At Just 24, Kevin Smith Made The Indie Comedy That Turned Him Into A Cult Favorite

Filmmaker Kevin Smith knows how to make his audience laugh with his quirky and sharp dialogue. While the characters of View Askewniverse are widely known now, it all kicked off with an indie darling back in 1994, when Smith was only 24 years old. That film was "Clerks," which Smith made after maxing out several credit cards, pawning off his comic book collection, borrowing money from his family, and using paychecks from his day job.

From a plot perspective, "Clerks" is nothing more than a window into the lives of best friends and store clerks Dante Hicks (Brian O'Halloran) and Randal Graves (Jeff Anderson). It isn't so much what they do here, but what they say, as they unpack all the happenings in their lives to pass the time while occasionally engaging with customers.

Widely regarded as Kevin Smith's best movie, "Clerks" simultaneously captures the slacker culture of the '90s and how people really feel about their day jobs. Plus, it boasts highly quotable and memorable exchanges between its characters. When Dante asks Randal, "Why do I have this life?" his pal quips back, "Have some chips. You'll feel better." 

The truth about "Clerks" is that, despite receiving critical praise and a set of sequels, neither Dante Hicks nor Randal Graves became the film's standout characters. That title belongs to Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith), who hang outside the Quick Stop and pretty much do nothing but annoy everyone. Jay is vulgar, obnoxious, and all snoochie boochies, while Bob lives up to his name, only speaking when it's vital and poignant.

The pair appear throughout the View Askewniverse, but became pop culture icons in their own right. They have their own action figures, video games, hung out with Archie and the gang in the comics, and even led two live-action movies, "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" and "Jay and Silent Bob Reboot." Their films feature serious star power too, with appearances from everyone from Will Ferrell to Mark Hamill to Val Kilmer.

It's remarkable to look back at "Clerks" now and see how everything materialized, especially in terms of the Jay and Silent Bob story. While Smith was the mastermind behind these characters and the world, he almost didn't even play Bob. His original intention was to play Randal, admitting on his YouTube channel, "That's why he's got all the best jokes." Oh, how different everything could have been.