Ranking Every Kevin Smith Movie

Ranking Every Kevin Smith Movie, from Black-and-White Indie Charm to Walrus-Level Weirdness

Kevin Smith isn’t someone who you can call your typical filmmaker - I mean, he came to attention by maxing out his credit cards, shooting in black and white at a convenience store where he worked, and made one of the most influential indie films of the ’90s.

And that film was Clerks, and it didn’t just launch his career, it launched a whole generation of slackers with dreams of being heard, but since then, Smith’s output has been everything from inspired to unwatchable, from cult classic to creative midlife crisis.

So here’s my ranking of every Kevin Smith film to date, from least favorite, to favorite.

*The only one missing here is KillRoy Was Here, as I haven’t seen it, so technically not every film, but still.

Cop Out (2010)

Let’s get the worst out of the way.

Kevin Smith didn’t write this one, which is probably the nicest thing I can say about it, as he was hired to direct a pretty generic buddy cop comedy starring Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan, and on paper, that sounds fine, but in reality, it plays like a straight to Redbox disaster.

Smith himself has said directing Bruce Willis was a nightmare, and you can feel the contempt dripping off the screen, and this is the only movie in Smith’s filmography where his voice is completely absent.

A total misfire.

Yoga Hosers (2016)

Yoga Hosers is what happens when a filmmaker is given too much creative freedom and access to his kid’s high school drama class.

Tusk (2014)

Tusk is a film, I think, where you can practically hear Smith cackling behind the camera, like a mad scientist unleashing his weirdest idea onto the world, and it’s not for everyone – hell, it might not be for anyone - but it’s one of the few films in Smith’s career that genuinely challenges the audience.

Horrifying in places and accidentally hilarious in others, and a complete tonal mess too, but one that you won’t forget, which is why it has garnered quite the cult following.

Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019)

This one felt more like more of a reunion tour than a movie - all references, cameos, and callbacks strung together like an aging band that refuses to play new material - it’s not bad, but it’s not that good either.

Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008)

Quite a charming movie, but the problem I had with it was that it wants to be sweet and filthy at the same time, but that balancing act doesn’t always land well - but we get some moments of genuine humor and warmth paddled throughout.

Jersey Girl (2004)

I don’t actually think Jersey Girl is an awful film like many do, and I think it just came out at the exact wrong time where Ben Affleck was still radioactive - it’s a decent enough little father-daughter story with some real emotion - it’s basically Kevin Smith trying to grow up.

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)

This is where Smith just gave up on subtlety, and basically made a ridiculous and proudly juvenile cartoon in film format - every line is a punchline, every cameo a wink, and the whole thing feels like a stoner version of Looney Tunes.

Is it cinema? No.

Is it funny? If you’re 16 and/or extremely high - or are still a bit of a man child like I am.

Clerks III (2022)

Clerks III is basically the culmination of everything Smith has built, and it’s meta to the max – a movie about making a movie, while Smith grapples with his own near death experience.

There’s still plenty of humor, though and watchable, and if Clerks was the thesis, this is the elegy.

Red State (2011)

Red State is the film where Smith attempts to reinvent himself, and the results were surprisingly effective I thought, and while it doesn’t always know where it’s going, and the ending is a bit baffling, it’s a bold pivot for a guy best known for dick jokes and stoner wisdom, and I liked it overall.

The 4:30 Movie

Apparently drawing heavily from Smith’s own teenage years, itshows his affection for moviegoing and the magic of youth spent at the theater - I think it stands as one of Smith’s most sentimental works.

Clerks II (2006)

It doesn’t come close to topping the original, but it’s certainly a worthy continuation to the story.

Mallrats (1995)

Smith’s sophomore effort bombed on release but has since become somewhat of a cult classic that’s basically Clerks in color, but set in a mall - it brilliantly captures the spirit of the ’90s mall culture and wraps it in a warm blanket of nerdy references and juvenile humor.

Chasing Amy (1997)

Chasing Amy is certainly the most mature film in the early part of Smith’s career -he tackles love, sexuality and jealousy - it also isn’t a tidy bow kind of movie, but that’s exactly why it works so good.

Dogma (1999)

Dogma might be the most ambitious film Smith ever made, and oh, it also has a shit demon, but the satire is still sharp throughout though.

The questions it raises are surprisingly thoughtful too - if you only know Smith for his stoner comedies, Dogma will completely recalibrate your expectations.

Clerks (1994)

This is the origin point, he zero budget black-and-white masterpiece that launched a thousand beards, and is basically a mission statement that says “Yes, your crappy job matters. Yes, your endless pop culture arguments are worth listening to. Yes, your life, as unremarkable as it seems, is cinema.”

It’s raw, hilarious, and painfully real, and Dante and Randal are two of the most honest characters ever put to film.

It also has one of the best final lines in indie film history - Clerks is simply DIY filmmaking at its best.