Clerks III

Movie review by Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media
Clerks III Movie: Poster

Common Sense says

age 17+

Touching Kevin Smith threequel has very strong language.

R 2022 100 minutes
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Parents say

age 16+

Based on 1 review

Kids say

age 7+

Based on 1 review

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Clerks III is the sequel to Kevin Smith's 1994 and 2006 movies. The main characters are now nearing 50 and facing mortality; after a heart attack, one decides to make a movie about working at the Quick Stop. It's only sporadically funny, but it still feels genuine. Language is a big issue, with constant use of just about every word under the sun ("f--k," "s--t," "t-ts," "a--hole," and many more), plus strong, frequent sex-related dialogue and sexual innuendo. Scenes also show sexual gestures, a sex toy, and a couple having sex in a car (the car rocks back and forth, but nothing else is seen). Characters experience death and mourning and have heart attacks, and there's shouting and arguing. A character gets falling-down drunk, some smoke a comically large joint, drugs are sold, and there's a reference to someone dying because of a drunk driver. Some silly, potentially offensive religious images (such as "Christ Kites") are on view.

Community Reviews

4k_king
4k_king Adult
September 9, 2022
age 16+

Clerks 3 ... Just like 1 and 2

Clerks 3 ... Find my full review on the actual movie on YouTube and Instagram @4k king As for parents this movie followers the same trend or clerks 1 and 2 . Although this one has more adult humor then the rest its definitely not for children. Sex toys jokes and references. Multiple uses of f**k and s**t not reccomend for under 17 lots of smoking and products placement

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
1 person found this helpful.
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What's the Story?

In CLERKS III, Dante (Brian O'Halloran) and Randal (Jeff Anderson) are well past 40 and have resurrected the Quick Stop, now co-owners as well as clerks. The adjacent video store has now become a THC shop, run by none other than Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith). Dante mourns the death of his true love, Becky (Rosario Dawson), while Randal takes delight in riding new employee Elias (Trevor Fehrman), their former co-worker from Mooby's. During an argument, Elias prays for God to smite Randal, and, lo and behold, Randal has a heart attack. After making a miraculous recovery, Randal decides to finally do something with his life and sets out to make a movie about the Quick Stop. But as the production gets underway, egos clash and tempers flare, and things eventually come to a head.

Is It Any Good?

Writer-director Smith returns to his signature characters with more gravity and gratitude for this threequel, and even though goopy sensitivity isn't his forte, it offers warmth and smiles. Clerks III goes meta, re-creating some of the famous scenes from the original 1994 Clerks with Silent Bob acting as DP and explaining why the movie must be shot in black and white. It requires some serious suspension of disbelief, as there's no way that the actors (all around 50 in real life) could be mistaken for their 20-year-old selves. It also requires at least some knowledge of Clerks II (2006), a lightweight lark compared to this one, which introduced Becky and Elias.

Weepy moments like hospital scenes and graveside visits are a little out of Smith's wheelhouse -- as evidenced by his infamous Jersey Girl -- and they're flat, draggy spots in a movie that seems like it wants to be funnier. But even though its laughs are fewer and farther between than its predecessors', Clerks III seems like a genuine offering from Smith, rather than a cash-in sequel. His voice is by now very familiar, and it has a grateful tone here. He truly appreciates these characters and understands how they've contributed to his life. This is his love letter to them and to the fans who made them iconic. When we hear his voice speaking over the closing credits (a bold choice), it somehow feels like exactly the right thing to do.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Clerks III's depiction of sex. What values are depicted? Why do the characters refer to sex so frequently in their dialogue? What are they trying to say?

  • How does the movie handle death? Does it feel like a real experience, coupled with real emotions? Why, or why not?

  • How are drugs and alcohol depicted? Are there consequences? Why is that important?

  • How does the movie compare to the other two entries in the series? How have the characters grown or changed over the years?

Movie Details

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