Mallrats

Two underachieving slackers T. S. Quint (Jeremy London) and Brodie Bruce (Jason Lee) both lose their girlfriends on the same day Quint's girlfriend Brandi (Claire Forlani) breaking up with him due to wedges with her father and would-be TV producer Jared Svenning (Michael Rooker), while Brodie's girlfriend Rene (Shannen Doherty) breaks up with him due to his lack of drive, motivation, or ambition. With nothing else for them to do, Quint and Brodie spend time at the local mall where fate crosses their paths with their exes, troublemakers Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith), and various mallgoers and staff with grievances against the two.

Mallrats is the sophomore film of writer/director Kevin Smith that marked Smith's first studio project after the breakout success of Clerks impressed producer James Jacks enough to set up a film at Universal. As is the case with many indie directors who transition to the studio environment, Smith had often had to press producers to allow him on certain choices such as the casting of Ben Affleck or in the case of Jay's casting Universal's insistence that either Seth Green or Breckin Meyer played the part (with the Jason Mewes' dailies luckily putting the kibosh on such mandates). When the movie was released it did garner some positive reviews such as from Variety, but most critics tended to look upon it negatively and commercially it underperformed but would later find an audience through home video. Mallrats does show a struggle in smith reconciling his indie rawness with studio polish, but of the 90s slacker/gross-out comedies this was certainly one of the more ambitious and consistently funny of them.

Rather than a slice of life type affair that Smith presented in his debut film Clerks, Mallrats is a built on a more conventional "boy loses girl, boy gets girl back" type story that is primarily a driving engine for the setpieces and jokes within the New Jersey mall where much of the action takes place. While our two leads in Jeremy London's Quint and Jason Lee's Brodie are cut from a similar cloth to Dante and Randall, there's also an undeniably "studio" feeling with the film falling in line with the edgy Gen-Xer types of humor that defined the 90s such as in Beavis & Butt-Head. As Mallrats is primarily a delivery system for various jokes and physical comedy stunts, the film very much lives and dies on its gags and for the most part they work more often than they don't. Particularly standout scenes involving a topless fortune teller, an extended cameo by Stan Lee, and a climax set around a shameless Dating Game knock-off lead to some solid laughs especially from Jason Lee's Brodie who showcases some superb comedic timing. Admittedly some of the pacing could've been tightened up as Smith doesn't feel like he's fully acclimated to a studio comedy (a fact made even more clear in the extended cut which while posessing a certain curiosity factor is more of a glorified workprint with most of the cuts that have been made being positives).

Mallrats has found itself the subject of a cult following since its initial failed release and of that era of 90s slacker/gross-out films it stands above many of its contemporaries and has much snappier dialogue and creativity. Not as quotable or as influential as Clerks, but nonetheless an entertaining but flawed sophomore effort.

As most Smith fanboys know, Mallrats has been trashed critically, financially (bad box-office) and by a lot of Smith's own fan-base.

Personally I like it. Even without watching the DVD with commentary by Smith its obvious that this outing was backed by Hollywood, emitting a polish and lack of gloom that his other films don't have and thus gaining flack over its lack of "Indie" look and feel and hammy storyline. Had this film been in black in white, shot using a cheaper production method, or had a less happier ending, it possibly would have fared better with the fans than it did.

Listen to the dialogue though and its soon apparent this is indeed pure Smith. And it shines. The long diatribes about seemingly nothing, the anti-establishment rumblings of Brody (who ironically spends a lot of the film clarifying escalator ettiquite and other mall law), and a bigger involvement of Jay and Bob (but not too much) make this as good, if not better than the other Kevin Smith films and quite possibly my favourite of his.

Its hard to rate this film, you'll either really like it and give it a 10 or tuck into another chocolate pretzel after giving it a 1.

The second movie in Kevin Smith's 5 film View Askewniverse series is Mallrats - a charming comedy about two losers, who, after being dumped by their girlfriends decide to spend a day at the mall. - and try and win their girls back. Jason Lee and Jeremy London play the dumped-and-depressed duo of ex-boyfriends who both succeed in bringing to life the characters of . Shannen Doherty and Claire Forlani - the two ex-girlfriends also perform well here. It's been said - not just by critics and fans, but by Kevin Smith himself, that Mallrats is a bad movie - and by far the worst of his 5. Personally, I rate this 3rd... with Dogma in front, and Chasing Amy last - I found this movie to be funny, charming and completely entertaining. Ben Affleck's character was also funny to watch. Jay & Silent Bob appear to add the cartoon comedy flavour, while Stan Lee cameos in an hilarious performance of himself.

I liked the script and the way that the movie was paced, although at times seemed like the scenes were stretched further than they should be. The sets were good and the lighting and cinematography is good also. I don't really have any major gripes about this film, it's just that, there are better movies in Kevin Smith's series.

'Mallrats' but is the kind of film you either like or don't like which is pretty much the case with any Kevin Smith movie. I liked it. I enjoyed all the dirty street humour, the awkwardness, the characters and the concept.

It's full of slapstick comedies, comic book 'adventure' and some witty (and dirty) dialogues. Even though many of the situations are unrealistic, it's hilarious.

'Mallrats' is about two friends who both lose their girlfriends. The two friends spend the rest of the day in the mall discussing things and what to do about them. In the mall they meet some friends, enemies, and weirdos. Though the plot isn't what would be referred to as a work of 'genius', it's more the characters and the funny situations that will stick to mind.

The only sequence I didn't like was the toilet humour bit, about making the hand stink. That sort of brought down the film a little. The film was already on the right track with its funny characters and funny situations. There was no need for toilet humour.

London and Lee play the two friends. London is okay while Lee is very good. He pretty much steals every scene. Doherty and Forlani are adequate. Lauren Adams is brilliant in a brief role and Affleck is good as the evil Salesman. Mewes and Smith are alright (though some may feel that they go a little over the top).

So all in all, you'll meet some very weird (and not-so-weird) characters and exaggerated situations but I think you'll at least have some good laughs. It's one of the better comedies from a country that has made dozens of blockbuster garbage like 'American Pie'.

This is a niche film. If you can put yourself into the mindset of a 20-something slacker, who has no ambition whatsoever in life, this film may engender some sense of emotional investment in its characters and a sense of identifying with same. However, if this situation is impossible for you, then you will not only not see the humor herein, you will most likely bemoan the time wasted in its viewing.

This is a Jay and Silent Bob flick wherein the two buds are dumped by their gals, subsequently seeking major wound-licking in the mall. It plays like the Revenge of the Nerds, though not as intelligently, nor with the same amount of heart, but with a more modern spin.

If you've of a mind, this can be highly entertaining. If not, don't say you weren't warned.

It rates a 7.2/10 from...

the Fiend :.