Clerks III (Film Review)

2022 Lionsgate
Written and Directed by: Kevin Smith
Starring: Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Trevor Fehrman, Austin Zajur, Jason Mewes, Rosario Dawson, and Kevin Smith
MPAA Rating: R; Running Time: 100 Minutes
The Nicsperiment Score: 5/10

Dante and Randal used to clerk the convenience store. Now they own and clerk the convenience store. Things aren't great, though. Dante is still grieving the loss of his love, Becky, and his child with her...even though they've been dead for 16 years. Meanwhile, Randal has recently had the type of heart attack only 80% of victims survive. Randal is physically fine, but he's now convinced he must create a film centered around his life, where he is the star...and Dante is barely even a supporting player. Will Dante ever move on? Will Randal ever grow out of his self-centered slackerdom? How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop?
I love 1994s Clerks. It is a landmark of 90s cinema. I don't quite love it's 2006 sequel, but I do enjoy that film and think it's hilarious. This third film is yet another step down in quality. It's clear the spark and promise that writer and director, Kevin Smith, held nearly 30 years ago are gone. Much of what plays out here almost feels like a Clerks fan film, somehow more amateur than the Clerks films that came before it. The laughs are fewer. The acting feels more raw. The artistic qualities are on life support. And yet...there's something here. Perhaps it's that the dynamic created in that first Clerks film is so strong, the series' conclusion can't help but hold some power, particularly because Smith continuously swings for the emotional fences. Smith unfortunately undercuts many of those moments with overdone musical inserts and hamfisted direction, but I can't deny the film's emotional weight. As a end to the Clerks trilogy, despite yet another drop in quality, Clerks III feels fitting, and somehow still a fine conclusion.