Clerks Kickstarts Kevin Smith's Career, Premieres at Sundance 28 Years Ago

Nearly 28 years ago, in October 1994, the independent film Clerks made its debut in theaters after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival earlier that year. The low-budget black-and-white comedy, written and directed by Kevin Smith, would go on to launch the filmmaker's career, which has since included two Clerks sequels.

The film follows the story of Dante Hicks, a New Jersey convenience store employee who finds himself working a 12-hour shift on a day he "was not even supposed to be here." Dante faces a barrage of "transient weirdness" from the "disheveled slagheads" who frequent the store, all while grappling with his own internal dilemmas about the direction of his life.

Fortunately, Dante has the guidance of his friend Randal, the underemployed guy working at the neighboring video store. Through Randal's "provocative, therapeutic promptings," Dante takes control of his life, closing the store for a rooftop hockey game, reconnecting with his ex-girlfriend, and even getting fined $500 for selling cigarettes to a 4-year-old.

The Hollywood Reporter's original review praised Clerks for its "unaffected sweetness" and "loopy wisdom," noting that the film's lead actors, Brian O'Halloran and Jeff Anderson, deliver a "winning craziness" that is likely to resonate with audiences, particularly those in their 20s.