci has a brief scene as the Mooby's mascot who gets high with Jay, Bob, and the restaurant's new employees.
- Celebrity Paradox: While describing the second season of The Mandalorian to Dr. Ladenheim, Randal fails to notice her resemblance to the character Peli Motto.
- Character Aged with the Actor: Dante and Randal are now pushing 50. Elias is 36, but still insists on calling Dante "Mr. Dante".
- Composite Character: Walt Flanagan reappears as Egg-Obsessed Guidance Councelor. When Randal kicks him out, he reacts like (and quotes verbatim) another Flanagan character, Offended Customer.
- Continuity Nod: Quite a bit.
- Creator Backlash: In-Universe:
- Veronica initially objects to being written into the movie, but eventually warms up and agrees to play herself.
- On the other hand, Dante becomes increasingly frustrated with the movie, dealing with Randal, and being forced to relive events from his life he'd rather leave behind.
- While Jay doesn't mind acting and operating the clapperboard in the slightest, he is clearly not a fan of the movie's title.
- Darker and Edgier: While not as bleak as the original film, Clerks III is by far the darkest and most emotional of the Clerks films, with Becky and her unborn child being Killed Offscreen and Randal having a near-fatal heart attack in the first 15 minutes. Along with Dante later having a heart attack that actually kills him.
- Deliberately Monochrome: On Silent Bob's suggestion, Randal shoots his movie in black and white to hide the store's poor lightingnote .
- Despair Speech: Dante delivers one detailing how awful his mental state has been since Becky's death and how Randal's insensitivity has made those feelings worse.Dante: I had a life. I was this close to happily ever after, and then, one drunk driver later… my movie's over… forever. No happy ending. No sequel! Not even a third fucking act! Just “fuck you, and, oh, by the way, fuck you!” Credits! But hey… what's that compared to a heart attack? I mean, shiiiiiit! You could've almost died, right?!
Randal: Yeah.
Dante: Well, some of us did die. Some of us have been dead inside ever since. But then, just when I'm able to walk into this place without wanting to kill myself every day… you have an idea. You wanna make a movie about your life — oh, and you-you’ve been very clear about that! It’s your life! Well get this, you self-centered gaping wound of a human being with your insatiable fucking ego!
Randal: The fuck?!
Dante: Your life… IS my life! I've been there with you THE WHOLE TIME!!! AND SINCE YOU KNOW HOW HARD THAT LIFE'S BEEN ON ME, DID IT EVER OCCUR TO YOU THAT MAYBE I DIDN'T WANT TO RELIVE THAT FUCKING LIFE?! So I quit as your producer. And I quit… as your fucking friend! 'Cause I’m not even supposed to— (at which point, Dante collapses from a heart attack) - Drowning My Sorrows: After the abortive shoot at Mooby's, Dante shows up for the next scene at the Quick Stop completely drunk.
- Dying Dream: Dante slowly disconnects from reality while watching Randal's movie. First he watches the actual movie note from his hospital bed with Randal, then he is in an empty cinema, still watching scenes from Clerks, then Becky joins him as scenes from Clerks II with Becky play, which couldn't have been in Randal's film. Dante then leaves the cinema with Becky without watching the end of the movie.
- Extremely Overdue Library Book: Jay returns to Randal a VHS tape he borrowed 28 years prior, in 1994. While Randal doesn't care anymore, he and Dante count the late fees and use them as leverage to force Jay and Silent Bob to let them shoot at RST THC.
- Failed a Spot Check:
- Jay forgets RST Video closed down ten years ago... while standing behind the counter of the RST THC which took its place.
- When Elias says he's a satanist now at the end of the movie, Silent Bob does a wide-eyed double take. Hasn't he noticed the new clothes and the makeup?
- Foreshadowing:
- The movie opens with "Welcome to the Black Parade" by My Chemical Romance, a song about dying and the people one leaves behind.
- Randal mentions that as he was lying on the operating table, he saw the movie of his life flash before his eyes. This later happens to Dante as he is slipping away from his own heart attack.
- After Randal is discharged from the hospital, the doctor tells Dante that if Dante is Randal's age, and the two have similar diets and sedentary lifestyles, Dante is also setting himself up for a heart attack. She recommends that Dante have himself checked out as well. And maybe Dante would have, if he hadn't suddenly gotten a second job as a movie producer…
- The meta joke about killing Dante off in the third act doubles as this for when the film does, in fact, kill Dante off in the third act.
- When she appears, Veronica chews out Randal for writing her and stories of her she'd rather forget into his movie, which Randal shrugs off under the pretense that he's writing a movie about his life. He will later learn the hard way that Dante resents the project for the same reason.
- Freak Out: Dante freezes in front of the Mooby's from Clerks II, not daring to go in. After a brief conversation with Becky's ghost, he has a panic attack and bolts. When he comes back to the Quick Stop later that night, he is completely drunk.
- Gender Flip:
- Dr. Ladenheim, the surgeon who saved Kevin Smith's life, is a man in real life, while his fictional counterpart is a woman.
- Apparently attempted for the in-universe movie, as Sarah Michelle Gellar and Melissa Benoist both audition for Dante. Gellar also tries out for Jay.
- Grand Finale: For the Clerks trilogy.
- Handcuffed Briefcase: Silent Bob enters the movie with one. All it contains is their store's key.
- Happy Ending Override: Clerks II ended with Dante proposing to Becky, who is pregnant with his child. This movie immediately reveals that Becky and their unborn daughter were killed by a drunk driver not long after the end of the last movie, leaving Dante a widower.
- Is This Thing Still On?: When Dante starts a video chat with Emma, she immediately insults his looks. Subverted in that she knows the mic is on, she just wanted to take a shot.
- Leitmotif: A distinctive tune, reminiscent of the music playing in Dante and Emma's makeout scene in Clerks II, plays in scenes where Emma appears.
- Monochrome Casting: The lack of diversity in the in-universe movie (and therefore in the original Clerks) is lampshaded on two separate occasions.
- My God, What Have I Done?:
- Veronica has this reaction after yelling at Dante and Randal that at least she has a family, which she immediately regrets when she remembers Dante lost Becky and their unborn child.
- Randal has this reaction when he realizes what Dante did to gain funding for his movie: he borrowed money from his ex-fiancée Emma and put his share of the Quick Stop up as collateral.
- Mythology Gag: Randal proposes an ending to the movie where Dante gets shot and killed by a burglar. This was Kevin Smith's original plan for Clerks before it received negative feedback from test audiences and thus Dante was spared.
- Oddball in the Series: The only installment in the trilogy to take place over several days, completely averting the Extremely Short Timespan present in the first two movies, and to not feature a Betty and Veronica plot.
- Old Flame: Averted with Dante and Veronica. While at first it looks like their reunion might be leading to more, between them being both single and finishing their first conversation with sex, it ultimately doesn't, since Dante not only is still mourning Becky, but also passes away not long after.
- Performance Anxiety: Jay has no trouble dancing in front of the store for his own amusement, but freezes when he is asked to dance for the movie. note
- Please, Don't Leave Me: A heartbroken Randal shouts this to Dante as he passes away.
- Plot-Mandated Friendship Failure: Towards the end, Dante gives Randal his Once per Episode "The Reason You Suck" Speech for milking his heart attack to stroke his ego and seems ready to bail on their friendship for good. This leads to Dante having a heart attack of his own, which ends up being fatal.
- Pop-Cultural Osmosis Failure: During his operation, a drugged-up and chatty Randal retells the entire season 2 of The Mandalorian to Dr. Ladenheim, who clearly pays no attention and has no idea what he's talking about, except that it's Star Wars-related. The only reference she seems to pick up on is when Randal compares her to Batman, only to respond “With great power comes great responsibility”.
- Product Placement: While the brand isn't explicitly named and its logo only appears in the background once, the "Snoogans" pre-rolls that Jay sells at the beginning of the movie, as well as "Snootchie-Bootchies" and "Berzerker" pre-rolls seen when Jay imitates Wolverine by sticking them between his fingers, are actual products by Caviar Gold.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Twice in short succession.
- Dante calls Randal out in a drunken rant, dressing him down for his selfishness, guilt tripping and forcing him to relive the worst moments of his life during the making of Inconvenience. He also calls Randal out for centering the film around himself when throughout everything, Dante has been by his side. Unfortunately, this speech gets Dante so worked up that he has an eventually fatal heart attack.
- Shortly after, Randal tries to leave the hospital to continue working on the movie, in contrast to Dante staying earlier, but is stopped when Elias calls him out on his selfishness once again and adds the fact that, unbeknownst to Randal, Dante put his share of the Quick Stop up as collateral to help fund the movie.
- Real Life Writes the Plot: Kevin Smith always knew Rosario Dawson would be too busy to play a starring role as Becky, hence in both versions of Clerks 3 (including the first version dating back to 2013) Becky appears in only a few scenes. The credits of the realeased version thank her from taking time out from her starring role as Ahsoka.
- Retired Outlaw: With weed becoming legal in new Jersey since Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, Jay and Silent Bob opened a legal marijuana dispensary where RST Video once stood, turning it into RST THC. They still sometimes stand outside and act like the same old drug dealers, but now it's only for nostalgia's sake.
- The Reveal: A minor one, the movie finally shows what's behind the door between the two stores: a small apartment which Randal now occupies.
- Running Gag:
- "A pornography film?"
- "Butt thieves?"
- The classic "I assure you, we're open" sheet sign makes an appearance, along with two more variations.
- Running Gag Stumbles: As per usual, Dante finds gum in one of the store's locks. After a brief moment of exasperation, he easily peels off the dried up gum with his key.
- The Silent Bob: Three in this movie, the Trope Namer, Blockchain Coltrane, and Lando.
- Sliding Scale of Idealism vs. Cynicism: While much darker and more bittersweet than the previous films, III still leans far on the idealistic side thanks to its heart and sentimental tone.
- Stock Footage: Randal's finished cut of his film, at least as Dante watches it from a hospital bed in the last minutes of his life, consists of the original footage from the first movie.
- Sudden Sequel Death Syndrome: Becky died shortly after getting married to Dante.
- Suddenly Speaking: Blockchain Coltrane interrupts the last scene in the movie by loudly announcing he and Elias have made a million dollars from their NFTs. This in addition to Silent Bob speaking twice.
- Teeny Weenie: Randal objects to being shaved for his operation because he's self-conscious about the size of his penis and also because Dante is present, since Randal had been lying to him about his penis size for decades.
- Those Two Guys: In addition to Jay and Silent Bob, Elias now also has a sidekick in Blockchain Coltrane.
- Together in Death: Dante and Becky at the end.
- Took a Level in Dumbass: Jay spends the entire movie seemingly more zoned out than usual, especially compared to his characterization from the previous movie, which he blames on his marijuana use. Silent Bob doesn't seem to be doing much better.
- Took a Level in Jerkass: Randal gets an overwhelming ego boost when he starts shooting his own movie as writer, director and star, especially when he realizes everyone follows his whims because of his heart attack. He is also very adamant about shooting a movie about ''his'' life first and foremost and, according to him, doing everything himself. By the time he realizes how far he's gone, especially in regards to Dante, it's too late.
- A True Story in My Universe: Randal and Dante are making a movie about themselves working at Quick Stop which is basically the original Clerks movie.
- Values Dissonance: In-Universe, Rick Derris stops his scene with Heather Jones and questions his line which refers to Dante's erstwhile romantic rival as “Asian design major,” wondering out loud why his race is singled out.
- Wham Shot:
- One during the opening montage: “R.I.P. Rebecca Scott Hicks” on a paper taped to the register. Where Dante has to see it all day, every day.
- Towards the end of the movie, when Randal finds him in his hospital room, Dante is barely moving and hooked to a breathing tube, hinting in no uncertain terms that he won't get off as easily as Randal did. Sure enough, he doesn't make it.
- You Wanna Get Sued?: Randal's reaction when Dante suggests he use their conversation about contractors on the Death Star in his script. He writes it in anyway.
