"Clerks" is a 1994 American black-and-white comedy film written and directed by Kevin Smith, his feature directorial debut. It follows a day in the lives of two convenience and video store clerks, Dante Hicks and Randal Graves, as they navigate their jobs, customers, and personal lives. The film is known for its low-budget production, minimalist aesthetic, and sharp, often vulgar, dialogue that resonated with audiences and critics. It's the first film in Smith's View Askewniverse and introduces characters like Jay and Silent Bob, played by Jason Mewes and Smith himself.