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Difficult at first, but worth it , 27 September 2006
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Clerks
(3 discs)
on DVD (1995)
Starring: Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Marilyn Ghigliotti
Director: Kevin Smith
Certificate: 
Before I begin with my review of 'Clerks', I should point out that I am no stranger to the works of Kevin Smith...in fact I am a huge fan. I believe that this could bias my review somewhat, but I will try to be as impartial as possible. Clerks has all the foundations of a typical Kevin Smith film - a tight script based on pop culture delivered by fast talking characters that you feel endeared to but do not necessarily like. It tells the tale of a day in the life of 2 shop assistants and includes minor sub plots about their sex/love lives, run-ins with the law and a variety of other trivial matters. However the major intention is to invite you into their lives for a day...and with that it succeeds perfectly. Its a great deal more difficult to watch than most Kevin Smith films, mainly because of its low budget and the acting sometimes come across as extremely amateurish...which is no surprise as it was the big screen debut of almost every actor in the film. But the script more than makes up for its shortfalls. This was the first film to feature the now legendary 'Jay and Silent Bob' (Silent Bob of course being Kevin Smith's alter-ego)...and you can see how the cult duo originally captured the attention of the masses. Its a great film on many levels and a shoddy mess on many more. I would say that if you are a Kevin Smith fan, you *must* see this film - however, if you are new to Smith you may find it easier to watch some of his more accessible work first (Mallrats & Dogma especially) before attempting this one. The film captures a moment in time that I feel is now sadly lost to most - the post-grunge feel is mostly going to appeal on a nostalgic level to those that experienced the scene at the time ...and the soundtrack reflects this with pure gusto. Overall this is a great film, but obviously a debut. Its a must see for all Kevin Smith fans, but others may find it hard. Definitely worth watching for the script alone, but do not expect quality acting prowess. This is a cult film in every manner of the word.
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