Sunday Matinee #121 Clerks II

Heart to hearts on the beach and in jail.

John 21:1-19 | EnterTheBible.org
Third Sunday of Easter | 05.04.2025
Context: We’ve had a brief series of scenes depicting the resurrected Jesus appearing to his disciples. Here in the final chapter of the Gospel of John, Jesus and Simon Peter have a stark conversation over breakfast. Simon Peter has denied Jesus three times. Now, Jesus asks him three questions.

15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” 19 (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Clerks II | 2006
IMDb | Letterboxd | RRMC
Context: Dante (Brian O’Halloran) has dreams of escaping his dead end customer service job career with a move to Florida with his fiance. But there are many things keeping him home, including his best friend, Randall (Jeff Anderson). They land in jail for the night and have a screaming match at each other, filled with all sorts of naughty words. Finally, Randall comes clean with his friend about how much he cares.

This is a long quote, but I think it shows their back and forth well. The delivery is very fast in the video clip, skip to 6:55 for this section (or just watch the second, shorter clip, specially if you’re sensitive to frank sexually-related language that happens in the overall first clip):

Dante: You’ve obviously got such a great handle on your life, tell me what you’d do if you were in my position! Or, even what you’d do in your position! Swing that judgemental pendulum back the other way and tell me how you’d solve all your problems, asshole! What the fuck would the great Randal Graves do if he were half the master of his own destiny that I’m supposed to be?
Randal: I’d buy the Quick Stop and reopen it myself! …That’s what Randal would do! That’s what we should do!
Dante: Yeah, right. Who’re we, Lance Dowds? Do you know how much it would cost to buy the Quick Stop? Like, fifty grand, easy. Neither one of us have that money.
Jay: We do.
Randal: You and me running our own business instead of working for some other asshole? Could be pretty fucking sweet, right?
Dante: Yeah, it really could… But I don’t know, man. I was this close to starting a new life...
Randal: Jesus Christ, man, that new life you’ve been is right here in Jersey. God, you’re gonna have a kid with a chick I actually begrudgingly respect, who seems to kinda love you. And you could do it all under your own steam by being your own boss, instead of working for some broad’s parents, who are always going to wonder why their daughter married you in the first place. Or whether you ever show some fucking flare on the dance floor or not. Dude, what more can you ask for? Jesus... you’re really gonna make me do this, aren’t you? (sighs; then to Jay and Bob) Can you guys cover your ears for a minute, please? Jay and Bob cover their ears.
Randal (continued): I honestly don’t know if I could make it in this world without you. You’re my best friend. And I love you.

Commentary:

I love a good heart to heart conversation. Frankly, we need a whole lot more of them in the universe. But they can be difficult so, um, you go first, yes?

In one of my favorite literary moves in the Bible, the writer of the Gospel of John links two critical moments in the lives of Jesus and Simon Peter. When Jesus is arrested and put on trial, the disciples scatter in fear. Peter lurks. However, people see him and call him out - you were with him, you totally are, didn’t we just see you? All three times, Simon Peter denies Jesus. Nah, it wasn’t me, no way it was me, I’m afraid you must be mistaken.

Then the rooster crows. Just like Jesus said it would. In some of the gospels, Peter weeps when he realizes he let Jesus down, though we don’t get that moment spelled out in John 18. Still, he cannot deny that he has denied, not once, not twice, but thrice!

Simon Peter never wanted Jesus to die. He even told him to his face! Taking in the entire situation, internally Simon Peter must’ve been thinking, “I’m not even supposed to be here today!”

Now cut to breakfast on the beach. The disciples have encountered Jesus already, whom they saw murdered, alive again as the resurrected Christ (speaking of “I’m not even supposed to be here today!”). Despite this, they still need time with this new reality. And in the midst of discovering something new, what do they do? They go fishing! They go back to what they know because they don’t know what to do next. How many times have we not known what to do so we just do what we think we’re supposed to do? Jesus appears and they eat breakfast together. This is when he unrings the bell that Peter tolled.

Jesus asks him three times, Peter do you love me? Three times, Peter affirms that yes, he does. He will not deny it. Jesus welcomes him, forgives him, loves him. It’s a powerful bookend to their story. No matter your mistakes, no matter the stakes, you are worthy of forgiveness. I love the full circle aspect of this story! It’s a lovely heart-to-heart conversation where they are restored not just as teacher and student, but as friends.

Clerks II is very different than the first Clerks (and Clerks III, for that matter, as they all have their own flavor and storytelling style). All three are about convenience store clerks, Dante and Randall, but at very different points in their lives: early-20s, mid-30s, and late-40s. In the first film, Dante’s broken record refrain while working at the Quick Stop convenience store is, “I’m not even supposed to be here today!” His buddy, Randall, is, and shows up when and as he likes, and life lessons are learned along the way. They’re friends, but such different fellows.

Years later in their relationship, Dante is moving away. The Quick Stop had a fire. Randall doesn’t have much. Except Dante. They’ve had many low points as a pair, but this may take the cake. Dante’s engagement is in tatters, they’re in jail, and they’re upset with each other. So what do they do? Accidentally argue their way into a heart to heart conversation.

Randall can’t deny it any longer: he loves his friend, and he tells him. He sees a future for them running the Quick Stop, no longer clerks but business partners. While the disciples see the risen Christ but aren’t sure what to do, so they go back to fishing, Randall and Dante go back to their beginnings at the Quick Stop but with a new trajectory and new love between one another. Two great bookend moments steeped in heart-to-heart conversations. And in both cases, at least one person thinks, “I’m not even supposed to be here today!” But love brings them there, anyway!

I’ve always been around 10 years younger than the Clerks characters, but their story has always resounded with me. I’m glad to have these two would-be dime store philosophers talk life, love, and the pursuit of Star Wars. I’ll say the same of Simon Peter. He’s an imperfect disciple and human, just like me. That has always resounded with me, as well.

---

Glad you were here today. God’s peace and good movies to you!