Clerks III (2022)
When Clerks II came out I was skeptical because I didn’t think it needed a sequel. It sort of didn’t either but Kevin Smith did a have something new and funny to say in a new setting and the movie ended up being pretty good. I was again skeptical with a third installment and in parts it was as bad as I feared but also a surprisingly profound and emotional ending to the series.
The first half feels too much like dumb nostalgia bait with revisiting every character and memorable scenes. Elias and his crypto bro is dumb and unnecessary, Jason Mewes isn’t funny and there is some questionable acting all around. However once Dante makes his big speech the film turns around. It is more than nostalgia but a personal reflection on seeing ones life as a failure in the wake of tragedy. The final “.. not even supposed to be here” teared me up. Kevin Smith actually has something more to tell that somehow made sense of all the self referential meta indulgence. His writing and character is able to give emotional impact. It just seems like he feels he needs to have silly jokes, but I think this could have been a much better movie if the outdated humor was toned down and he trusted the depth of the characters more.
If you like the first movie, give it a chance even though you might feel the urge to turn it off after half a hour - stay with it.
Rating: 3.5