Kevin Smith is one of the biggest independent film success stories of all time, made by the fans and continuously doing it for the fans. One of the first to do a regular podcast and going on to do multiple, this filmmaker has consistently done everything he can to engage with fans.
Being one of the early independent success stories means that Kevin has always done whatever he wanted to and pushed against the current. Keeping that indie spirit no matter how much mainstream success he garnered. With the fact that critics seemed to never cut him any slack it probably has never been hard for him to keep that state of mind. Here are all of the filmmaker’s movies ranked by their IMDb score from worst to best.
Yoga Hosers 2016 (4.3/10)
An extremely quirky film about two teenage Canadian female clerks whose world is turned upside down when they must battle a Nazi presence that arises around the market they work in. Starring Lily-Rose Depp, Harley Quinn Smith, Johnny Depp, Justin Long, Adam Brody, Natasha Lyonne, and Kevin Smith himself, this movie was out and out weird as hell and got a lot of hate. But it seems that this PG-13 horror-comedy was an exercise in making something new and that is just that indie spirit coming back in again.
Tusk 2014 (5.3/10)
This was Kevin dipping his toes into the genre of body horror, not unlike that of Human Centipede. It stars Justin Long as a podcaster who travels to Canada to interview a reclusive man who put out an ad, but something more lurks beneath. It is a messed up, and as many critics and audience members alike said, “not at all Kevin a Smith-like” film. Fans of his who like it or not can go listen to him talk about it in his podcasts and hear him say that’s exactly why it is a Kevin Smith movie — because he made it and people are questioning it.
Cop Out 2010 (5.6/10)
The stories from the set of Cop Out are legendary, Bruce Willis hated Kevin Smith on set and he let him know all about it. Constantly not participating in takes, yelling at him that he was not a real filmmaker, and telling him “I am BRUCE WILLIS!” — fun stuff.
The movie was already a gamble for Smith, who had never done a project for a studio like this, functioning as a director for hire without writing the script and not being the producer. It soured his experience on the whole idea and he said he would never do it again, this by extension soured the movie save for a few funny moments. He and Bruce have since made up, as recently as within the last few months.
Jay & Silent Bob Reboot 2019 (5.8/10)
Kevin’s most recent release was a sequel/reboot/remake that was all for the fans, and a passion project that he said flashed before his eyes as he had a heart attack that was so severe they call it “The Widow Maker.” Kevin’s certainly a man that does what he sets his mind to, and he did it with the help of the fans funding it through Legion M, a fan-owned production company. Saban Pictures came in to help as well, and Smith called up every single person he could think of to make it as cameo filled as the original. Towards the end of production he rekindled his friendship with Ben Affleck and reworked the ending to include a beautiful scene that’s purely unforgettable.
Red State 2011 (6.2/10)
This was something wildly different for Kevin Smith, and made as a sort of reaction to having such a difficult set to work on with Cop Out. Red State follows a group of kids who are kidnapped by religious extremists.
This was said by Smith himself to have been his attempt at using his writing and directing skills to make something in true Tarantino fashion, someone who he often looked up to. So when Tarantino saw it and said that he loved it Smith was floored, and even said at the time that he was considering retiring after getting that compliment.
Jersey Girl 2004 (6.2/10)
Many die-hard fans see this as Smith’s worst film and it seems like it is just because people wanted to rip on the actors themselves. Now there has been a lot of focus on how everything Smith makes is different, and that is what makes it his. But when people are only focused on the marketing of Ben & Jen or the fact that Ben is a bigger star now (and that is not what Kevin usually does), it takes away from the picture itself. The PG-13 rating also deterred loyalists and casual viewers.
Zack & Miri Make A Porno 2008 (6.5/10)
Zack & Miri is totally hilarious, it’s also the second time (after Tracy Morgan) that Smith began to allow his actors to improvise a little more. Smith’s a very meticulous writer whose dialogue is very intentional and meaningful, but doesn’t usually allow for much improv. However, with the right people on set, he realized he could be a little more open with it. The cast was big and quite different from his other films, and it worked really well.
Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back 2001 (6.8/10)
The plot? Jay & Silent Bob, the dynamic duo, need to get to Hollywood to stop those fools from making a movie about their lives.
Jason Mewes took the reigns for his first starring role after being a very funny supporting character through all of the View Askew movies that had been made. Smith put all the trust and confidence into one of his best friends, it paid off. He then called everyone that he knew and thought was talented and came out with one of the funniest satirical looks at Hollywood of all time.
Mallrats 1995 (7.1/10)
A slacker comedy with a “who’s who” cast of 90’s stars, this iconic flick is about two buddies trying to fix their relationships while slacking in a mall. This movie had so much dialogue and was so light on visual storytelling that it was like a how-to for indie filmmakers. There was great acting, quirky moments, and just enough action for it all to be visually stimulating. But it functioned more as a study of what human problems were like for people in their 20’s at the time period. It was smart, funny, and surprisingly introspective.
Chasing Amy 1997 (7.2/10)
The big one — the one that was waiting beneath the surface in Mallrats. You could tell Kevin Smith wanted to make something that truly, strongly rooted in human emotion and issues. Chasing Amy very much hits the mark, being the film that asks about what you’re truly willing to do for love. Not only that, but so many more complex, human questions, and it is done very beautifully while maintaining the grit of true indie fashion. Watch this if you have not — it is an extremely important film.
Dogma 1999 (7.3/10)
Controversy is the first thing this film caused. For context, religious groups were sending death threats to Kevin Smith over the plot of this film. An all-star cast tells the tale of two fallen angels played by Ben Affleck & Matt Damon trying to get back into heaven. This movie is very hard to find because Harvey Weinstein personally bought the rights to the film due to Miramax being owned by Disney at the time.
He never released it after a small DVD release and has not sold the rights ever. So if you want to watch this phenomenally weird film you will have to obtain a used physical copy, even then it’s hard to find and is not cheap.
Clerks II 2006 (7.3/10)
The long-awaited, long asked for, and still never expected sequel to Smith’s first film really lived up to the hype. Expertly written, perfectly cast, and still, somehow everyone forgets that the least messy movie universe is the View Askewniverse. The character growth and lack of character growth is just as it should be. The dialogue towards the end (which will not be spoiled) is a testament to the writing skills of Smith — which are so fine-tuned and high-caliber that the critics can never understand.
Clerks 1994 (7.7/10)
Highly original and shot in black and white because it was cheaper, Kevin Smith dropped out of film school and ran himself into debt to make this film. Nothing is more independent then betting it all on yourself and shooting a film at night in the convenience store you work at. The reality bleeds through, the acting feels raw, the choice of black and white feels artsy. The plot revolves around two slackers that aspire for more and yet do not have the drive to pursue what they want. Kevin was probably inspired by the days of himself feeling he wanted to be a filmmaker and not acting on it and wrote that into the allegory that became classic film Clerks.
