Amazon.com video review:
Before Kevin Smith became a Hollywood darling with Chasing Amy, a
film he wrote and directed, he made this $27,000 comedy about
real-life experiences working for chump change at a New Jersey
convenience store. A rude, foul-mouthed collection of anecdotes about
the responsibilities that go with being on the wrong side of the till,
the film is also a relationship story that takes some hilarious turns
once the lovers start revealing their sexual histories to one
another. In the best tradition of first-time, ultra-low budget
independent films, Smith uses Clerks as an audition piece,
demonstrating that he not only can handle two-character comedy but
also has an eye for action--as proven in a smoothly handled rooftop
hockey scene. Smith himself appears as a silent figure who hangs out
on the fringes of the store's property. --Tom Keogh
