Sorry. I can see where this movie might be funny if you're actually about 22 years old. But if you're much older than that, the jokes, the general humor and the film's attitude are all going to be tediously duplicative of any one of dozens of other teen/young adult movies or TV shows or episodes of SNL or Mad TV etc. that you've been exposed to over the years.
I don't mean to criticize the many people who have written to say they thing this is one of the best movies they've every seen. If you're young and haven't seen this type of movie before, I'm sure it is. But believe me, there is little originality to it and there are others like it with more creativity and much stronger performances. Overall "Clerks" felt like a dull and over-long student film. There's nothing wrong with student films per se, it's just that I don't think we need to see them if we're not film studies professors.
Besides one magical moment noted below, the only deeply funny thing about 'Clerks' is that (at the time I'm writing this) it is listed as one of the IMDb "top 250" of all time. Fortunately, as of right now it ranks at #249, so happily it will drop off the list quite soon.
SLIGHT SPOILER BELOW
There is one moment of magic in the film --- when Jay and Silent Bob are standing outside in the dark, with Jay dancing to the boom box and, completely unexpectedly the theretofore impassive SB leaps in to the dance. Sublime.
I don't mean to criticize the many people who have written to say they thing this is one of the best movies they've every seen. If you're young and haven't seen this type of movie before, I'm sure it is. But believe me, there is little originality to it and there are others like it with more creativity and much stronger performances. Overall "Clerks" felt like a dull and over-long student film. There's nothing wrong with student films per se, it's just that I don't think we need to see them if we're not film studies professors.
Besides one magical moment noted below, the only deeply funny thing about 'Clerks' is that (at the time I'm writing this) it is listed as one of the IMDb "top 250" of all time. Fortunately, as of right now it ranks at #249, so happily it will drop off the list quite soon.
SLIGHT SPOILER BELOW
There is one moment of magic in the film --- when Jay and Silent Bob are standing outside in the dark, with Jay dancing to the boom box and, completely unexpectedly the theretofore impassive SB leaps in to the dance. Sublime.