Clerks (1994)

Clerks (1994) 

Watching the Movie:

"Is the whole thing in black and white?" - My Wife

Screening the Film

Like most buddy movies; the ID vs The Super-Ego; and probably most blatant as Dante and Randal essentially are those two ideas personified. Identity; particularly as it relates to work-life balance. Interpersonal dynamics on just about every level (friends and lovers, superiors and subordinates, service workers and customers). Human nature with specific focus on entitlement and manipulation (which appear a LOT more in the service sector than you might think) Sexual empowerment; especially from a female perspective; gender roles in society. Reflection of 90's culture in a historical context; especially for individuals in their early 20's. Sovereignty and power dynamics; penalties and punishment, personal responsibility and accountability to self. In short; you could fill a BOOK with all the cultural studies master's thesis' you could write from this film.

Best Dialogue

Dante Hicks: You know what the real tragedy about all this is? I'm not even supposed to be here today!

Randal Graves: [suddenly outraged] Oh, fuck you! Fuck you, pal! Jesus, there you go again trying to pass the buck. I'm the source of all your misery. Who closed the store to play hockey? Who closed the store to go to a wake? Who tried to win back his ex girlfriend without even discussing how he felt with his present one? You wanna blame somebody? Blame yourself. "I'm not even supposed to be here today." [throws stuff at Dante]You sound like an asshole! Jesus, nobody twisted your arm to be here today. You're here of your own volition. You like to think the weight of the world rests on your shoulders. Like this place would fall apart if Dante wasn't here. Jesus, you overcompensate for having what's basically a monkey's job. You push fucking buttons. Anybody can waltz in here and do our jobs. You... You're so obsessed with making it seem so much more epic, so much more important than it really is. Christ, you work in a convenience store, Dante! And badly, I might add! I work in a shitty video store, badly as well.[sighs]You know, that guy Jay's got it right, man. He has no delusions about what he does. Us... we like to make ourselves seem so much more important than the people that come in here to buy a paper, or, God forbid... cigarettes. We look down on them as if we're so advanced. Well, if we're so fucking advanced, what are we doing working here?

The Bottom Line

This was my favorite movie for a time when it came out; and probably the last one I bought on Laserdisc before that format and my player went the way of the Dodo bird. I've actually been quite reluctant to write this piece because I honestly can't believe I've never written it before now; which means this is the first time I've screened "Clerks" (1994) in at least a decade....and then I remember how I've been earning a living during that time.

For people who work with the public in any meaningful way, this film and its sequel hit a little too close to home in a lot of ways to enjoy as a movie. Working with the public creates a great dislike; in some cases pure hatred, of people as a whole. Meanwhile; people who have never worked in a service industry either will not realize how true to life the images being portrayed are and play them off as humor, or just don't plain get it. In a lot of ways; it deserves the full masterpiece treatment, but it is simply too divisive as a movie to warrant that final half point.

4.5 out of 5

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