At first, it seems redundant that a documentary about Kevin Smith would even need to be made. More than any other living filmmaker, Smith has documented almost all of his life and work through blog posts, books, podcasts, stage shows, interviews, and videos. From the 1990s until now, seemingly every aspect of Smith's life has been put into the public record. This is what makes Clerk ultimately a big surprise. While there isn't a ton of new information, viewers are given the chance to hear from people that rarely publicly comment on Smith's work, including family members like his mother and his brother, actors like Judd Nelson and Justin Long, and filmmakers like Richard Linklater and Jason Reitman. Yes, there are all the Smith regulars like Jason Mewes and Brian O'Halloran, but it's the comments from those that are mostly outside the View Askewniverse that make the doc really interesting and different from what I was expecting. I didn't know the story of how Smith came to work at the Quick Stop or that Jason Reitman was a big Kevin Smith fan. These new tidbits make the whole movie worthwhile for longtime fans, while those unfamiliar with Smith will learn just about everything they would want to know about his career. It covers every movie in his filmography, the highs and the lows, and the his influence on film culture. For those who aren't fans of Smith or his work, it's highly unlikely Clerk is going to change minds. However, for those who dig the View Askewniverse as a whole or even just individual Smith films, Clerk is a must-see. Highly recommended. 9/10.
Review of Clerk
