Clerks 1994

Dante Hicks, portrayed by Brian O’Halloran, works as a clerk at the Quick Stop, a convenience store located in Leonardo, New Jersey. On what should be his day off, his boss unexpectedly calls him in to cover for a sick employee. Upon arriving, Dante is frustrated to find the security shutters jammed shut with chewing gum. In a bit of a humorous twist, he hangs a sign over them proclaiming, “I ASSURE YOU; WE’RE OPEN!” Despite the early start at 6 AM after closing the night before, Dante’s main grievance is that he hasn’t had enough rest, especially since he has a street hockey game to play later that day.

Throughout the day, Dante finds himself dealing with an assortment of challenging customers, all while lamenting his misfortune: “I’m not even supposed to be here today!” His first customer is a peculiar man attempting to steer smokers toward chewing gum instead, claiming his bag contains a diseased lung. Chaos ensues when the store becomes crowded, and frustrated cigarette buyers begin to blame Dante for the ills of smoking, culminating in them throwing cigarettes at him. Thankfully, Dante’s girlfriend, Veronica, swoops in to rescue him, wielding a fire extinguisher on the mob and confronting the gum salesman about his intentions.

As Dante grapples with the absurdity of his day, he and Veronica engage in a poignant conversation behind the counter regarding their past relationships. Tensions rise when Veronica encounters an ex-flame, “Snowball,” leading to heated discussions about their respective sexual histories. Veronica admits to having had intimate relations with 36 other men before Dante, which sets off a wave of jealousy and insecurity for him, especially in light of his relationship with her.

Amidst the ongoing chaos of his workday, Dante frequently passes the time in conversations with his slacker friend, Randal Graves. Randal works at the video store next door but spends most of his day at the Quick Stop, often making snide comments about customers. Their discussions veer off into pop culture debates, such as the implications of the construction workers on the second Death Star in Return of the Jedi.

Later, Veronica drops by with lasagna for lunch and they begin to mend their relationship as Dante reflects on how their pasts are not as different as he thought. Compounding his discontent is a local newspaper announcement about his unfaithful ex-girlfriend, Caitlin, who is now engaged. Secretly, Dante has been rekindling his connection with Caitlin, which complicates his feelings further.

The day takes an unexpected turn when an impatient customer demands Dante’s attention while he’s on the roof playing hockey with friends. The situation escalates, resulting in a lost hockey ball, forcing Dante to reopen the store again. Shortly after, he receives the shocking news that one of his former girlfriends has passed away, prompting Randal to suggest they attend the wake, where misfortune strikes yet again as Randal accidentally topples the casket.

As the day deteriorates, Dante is slapped with a court summons for selling cigarettes to an underage girl—an incident Randal inadvertently caused. Just when he feels cornered, Caitlin arrives, claiming her engagement is actually a ruse orchestrated by her mother. Their tense reunion is interrupted when an unfortunate accident occurs in the bathroom, leaving Dante’s world turned upside down again.

In the midst of his turmoil, Dante is confronted by Jay and Silent Bob, who attempt to shoplift and ultimately offer sage advice about love and life. Silent Bob states, “You know, there’s a million fine-looking women in the world, dude. But they don’t all bring you lasagna at work. Most of ‘em just cheat on you.” This moment highlights Dante’s realization that he truly loves Veronica.

Dante’s emotions crescendo when Randal inadvertently reveals his lingering feelings for Caitlin, leading to an explosive argument with Veronica, and resulting in their breakup. This climactic moment forces Dante to confront his choices and the stagnant state of his life. A final confrontation with Randal culminates in a messy reconciliation, as the two friends resolve to take control of their lives and clean up the Quick Stop together once more. The film concludes on a note of reflection, as Randal jokingly “closes” the store with Dante’s sign, encapsulating the unpredictable nature of their daily lives.