Film

Clerks II

Clerks II reunites the slacker duo a decade later at a fast-food counter, trading existential dread for workplace comedy with genuine warmth. Kevin Smith's dialogue crackles with pop culture riffs and absurdist tangents. It's funny, affectionate, and unafraid to get weird—made for people who'd happily spend two hours in a break room with funny friends.

TMDb rating3.5

If you liked this

Mallrats1995

Smith's earlier ensemble comedy about mall rats and comic book culture. Same snappy dialogue, rapid-fire jokes, and DIY charm that defined his voice before he had a real budget.

But Pacing feels scattered. The plot barely exists. If you need a story to hang onto, this will frustrate you.

Mallrats poster

Chasing Amy1997

Smith proves he can do earnestness. A love story about artists that's funny but also genuinely moving—dialogue still sings, but there's real stakes and vulnerability underneath the jokes.

But Shifts tone completely from comedy into romance. Some will find the gender politics dated. It's slower and more contemplative than you might expect.

Chasing Amy poster

Superbad2007

Two friends on the eve of change—same DNA as Clerks II but set in high school. The dialogue has that same profane, hilarious rhythm, and the friendship at the core feels genuinely tender.

But Heavily teen-focused humor. If you've outgrown that register, the relentless sex jokes might wear thin.

Superbad poster

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Clerks II

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Diner1982

Same DNA: workplace as anchor for friendship, dialogue-heavy without needing story, affection for ordinary people in ordinary spaces. Clerks II is Diner in a fast-food uniform.

Hangout comedy about friends in Baltimore, all late-night dialogue and character. No plot to speak of—just smart, funny people riffing. Barry Levinson's blueprint for how to make friendship feel like cinema.

But Glacially paced by modern standards. Male-focused, sometimes dated in gender representation. If you need plot momentum, you'll bounce hard.

Diner poster
More like this (7)

Dogma1999

Smith goes big and weird, blending theology with profanity and absurdist action. Jason Lee's perfect; Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are gloriously awful. It swings for the fences.

But Tries to do too much. The tonal shifts between comedy and philosophy can feel clumsy. Some find it blasphemous; others find it preachy.

Dogma poster

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back2001

The bit players from Smith's universe become the leads. It's chaotic, self-aware, and audacious—basically a film-length inside joke for Smith fans, with real affection underneath the chaos.

But Heavily reliant on knowing Smith's other work. The humor is often juvenile. If you're not already converted, this will seem smugly insular.

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back poster

Wet Hot American Summer2001

Ensemble comedy that shares Clerks II's vibe of funny people riffing in a confined space. Fast, absurd, and committed to its jokes even when they barely land.

But Anti-plot. Relies heavily on improv vibes and inside comedy; if you need structure or stakes, you'll be lost and annoyed.

Wet Hot American Summer poster

Better Off Dead...1985

Eighties slacker comedy with that same sensibility—hangout humor, witty dialogue, pop culture references, protagonists with zero ambition. A spiritual ancestor of Smith's voice.

But Dated in both good and bad ways. The plot is negligible and some jokes have aged poorly. Pacing is oddly rambling by modern standards.

Better Off Dead... poster

The Good Place2016

Sitcom that uses rapid-fire dialogue and philosophical riffing to explore meaning and friendship. Incredibly smart but never precious about it—playful instead of preachy.

But Serialized heavily; jumping in midway won't work. Early seasons are excellent; late ones divide people. If you hate meta-comedy and footnote jokes, pass.

The Good Place poster

Spaced1999

British comedy about art-school dropouts sharing a flat. Absurdist humor, pop culture obsession, visual inventiveness, and genuine affection for its characters. Cult classic with reason.

But British sensibility and humor might not land. Only two seasons. Requires patience for slow-burn character comedy.

Spaced poster

Severance2022

Both are about what it means to spend your time at work, what gets taken from you, what friendship salvages. Clerks II is the warm answer; Severance is the cold one.

Dystopian workplace drama about corporate compartmentalization. Dark, philosophical, visually stunning. Reframes work and identity as cosmic horror—the opposite register from Clerks II but asking the same question about what work means to us.

But Deeply unsettling and slow-burn. Ends on a cliffhanger. If you want comfort, this will unsettle you rather than ease you.

Severance poster

People

Cast

Directing

Writing

Production

Recommended by