1 don't listen to the critics
Suffering a nearly unanimous beating from critics, and grossing a meer 2 million, Mallrats will always be an underappreciated gem. The second in The New Jersey "Trilogy" Mallrats focuses on T.S. and Brodie, two hapless fellows who were recently dumped by their girlfriends, so they take solace at their local mall. There they run into some old friends, such as Willam, a guy who does nothing than stare at the magic eye, their old friend from High School Gwen, and of course Jay and Silent Bob. Brodie is trying to believe that he's over his old girlfriend Rene, while T.S. is still hung over about his old girlfriend Brandi. T.S. won't give up trying to win Brandi back, so he thinks that he should try and wreck her father's game show. Jay and Silent Bob decide to do that, while Brodie and T.S. wander around the mall. They discuss Superman's sex life, where the food court is exactly, and get kicked out of the mall. That event takes them to the dirt mall, where probably the funniest scene in the movies. Yes, I'm talking about the topless fortune teller scene, where T.S. makes a breakthrough about his past relationship, but where Brodie is just repulsed. Underrated, but wonderful. Yeah, Jeremy London [T.S.] isn't very good at acting but Jason Lee is hilarious as Brodie. How could the critics not like this movie? It's not nearly as crude as Clerks, but critics hated it. There are some thinks that I'll never understand. Since it went out of print, it's kinda hard to find a copy, but try and get a hold of it. Or you could wait to buy the X Anniverary edition later this year, but I don't when it's coming out.
2 Wait for the "Mallrats X" DVD coming later this year...
If you're an Askewniverse nut like me, you probably already know all the details, but for casual fans out there, this is just to let you know there's a 10th anniversary special edition DVD of "Mallrats" coming out later this year. Hold off on buying this out-of-print collector's edition if you don't already own it. However, if you do have this version, keep it on your shelf just in case they don't transfer all the features to the new disc. Truth be told, I don't see that being a problem, judging from the "Clerks X" DVD, which kept all the old features from the original release. Still, better safe than sorry though.
3 If Clerks is a 5, Mallrats is a 4.9
Ok, no one can take away the credit for how Kevin Smith pulled off Clerks but for me Mallrats is a dead tie. This is a brilliant movie with the best performance that Jason Lee has ever had. If Animal House is Belushi's movie, Mallrats is Lee's. No one except for Jeff Anderson (Randall in Clerks) has given me laughs with Smith's brilliant dialogue more than Lee. Also, I loved the slightly campy Road Runner/Coyote fued that Jay and Silent Bob develops as they are trying to ruin the dating show. It's really rare when someone tries to capture the spirit of such a thing anymore with live action... let alone pulls it off. So take Mallrats for what it is, a follow up to a dark horse success that has more than one great performance, many terrific laughs, awesome dialogue and situational humor (obviously), and even a surprise cameo here or there (even from Three's Company if you dig deep enough into the cast list, Miss Ivannah if you were stumped).
4 It was much better than Cats
It was much better than Cats. I'm going to see it again and again.
5 Review on all 7 films of the Jersey saga, Not just Mallrats.
One of the best Kevin Smith films. I will review them all on this one review.
Clerks - 5/5, The first film based on the Jersey peeps, One of the best too, Look what smoking does to you, You can have that picture, haha that part is classic! Arguably the best Kevin Smith film...
MallRats - 5/5 The almost equally good sequal to Clerks, focusing on the consumer, not the workers, I heard you were a big fan of chocolate covered pretzels, Another classic scene...
Chasing Amy - 3/5 OK, I thought Smiths ilms weres supposed to be hilarious, Not as much Jay, Bob, Brodie, T.S., Dante, Randal, I dont get it... One of the worst in the series...
Dogma - 3/5 You start to think Smith is falling off, First Chasing Amy, then this, Dont get me wrong, they are both OK films, but after the great Clerks, and MallRats, You would think he was losing it until...
Clerks : The Animated Series - 5/5 HAHA, I don't care if its animated or clean, This is awsome, about time we get to have more adventures with Dante & Randall, Smith strts getting his comedy back!!...
Jay & Silent Bob Strike back - 5/5, Yeah he got it back, This is funny, Lots of good adventures with the best charactars... (possibly) ever!!!...
Jersey Girl - 4/5, Yeah Im mad, Jay & Bob arent hear, or any of the other great charactars, funny, but bring the vulgar, funny charactars we like back!!!
Great films, Start with Clekrs & Mallrats, then Jay & Bob S.B., & The animated Clerks DVD, then get Dogma, Jersey Girl, & Chasing Amy.
6 My second favorite Keven Smith movie.
This movie is great im going to buy it! I first saw this movie being talked about on vh1 so I rented it and I love it.
7 This movie is classic and my fav. Kevin Smith
I don't understand all the crap this movie took. It may be stupid but its by far the funniest Kevin SMith movie. This movie blows Dogma and Jay and Silent Bob strike back out of the water.
Jason Lee is hilarious throughout the whole movie. The mall rats theme is kind of lame but the movie is jsut soo funny. Anyway if u want some quick laughs pick up this movie.
8 One of the best cult movies ever!
Can you say "cult film"? Can you say "cult director"? Can you say "unexplained theatrical flop"? Can you say "hurrah"? Can you believe that Mallrats has finally been given the Collector's Edition release it so richly deserves?
Mallrats is regarded by some to be one of Kevin Smith's weaker films - me, I think it rocks (dude)! Basically, the film is a romantic comedy - with an edge. T.S. (Jeremy London, Party of Five) and Brodie (Jason Lee, Dogma and Vanilla Sky) are dumped by their respective girlfriends on the same day. They choose to commiserate with each other by hanging out at the local mall - not shopping, not browsing - just hangin'. There they bump into old chums (and omnipresent Smith characters) Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith). Other characters who flit in and out of their field of vision include Willam, who spends his entire day trying to determine exactly what is hidden in the "Magic Eye" 3-D picture, Stan Lee (himself) the comic book creator, Shannon (Ben Affleck) the smarmy menswear store manager and Mr Svenning (Michael Rooker) - who is at the mall to film a new television show called Truth or Date.
Of course Brodie's ex-girlfriend Rene (Shannen Doherty) and T.S.' former squeeze Brandi (Claire Forlani) also appear at the mall. Naturally, it doesn't take too long before the laconic guile of TS and Brodie combines with the dangerous enthusiasm of Jay and Silent Bob with a collective force equivalent to the Big Bang - and a cunning plot to win back the girls is hatched! The remainder of the film charts the emotional (and sometimes physical) collision of these and many other quirky Smith-penned characters, providing a funny, warm and idiosyncratic story as he tries to show us that love (plus luck and dope) can conquer all.
Mallrats is a cult film for a reason. Kevin Smith manages to provide mundane characters with just enough of a twist to make their every word (or silence, in the case of Bob) a pearl. When strung together, these somehow manage to fashion a beautiful necklace of a story. This may not be Smith's meisterwerk, but it is a damned good film, finally given a Collector's Edition DVD release which does it justice. Fans may not be able to resist buying this. Highly recommended for Smith fans, and for lovers of quirky, cool, funny - and fun - films.
9 This movie was pretty good.
I saw it a couple years ago but I still remember some of it and I love the jokes, it's just I thought it was really stupid (well that's what it's supposed to be but still) that Silent Bob had one of those batman thingys to go up to the building. Other than that the movie was priceless. A must own DVD. I would recomend this to people who love good comedy.
10 Mallrats
Mallrats is simply a day in the life for two Jersey boys, T.S. (Jeremy London) and Brodie (Jason Lee) as they putz around all day in a suburban mall while the girls who recently dumped them scamper about. The two guys encounter strange fellows like Jay (Jason Mewes), Silent Bob (director Kevin Smith), 15-year old sex author Trish the Dish (Renee Humphrey), 3-D visionally challenged Willam (Ethan Suplee) and many others. The point of the whole day of course is to win back the hearts of their ex-girlfriends (Claire Forlani & Shannon Doherty) before scumbags like Shannon Hamilton (Ben Affleck) get to have sex with them in very uncomfortable places.
11 Great Film despite the reputation
Most people who criticize this film did not really appreciate any of the other Kevin Smith films either. The idea that first sequels are no good is just a cliche and it's quite unfortunate people would use it as a legitimate critique of a film.
The dialogues are just as good as in Clerks and there are plenty of Jay and Silent Bob scenes.
12 A fun movie that most people should enjoy.
A lot of people don't like this movie. Kevin Smith fans, non-Kevin Smith fans. No matter what, this is the one movie of his (well, before Jersey Girl that is) that everyone could agree on not liking. But I never did get why people didn't like it. Were they expecting another Clerks? I sure wasn't. While Mallrats isn't as meaningful as Clerks, it has a lot more comedy and action going on for it. Sure it's not the funniest movie out there, but it's one of the better comedies to come out of the 90's. And on this dvd release, it has enough extras to hold up against Smith's other movies.
Mallrats starts out when the two lead characters, Brodie and TS, are dumped by their girlfriends. For TS, it's because his advice lead to the untimely death of a game show contestant that was going to be on his girlfriend's dad's dating show. Because of this incident, she has to take over on the show, which is right when TS was about to take her on vacation to Universal Studios (to propose on the Jaws ride when he pops out of the water). They argue, and end up calling it quits. Brodie, however, is pretty much ignoring his girlfriend for the most part. When they wake up one morning, he looks at her, then turns on his Sega console instead of having breakfast with her and his mom. So she leaves him a letter, mercilessly insulting him, and takes off. TS comes over and in order to get over it, they go to the mall. I don't even know where to start with what happens next. Brodie bumps into the manager from Fashionable Male, spilling coffee on him...and doesn't apologize. They encounter Willam, a guy who's determined to see the sailboat in a Magic Eye picture. Jay and Silent Bob appear, and help our heroes sabotage the dating game show (which just so happens to be in that mall). Stan Lee gives dating advice (OR DOES HE?) and super hero secrets. Silent Bob attempts to knock out the security guard with a sock full of quarters. A kid gets stuck in an escelator. The easter bunny is practically mugged. Brodie and TS seek the advice of a 3 nippled fortune teller, and much more goes on. Needless to say, you have to see it for yourself to really know what's going on. You can tell that a lot of fun went into the making of the movie. Just look at the name of the pet store- Gerbils Gerbils Gerbils. And this is probably second only to Clerks as far as my favorite Smith movies go. But there are a few mistakes here and there. One that sticks out the most is that you can see a hand throwing clothing during the scene where Silent Bob accidentally skates through the women's clothing store. They don't even mention this in the commentary, and here it's the most obvious goof.
The picture and audio quality are great, especially for a dvd made 4 years ago. There isn't very much grain or aliasing problems. Smith himself mentions how great everything looks. But the colors do seem to look a little faded here and there. This is probably because of the kind of film it was shot on. And there are a few times when the audio really kicks in and it'll catch you off guard. I liked the soundtrack too. It had that same alternative feel from Clerks to it, only a little more mainstream (ie- Weezer). But all of the tracks fit in perfectly, and you're better off reading reviews of the soundtrack here than from me. Besides, it has one of the funniest album covers I've seen.
As for the extras, this is loaded and has way more than that first release of Clerks did. You already know about the trailers and photo galleries, so there's no need to bother describing them. The commentary is pretty good, it has Smith and the main cast talking mostly about how bad the film did. Jason Mewes doesn't fall asleep this time, which is incredible. The majority of the commentary is by Smith and Ben Affleck who joke around with eachother. Smith also stresses on how overweight he was during the production of the movie, which is pretty clear when you look at him then and look at him now. It's not a very technical commentary, 'more just the guys having fun with everything. The deleted scenes...sweet jesus. They cut out A LOT from this movie. In fact, the opening scene was completely scrapped and went over 20 minutes. It explains a lot of why TS is hated by his girfriend's dad (he really, REALLY screwed up). This is a great scene and it's a shame they took it out. In fact, the opening scene alone could be the only deleted scene, and it'd be ok. But according to the commentary, the film was already over 2 and a half hours before they cut anything out, so it had to go. The other deleted scenes aren't anything too great and were cut for a reason. They didn't add anything and slowed it down. There are also a few easter eggs to be found (you can find them on your own, they're not too hard to figure out).
This dvd is now out of print, and I have no clue as to why. It was selling well, and had a good position on Amazon's top sellers chart. Maybe the studio just dropped it. Or maybe a better edition is coming out, like what they did with Clerks. Either way, it shouldn't be too hard to find. I always see this thing at various movie stores for under twenty bucks. And you could always try the View Askew website. They used to have this in a box set as part of the Jersey Trilogy. There isn't much to say about Mallrats. If you want a good comedy, this would be a good choice. Just don't expect it to be a masterpiece of humor or anything. It could've been better.
Edit: In case you didn't hear last month, a better version of the movie is coming out soon. It's going to get the same treatment as Clerks X did. What with the 10th anniversary for Mallrats being this year. Expect it to come out this summer.
13 Middle Of The Jersey Trilogy Pleasently Entertaining
After the success of Clerks, it was only a matter of time before a large studio offered Kevin Smith a big movie deal. That deal was with Universal and that movie was called Mallrats. It still follows the same formula that made Clerks so good and added quality and actors to help improve on it. In addition, Kevin Smith also learned how to appropriately cut down a film and increase pacing to keep the audience interested (which is proven by the popularity). The crude nature and language of this film for a realtively unknown moviemaker killed it at the box office. This movie is considered a bomb, which it was compared to the budget, and the difference between this and Clerks & Chasing Amy are that they weren't expected to be successful and this was.
It's that crucial moment in T.S. Quint's (Jeremy London) life, today is the day he and girlfriend Brandi Svenning (Claire Forlani) are going on a trip to Florida. Only this trip is no ordinary trip, this is the trip that T.S. plans to propose on (during the Universal Tour when Jaws pops out). Unfortunately, Brandi's father has a television show and yesterday T.S. told the female contestant that she'd look fatter on TV and as a result she died from an embolism in her brain while doing laps at the YMCA! As a result Brandi will be doing her father's show and their Florida trip is cancelled; and to make matters worse, T.S. and Brandi end up breaking up over it! Now, depressed and alone T.S. decides to console his best friend Brodie (Jason Lee) for advice and consolement. Ironically this was the morning that Brodie's girlfriend Rene (Shannon Doherty) has decided that she's had enough of his crap. Now these two friends have no better activity than to do what they always do, roam the local mall for no apparent reason to feel better. What results is a slew of interesting situations, makeups and breakups, and even a great story about sex in uncomfortable places (like the back of a Volkswagon)!
Kevin Smith has done it again! He's taken a script that on the surface not only seems meaningless, but also short and pointless, and turns it into an entertaining story that keeps your interest. His new regular actors Jason Lee and Ben Afflec help enhance the experience in this installment with Jason Lee being the scene stealer from the beginning. Shannon Doherty does an impressive job of playing off Smith's script as well. This also sparked the introduction of Joey Lauren Adams into Smith's films, who later leads the backbone to Smith's next movie Chasing Amy. The end result is an enhanced version of the situations in Clerks, complete with random situations involving Smith and Mewes as the dynamic duo Jay and Silent Bob. The dialogue is sharp, the actors much more upgraded, the look is clean and crisp, and the story flows quite smoothly. I have noticed that unlike Clerks, few people I've showed Mallrats to tuned out. This second istallment is definitely an improvement on Clerks and a great sleeper film that was appreciated by fans of this independent filmmaker.
The DVD is, like most Kevin Smith DVDs, impressively packed with Special Features. We get a slew of deleted scenes which not only add plenty of backstory to explain most of the questionable jokes from the final cut, but also prove that Kevin Smith has developed in his editing techniques. Universal should be extremely happy they released this DVD because it has to be the only way they can intend on making back the money they lost making it. If you're a fan Kevin Smith or if you love raunchy humor, this is a must own, otherwise you may want to consider renting first to see if it's your forte.
14 Runs a close second to Dogma
This was the last Kevin Smith movie I needed to get, until I completed the collection - well, until Jersey Girl comes out on DVD anyway. I was so happy to get this one, as it seems really difficult/really expensive to get on DVD. As this is the last Kevin Smith film I have to see, featuring Jay & Silent Bob, I see a lot of the same characters/references to other films, which otherwise, I would have missed. I hope there are more references in Jersey Girl - and if Jay & Silent Bob appear, I'll be very happy! I've also heard rumours about a Clerks 2, plus there's a 10th anniversary edition of Clerks out soon.
Anyway, getting off track. Ben Affleck doesn't have much of a part in this, and he comes across as a complete idiot. He also looks really young! Jeremy London (who looks like a younger version of Brendan Fraser), and Shannon Docherty aren't really 'regulars' of Kevin Smith films, so it was strange to see them there. Dante from Clerks appears near the end, and I didn't recognise him due to the hair!
There's not many funny moments in this, despite what I was hoping for, and the two funny moments occur quite near the start - and had me in fits for the rest of the film. These both involve Jason Lee entering the mall! The first is when Ben Affleck knocks into him, making him spill his coffee, which he then promptly slips on, and nearly falls flat on his face. This seems to be an unscripted moment, as it looks purely accidental. Which adds to the hilarity! Then a few seconds on, Jason Lee is walking backwards, and when he turns round, instantly gets smacked in the face by a ladder! It's the way he sits up afterwards and asks: "Where did that come from?!"
Brodie totally reminded me of someone I know, what with his obsession with comics, and the video games - although thankfully he doesn't have them in his bedroom! :)
It's the usual extras for this DVD, although not up to Dogma standards thankfully! There is an easter egg on this, which is pretty easy to find, and isn't really technically an easter egg - it's Kevin Smith goofing around as usual. The music video to "Build Me Up Buttercup" is so hilarious, and it's just Jay & Silent Bob messing about and spoofing everything about music videos - including Jay doing some daft but funny dancing!
This is well-worth watching, if you're a fan of Kevin Smith, and his alter ego, Silent Bob. I'm just waiting for Jersey Girl now, which appears to have Jason Biggs in it, as well as Liv Tyler? I'm hoping for Jay & Silent Bob!
15 Halarious
I don't care who says this movie bad. I don't care how many peopel think it sucks. I think it's awesome. By far the best Jay and Silent movie. I like it cause it's funny and there isn't too much swearing or annoying stuff. Jay and Silent Bob Strikes Back is funny to but annoying cause Jay is the main character and as a result of that. There is way too much swearing. I like Jay and Bob but they make more better back up characters. Jason Less is great. Yeah some parts of this are dumb but I love it cause it's filmed in my home state. Minnesota. The land of the hot blondes. Anybody who is from Minnesota know what I"m talking about. If you want a funny movie that is original and has a good story. Buy this movie.
16 Fun Fun Fun
Title: Mallrats
Cast: Shannen Doherty ... Rene Mosier
Jeremy London ... T.S. Quint
Jason Lee ... Brodie Bruce
Claire Forlani ... Brandi Svenning
Ben Affleck ... Shannon Hamilton
Joey Lauren Adams ... Gwen Turner
RenŽe Humphrey ... Tricia Jones
Jason Mewes ... Jay
Ethan Suplee ... Willam Black
Stan Lee ... Himself
Kevin Smith ... Silent Bob
Director: Kevin Smith
Tagline: "They're not there to shop. They're not there to work. They're just there."
Plot Summary: Two best friends whose girlfriends dump them on the same day seek solace in wandering around the local mall. Once there, wild and whacky events ensue that give them a chance to set things right with their girlfriends before it's too late.
Review and Comments: Words cannot describe what happens in this movie, it's one of those "you had to be there" kind of things...that's why the plot summary won't do the story justice. And once you see it, you either buy into it and like what you see, or you're violently annoyed by the proceedings. I can fully understand both reactions, but I'm firmly on the side of enjoying this movie. Yes, it's absurd. A lot of the comedy is slapstick. Yes, it involves a slacker college-age guy taking his less-of-a-slacker college student friend to wander around the mall the day they both experience breakups. Yes, they get into a bunch of weird and quirky situations that are either funny or annoying, depending on your sense of humor. I laughed a lot.
The relationships are about as one-dimensional as you can get. I think there's too much weird humor going on here for me to get too involved with the characters. But I appreciate how much these guys love their girlfriends. I appreciate that Brodie (Jason Lee) can't admit how much he loves his ex girlfriend, even though everyone can see it. I appreciate that Brandi (Claire Forlani) can't admit how much she loves T.S. (Jeremy London) because she's too busy trying to be mad at him and justify her breakup to herself. It's sweet to watch at times, but not much more than that. If you want depth, look elsewhere.
The comedy is what saves this movie, which is why you have to find it funny, or the movie will just annoy the hell out of you. There are several gross-out jokes, including one that made me want to puke. The elevator sex scene and ensuing discussion between the characters was hilarious. There's a running joke about a game show that's filming on a stage in the mall that night, and how Jay and Silent Bob keep attempting to sabotage it. There are about a million more, but I won't spoil them. Suffice it to say that slapstick comedy pervades this movie, and if you don't like that, you won't enjoy the movie. The ending is corny and sweet, and the proceedings are largely painless. It's not my favorite Smith film, but it's nowhere near as bad as critics made it out to be.
The Bottom Line: Perfectly fitting my weird sense of humor.
17 Smith is bad for comics and film.....
In 1998, when Smith's DAREDEVIL run began, everyone was saying, read it, It's great. Oh boy was it not. Very bad writing that basically destroyed the charecter, The same's true with this piece of celliod garbage. There is no one to like in this movie, heck an episode of Beveryly Hills 902010 has more plot, better dialoge, and casting then this. It should become a tradition to avoid all Kevin Smith movies as you would avoid a trip to the IRS office.
18 It's good for laughs!
Of the 5 View Askewniverse films directed by Kevin Smith (Silent Bob in all 5), this one is probably the worst. It doesn't have the sly social commentary of Clerks, the touching but romantic confusion of Chasing Amy, the sharp but worthwhile satire of Dogma, or the shameless but hilarious nostalgia of every film he's ever loved or made of Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. But even Kevin Smith's worst film is still going to be a lot better than many films, especially of the gross-out comedy type (and Mallrats qualifies).
In many ways, this film is an ode to the 80s with a 90s brush. The mall has all the answers, according to Brodie, the comic-book loving (but socially inept) main character played by Jason Lee. He and his friend T.S. (one of the London boys) are beleagured by girl problems, or by their own problems dealing with girls. Having broken up with girlfriends played by Shannen Doherty and Claire Forlani respectively, they find refuge in the local mall, the hallmark of society's youth. Hijinks ensue (don't hijinks always ensue in a Kevin Smith film...?) among the misuses of chocolate cookies, the mysteries of those Magic Eye pictures, the horrors of a father gone insane, the joys provided by comic book stores, and the trials of trying to use the Force when you're not meant to. They meet a variety of characters, including a pompous sales rep played by a pre-fame Ben Affleck and, of course, local (every VA film starts in New Jersey) junkies Jay and Silent Bob, who provide the film's biggest laughs. Admittedly, if those characters didn't make their characteristic appearance, this film would be something worse than what it is. The film comes complete with references to many pop-culture loves of Mr. Smith, including a good deal of Star Wars props.
This is the second film of the VA series, and if you're a Smith fan, it's still worth owning. The film is funny and smart, despite it's clunkiness, especially in the parts with Jay and Bob - the comedy is high, and the laughs are real. It's not the best picture ever made, even by Kevin Smith, but it's a good flick for belly laughs if you need the comedy.
19 What a stinky piece of poo
This movie basically takes MTV's Tom Green character - loud, obnoxious, and utterly clueless - and puts him in a Seinfeld skit. There are plenty of conversations about nothing, but unfortunately for the movie makers, it takes some modicum of cleverness to do a successful Seinfeld comedy. There's absolutely none here. It's just never ending babbling. Did I mention loud, obnoxious and clueless? That can't be repeated often enough in describing this thing, and really should be in all caps.
We're introduced to our main character, Brodie, as he kicks Shannen Doherty out of bed so he can play a video game. We're supposed to like him. He then proceeds to talk, nonstop, obnoxiously and utterly without wit, throughout the length of the movie. His sidekick T.S. is identical, except that he can't get a word in edgewise due to Brodie's obnoxious, interminable ranting.
There are some other characters that provide a welcome, though all-too-short break from this torture. Shannen Doherty has what amounts to little more than a cameo. She's really the only likable character in the thing. Joey Lauren Adams plays a comically (...) girl, and gets two or three very short scenes. Some guys named Jay and Silent Bob play a Wile E. Coyote skit every once in a while. But the relief is short and all too seldom - it's always right back to the "how fast and furiously can I recite my insipid lines" character of Brodie. There's a game show at the end - the film makers are hoping that you'll find it so amusing that people swear while on televeision that you'll keep laughing for the entire 30 minutes of it. It's really impossible to sit through. I had my DVD player all the way up to 100X fast forward during that part.
The trouble is, these characters are so unlikable that it's inconceivable they even had girlfriends in the first place. Therefore the plot is a waste of time. There's an abyssmal lack of wit throughout the rest of it; it's as tiresome as sitting through 30 standing ovations during a State of the Union address.
My advice: Avoid at all costs.
20 kevin smiths best
the reason why i say its his best is because look at the cover, the cover sweet. it looks tight,but anyways thats not why i like the movie. the movie is smart,funny,and has an important message,"the mall has it all".this movie takes place in the mall which makes it genious. i love all of kevin smith's movies and this is one of them.i love this move so freakin much!!!!!! if you havent seen this movie you have to watch this movie. youll laugh,youll cry,youll want to see it over and over and over. get this movie. dont just rent it buy it!!!!,you wont regret it.
21 movie of the gods
this move kicks ass. it's one of the best movies ever created. kevin smith is a genius for making this.
22 Kevin Smith's worst movie ever
What was Kevin Smith doing starring and directing in this mess. there's no plot or funny bits that makes Clerks and Dogma so hilarious .the cast is good and the the cameo by comic book drawer Stan Lee is terrific,but the movie is so stupid to follow,the plot stinks what plot there's only two slackers that hang at the mall and be stupid,this movie tries to be like Clerks and fails,Jason Lee and Jeremy London take over Randall and Dante's roles that Kevin Smith should have called MALLCLERKS.0 stars for this.watch Clerks or Dogma.
23 Kevin Smith Fans Only?
Maybe a contradiction of sorts, as it appears as though Kevin Smith is embarassed and or apologizing for this film. I love this film, after watching it twice I realized this is my rainy day flick. Kevin Smith may quip that Jason Lee is the star of "Chasing Amy" in the "Mallrats" commentary. Dare I say I enjoy "Mallrats" a great deal more than "Chasing Amy?" This is a must have in your collection.
24 Absolutely Genius
This movie has been panned by critics everywhere, and made like nothing at the box office. Yet, despite that, I still have watched this movie probably more than any other. It is the most enjoyable movie I have ever seen.
Kevin Smith took Clerks to a larger scale in essence with this movie. And he made the ultimate casting decision...Jason Lee. Lee OWNS this movie! And that is saying a lot. There are some great perfrormances in there aside from Lee, but Brodie is like an icon now. His delivery on scenes such as the kid on the escalator is absolutely priceless. Lee's facial expressions and mannerisms are hysterical.
Of course Jay and Silent Bob provide some great laughs, but the funniest support comes from Ethan Suplee as Willem. The scenes featuring the magic eye are priceless, especially the one with the small children...Suplee's reaction is my all time favorite moment in any movie, period.
Though he isn't exactly a villain, Michael Rooker is the perfect antagonist. His role as Mr. Svenning is hysterical.
The movie is great...the dialogue, interaction, and timing is great. It will have you on the floor.
The DVD has some hysterical extras, especially the cast commentary, which could almost be considered funnier than the movie (which is saying a whole lot). The deleted scenes are also quite funny, and the look back at how and why it tanked at the box office are informative and entertaining.
Watch this movie...you will not be disappointed.
25 funny and well written but laging is some areas
this one was the weakest of the whole Jay and Silent Bob bunch because there were some areas that were laging from Smith's first film Clerks and it felt like a dissapointment. though Jason Lee and Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith get all the laughs. Ben Affleck seems a little bit butchcut and a little bit annoying. Jeremy London is ok but is outshun by Shannen Doherty who rocks also. Clair Florani is just wasted and seems miscast and Michael Rooker seems like the kind of guy you just want to see put in the gas chamber if you ever met him. strickly for fans
26 Too big, too soon?
I remember seeing Mallrats when it was first released and thinking how good it was. It was probably a mix of the lingering Clerks honeymoon and the familiar setting of Eden Prairie, MN. But I've rewatched this film twice in the last week and it's slipped a couple of notches.
Here's why:
1. Mallrats is an exceedingly large production compared to Clerks. Think only about the different locations between the two films. Convenience/Video Store vs. 2 malls in 2 different states. The Mall in MN was somewhat of a ghost town during the filming period so they were able to customize the stores more than a typical mall (Carpet Munchers and Buy Me Toys). The grandure of the production seems to detract from the meat of the film. Whereas Clerks was carried by it's dialogue.
2. Budget was of little concern to Smith (who made Clerks for chump change) for this film. Seemingly unlimited funds facilitated a "kitchen sink" mentality. "We've got enough money to do this, this and this" As opposed to "This or that". So Mallrats is a little fat around the middle.
3. Acting - Be honest. After seeing this movie, did you think you'd ever see Jeremy London in another film? This guy couldn't act his way out of a paper bag. (Probably explains why he's on Seventh Heaven now.) Jason Lee is Jason Lee. Certainly not up for an Oscar, but convincing and charismatic. The rest of the cast is about average. I'm not suggesting we should expect top-notch acting here but at least make it natural.
I can't blame Kevin Smith for wanting to strike while the iron was hot here, but with a little more time and a little more focus, this could have been much better film. Smith may have been in a "This is my one big shot, so I'm gonna show 'em everything I got" mindset. Smith figured out the patience factor with Chasing Amy and honed his directing skills in Dogma.
The soundtrack to Mallrats saves experience for me. Anyone who includes Archers of Loaf deserves a break.
27 the best comedy movie ever made
mallrats is my favourite comedy of all time, kevin smith is a comical genious and has made a masterpiece of a comedy, it starts off like anybodys morning when maybe you and your girlfriend have a fight over something and you get dumped what do you do ? what else but to go to the mall and meet up with old friends. What was astinishing about mallrats to me is it could so easily be a situation that you and your friends could come across. The humour of it was so relatable that i believe me and my friend took after jay and silent bob so well that it made me laugh as soon as i saw the tapping on the glass at the pet store, mallrats would have to be one of the most outstanding feel good movies of our time, those who showed a passion of this kevin smith masterpiece should take time to look for in the local video store for these 3 films empire records, friday and dogma all and all if you ever find yourself in the middle of the day with nothing to do and little money why not get some friends together and see mallrats, in my opinion you will not be dissapointed, clearly in my top five best comedy movies of all time. by Age casper
28 Laugh out loud ..... your pants hilarious
Ah, this is a great movie. Ridiculous situations, characters that are walking charicatures of society and some of the most classic lines of all time (That kid is BACK on the F****** ESCALATOR!). Jason Lee is absolutely hilarious in this flick as are Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes. 2nd funniest new jersey series movie.
29 one of my alltime favorites
this movie is so funny. When I first saw it I was kind of depressed about a breakup I was going through but I watched it with some friends and I loved it. This movie was so funny I didn't even care about the girl anymore. Broady is the funniest character I have ever seen other then the ones you find on the show the Upright Citizens Brigade. I hear a lot of people saying bad things about this movie but Jay and Silent Bob should stop by their house and beat them. Like I said some people diss this movie and say its no Clerks but they are right it is better then Clerks and I have never actually met someone who doesn't like this movie buy it
30 A decent movie - but Dogma is better!
Mallrats introduces us to Ben Affleck... and of course Jason Lee in his first of many roles in the View Askewniverse. It also introduced ME to the term "dirt mall" which i now gleefully designate the Nanuet Mall in Nanuet, NY as (an abandoned shell of its former self!). Not a bad movie, the game show part of it is pretty dumb. Still, "fly fatass, fly!" is not something i'll ever forget!
31 SNOOCH TO THE NOOCH!
dude, this movie is HILARIOUS! it is the best of the kevin smith movies in my humble opinion. it's got a great soundtrack, a great performance by jason lee, and, of course, JAY AND SILENT BOB!
32 Good movie. Not my favorite of all Kevin Smiths. But Good.
It's a good movie. Jason Lee is very good in the movie. As he was in Chasing Amy. It's a bit corny but still has its moments which makes it good. Jay and Silent Bob are great in the movie. Some of their best work is in this movie. It still has that comedy that only some people are going to get, which is why Kevin Smiths movies are so good. Don't listen to the critics. Critics,Shmitics. Check the movie out!
33 Ties with Dogma for my Favorite Smith film
Kevin Smith claims he's not a talented director, at least interms of visuals, and camera angles. But none of that amtter,s because he is a damn gifted writer, and even though it may be aimed towards the teenage crowd, and has found a huge cult following among that age group, Mallrats is perhaps the best example of Smith's talent with words. Of course on a lower budget, (with Clerks, Mallrats, and Chasing Amy) he really couldn't rely on fancy visual effects to get the job done. Luckily, he writes some of the wittiest, most hysterical dialgue and monolgues ever put to film.. See the movie and you'll see what I mean.
Sure there's no plot, but that doesn't matter with this kind of film. I suggest a rental first. If you like it, and wish to purchase it, the Collector's Edition DVD is the best way to go. It is absolutely jam-packed with extras. And my favorite part was the audio commentary which is both funny and informative.
Plus, the movie has an awesome soundtrack, (a preview of what's on it is included on the DVD) so check that out as well.
34 Unintelligent and unfunny
* GASP! A negative review of Kevin Smith; what BLASPHEMY! *
It's a pity that "Mallrats" is such a dump of a film because Kevin Smith is an exceptional writer. Here I guess he mistakenly tried his hand at being a better director, and the result is a mess of a picture -- anything remotely original or offbeat is buried under another ho-hum teen explotation flick. Even the sight gags are tired and unoriginal.
I had hoped that Smith would have used Mallrats to create a subversive film (like he did in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back) about suburbia. Instead it was like he was expelling some latent adolescent nonsense that had been swirling inside him for years. Sorry, but I'm not interested Kevin Smith's juvinile private parts.
The slackers? Yawn. The over-smart Catholic School vixen? zzzzz. The happily-ever-after ending? Please.
Fortunately, he moved on to more mature ideas -- love in the absolutely brilliant "Chasing Amy", and the relationship of God and man in "Dogma". Even in "Clerks" he challenged us with ideas about finding purpose in the face of circumstances beyond our control.
I don't know what inspired him to make "Mallrats". Too many of those awful Orange Julius drinks you find in the mall maybe.
35 LIKE CLERKS ,IT HAS MORE TRUE LAUGHS AND JOKES
NOT NEARLY A BEST AS CLERKS,BUT MALLRATS IS STILL TRUE COMEDY IT STARS DUMPED FRIENDS SPENDING TIME AT A MALL AND EVEN JAY AND SILENT BOB HAVE CAMEOS,THIS FILM IS IN COLOR AND A FUNNY CAST INCLUDING JEREMY LONDON,SHANNEN DOHERTY,JASON MEWES,KEVIN SMITH,CLAIRE FORLANI,ETHAN SUPLEE,AND MICHAEL ROOKER .ALL THE LAUGHS ARE AWESOME AND THIS FILM DESERVES 4 STARS AND A A+.
36 Very funny movie
Mallrats is an extremely funny movie. I have watched this movie over and over countless times with my friends and we always laugh at it. This movie is going to be a classic college movie. I say college movie because a lot of younger people would not get a lot of the humor and little jokes. This movie is definitely one that i would buy if i didn't already have it.
37 Hilarious and Entertaining?
This movie is a classic! It's funny and i never really like that many movies that take place at one location throughout the whole film but for mall films this one is the best and I mean the BEST! It is like a living breathing comic strip and a true collector's item for their DVD library when they are looking to soop up their comedy section. This is one you should have!
38 You're Going to Listen to Something I said!?!?!?!
While certainly not a critics favorite, this is a fan favorite. This is one of my top ten movies of all time. Hilarious from beginning to end, this is a mindless comedy that finds its greatness in the fact that it is mindless. Saying its mindless doesn't mean its totally stupid or without merit. In fact, its quite smart. Of course I am a little biased, I love Jason Lee so much I actually like Drawing Flies. Sad thing is, I'm not kidding. This movie has more of me in it than any other movie I've ever seen. Case in Point: "You're actually going to listen to something I said...Haven't I made it abundantly clear during the tenure of our friendship that I don't know ...I mean half the time I'm talking out of my...or sticking my hand in it". Just ask my friends, see if that isn't me to a tee. A great cast (most of whom you can see in Drawing Flies! hehe) a plausible (stop laughing) storyline, Jay and Silent Bob, and of course Jason Lee. Seems like enough for me. How about You?
39 Snoochie boochies!
this is a truly great movie. Every second will keep you rolling on the ground with laughter. I've seen all of Kevin Smith's movies and this one intrigues me the most. Perfect for anyone over the age of 14 (due to explicit content). Buy this one and you won't be dissappointed.
40 Three Cups of Funny And A Gallon of BRILLIANT.
Lemme tell yooz something, kiddies. Mallrats is the funniest movie ever. And the most sophisticated. I, a sophisticated connoisseur in the world of comedy movies and dark, creepy, independent films, have seen a lot of motion pictures in my life, but none have reflected my life and psyche as much as Kevin Smith's 'Mallrats' did for me.
The movie itself is brilliant to every extent of the word. For one, it has an all star cast. A then unknown Jason Lee, Jason London...'s brother, Michael Rooker...the list goes on and on. Second of all, one can totally relate to the characters. As if Mr. Smith didn't portray me well enough as 'Randal', the slacker video clerk in his last film, 'Clerks', he has now thrown in Jason Lee's wonderful portrayal of a slacker, the unforgettable Brodie Bruce. Third of all, it's incredibly original. Forget all of the movies you see in theaters now taking place in malls with topless psychics, mindless banter, teenage shenanigans, and physical harm towards the Easter Bunny, for they're all ripping off 'Mallrats', the third greatest film of all time.
The sheer incredibleness of this film is enough to make any sane man fashion a codpiece out of lunch meat and run into the woods, foaming at the mouth and babbling psycho-gibber. Beneath all the wackiness and sophomoric comedy lies a deep, DEEP, love story, sure to make you cry almost as much as watching 'The Adventures of Milo And Otis'. The fact that the plot revolves around two recently dumped teenagers who head to the mall for solice, but soon discover that one's girlfriend hath been taken into the arms of his enemy, and that one's father forbids any relationship between the two to take place shows traces of a true Shakespearian tragedy. The director must have been very well taught in the field of English literature.
The DVD is also brilliant. Who knew that a little piece of plastic could do so much? As if over an hour of deleted scenes weren't enough, we're treated to a rousing video commentary ...a theatrical trailer, a sountrack trailer, a music video, a little featurette about the film, production notes, production photos, cast and crew biographies, a hidden easter egg, and the chance to hear the film in French. All in all, a great piece of plastic.
Overall, if you're in for a jolly good time, with plenty of guffaws and scollywaggles, I highly suggest you pick up this piece of film history. Once you have seen it, your entire perception of life will change...and stuff. You'll weep! You'll cry! You'll laugh! You'll chuckle! You'll marvel at the sheer brilliance of 'Mallrats'.
But seriously kids, this is a very funny movie ...And the DVD is pretty good, too. Give this movie a shot, and, odds are, you'll like it.
Luv,
Muttz!
41 Smith's second-and most detesed by critics- film
Mallrats is a teen comedy. That right there should explain some of the plot; guys who aren't really the most popular trying to get girls. This is the basic mold for such movies, and to some extent, Smith doesn't break it. T.S. Quint (portrayed, rather poorly, i might add, by Jeremy London) and Brodie Bruce (brought to you by Jason Lee, in an excellent performance) lose their girlfriends and decide to go to the mall to solve their problems. There, they discover that T.S's former girlfriend who is 'being auctioned off' on her father's gameshow is there, for the shooting of the show. Brodie's ex is also there, but not in any truly prominent role until the elevator scene. T.S. and Brodie get stoners and mischief makers-extraordinaire Jay and Silent Bob to interfere with the game show, make sure it doesn't happen. That is where I leave you as far as plot goes, so as not to spoil the movie. Anyway, the general opinion on this movie at release was that it was terrible. Very few critics wrote anything remotely good about it, and decided that it just didn't work as a movie. However, 4 years later, with the release of American Pie, people realized that Mallrats was much the same breed. Therefore, it was a before its time teen comedy. DVD sales really helped the movie, and it has become one of the most loved of Kevin Smith's five (thusfar) excellent films. For those who aren't offended by ramapant swearing, I highly recommend this. If nothing else, at least rent it.
42 ...Jay And Silent Bob!
All i've heard about this movie is that it was terrible. ONe of my friends told me it was really funny and a classic so i figure what the heck, ill go rent it. I get home from the video store and pop in the DVD. The movie is a pure classic that is better than Clerks and Dogma (I haven't seen Chasing Amy). Mallrats actually compares to Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. The movie is #1 a classic... Doesn't that sound great to spend all your time in a mall. #2 the movie is HILARIOUS> i found myself laughing so hard at Jayson Lee. #3 the movie has got Romance. And last of all, how could you forget.. the movie has JAY AND SILENT BOB! Is this enough information to make u realize that u nead to buy this movie!!!! GO NOW!!!!!
43 Cheesy, Forgettable Piece
I cannot believe people find this movie entertaining. Compared to the others in the NJ trilogy, this one lacks spontaneity, and jokes aren't really funny; I can almost see the author of the script *trying* very hard to make us laugh. Sorry, but once I knew his intention, I didn't feel like buying it. Oh, and the way things all ended up going well with the main characters' relationships with their girlfriends made me cringe so hard that I pulled the muscle in my lower back.
44 Hilarious
I don't know what Kevin Smith film is my favorite. Probably either this wonderful comedy or the excellent Dogma. They're two very different movies.
Before Kevin Smith had big budget casts, special effects and thousands of cameos in his films, he relied solely on dialogue. And Mallrats is no exception. As the second film in his career, (after the awesome Clerks) Mallrats certainly has some of the most brillian dialogue in a comedy ever. It is clear this movie is aimed towards teenagers, and has most definitely secured a cult following among them, but the dialogue in this film is too witty to be simply dismissed as a typical teenage pop culture film.
Also, the extras on the DVD are great. The commentary alone is very funny, and very interesting, revealing many of the hundereds of inside jokes that are used throughout Kevin Smith's films.
45 Young, Dumb, and Full of Fun!!!!
This movie is dumb, but it works.
Since Kevin Smith was forced to change much of his original (and much funnier) film the story has inconsistancies. Nevertheless, the released cut is FUNNY. It has the charm of a good Saturday Night Live sketch...I mean back when SNL was still worth watching.
46 Oh, a sailboat! I mean, a trip to the mall
From Brodie's opening narration involving his cousin Walter, the shots of the Eden Prairie Center and its various stores, and the comic book covers of the movie's characters, all while playing to Squirtgun's "Social", it's clear that this is going to be both an entertaining movie and a trip to the mall. The name of the carpet outlet store got a big laugh out of me.
Mallrats starts as a spinoff from an occurrence mentioned in Clerks, where Julie Dwyer, the girl who died in mid-backstroke in the pool of the YMCA, cancels plans for T.S. Quint and Brandi to go on vacation in Florida. As Julie was entering Brandi's father's game show, Brandi decides to take her place, to T.S.'s disgust. An argument ensues and they break up.
Brodie, T.S.'s friend, also suffers a breakup with Renee, who leaves him a Dear John, seeing him as callow, without ambition, direction, job prospects, and challenged in the sex department. She wants fulfillment and someone who doesn't fit her in between going to the comic book store or playing Sega games.
Brodie tells T.S. "Let's ease our simultaneous double loss." T.S.: "Ritual suicide?" Brodie: "No, you idiot! The f---ing mall!" And the adventure begins.
The main event involves the cheesy dating game conceived by Brandi's father that caused T.S. and Brandi's breakup. Brodie hires Jay and Silent Bob to sabotage the stage. There are two attempts, the first reminiscent of Looney Tunes cartoons, the other owes a nod to Batman, and both involve Gwen, an ex-girlfriend of T.S. The duo have a lot more screen time than in Clerks and it's well spent. Another good scene: the one involving the Easter Bunny. Brodie has to tangle with the violent and obnoxious Shannon Hamilton, the assistant manager of Fashionable Male who has a grudge against him and is moving in on Renne.
But this movie also serves as a transition to change, where Brodie and T.S. realize things about themselves and decide to be proactive instead of reactive.
Jason Lee (Brodie) steals this show hands off as the most engaging character here who is anal-retentive, temperamental, and who sometimes talks out of his you-know-what, but he's well worth watching. He's got the best lines. Despite her minimal screen time, the appealing Joey Lauren Adams's performance as Gwen is a preview to what she would do as Alyssa in Chasing Amy. Jeremy plays T.S. as a reserved counterpart to Brodie who later finds his own voice at the end. Kudos also to Shannen Doherty (Renee) and Renee Humphreys (Tricia Jones), who play crucial roles here.
Usual homages to pop-culture: The Empire Strikes Back, Marvel Comics, those pictures with hidden images, the Dating Game, and Jaws. Hint on the last: what are the names of Rob Scheider and Richard Dreyfuss's characters? And the names of our two male protagonists?
Although lambasted when it first came out, I simply see it as a different kind of movie from Clerks. Yes, there's nothing deep and philosophical (Clerks, Chasing Amy), and it may be more mainstream, but then again, it's a nod to teen comedies of the 1980's, which were shallow but appealing in their own way, because of engaging characters. I mean, what was the point of doing a Clerks-The Day After? I stare closely at this movie and I don't see a sailboat, but a creatively entertaining movie.
47 you call that romantic? no i call that allegal.
yes it was me who wrote this review in the first place but i want it under my name.i bought this movie and love it. if i could give it 6 stars i would. the characters (t.s, brodie, jay, silent bob, brandie, and gwen) all have a screwed up day at the mall. ben affleck makes his "jersey saga" debute a the manager...of fashionable male. with a hilarios "jedi mind trick"at the end that will make you need to laugh. buy this movie to day.and take 1 moment, just 1 moment because thats all life is is a series of moments, to enjoy it...
48 Love... Mayhem... Adventure... All in One Day at the Mall
From the writer/director of "Clerks," "Chasing Amy," "Dogma," and "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back," Kevin Smith's second film "Mallrats" is a hilarious movie about all the trouble that can happen when you hang out at the mall and never buy anything. As Smith described it himself, it's sort of like "Clerks," but in a mall.
Although there are many characters involved in the film, the story mainly focuses on Brodie and T.S., two friends who have just been dumped by their girlfriends. So they decide to go to the mall to forget about their worries. However, things do not go as planned. Brodie finds out that his ex is now seeing a man who loves to take advantage of women with broken hearts and T.S. discovers that the dating game show, created by his ex's father, is going to take place that day (with his ex now being the new contestant). They know that drastic measures have to be made if they ever want to have their girlfriends back. And that's only the beginning of all the craziness that takes place.
Forget what the critics think, this is a great movie. I admit that it is not as good as "Clerks," but it is a very funny movie that does not fail to delver the goods, despite what the critics have said. The script is very well written, with the usual witty Smith dialogue. Not only is it well directed and written, it is also well acted. Jeremy London and Jason Lee are terrific at their parts and really steal the show, (especially Lee). Other cast members, such as Shannen Doherty, Ben Affleck, Jason Mewes, and Michael Rooker, are just as great.
Now, onto the DVD. This DVD edition is perfect for a movie like this, and does it justice. There are so many special features, you don't even know where to begin. Some of the features included are feature commentary by Kevin Smith, Ben Affleck, Jason Lee, Jason Mewes, Scott Mosier, and Vincent Pereira, over one hour of hilarious deleted scenes, a featurette, the theatrical trailer, and live footage from the commentary session. I'm sure some will think that's not a lot of features, but for one disk that's pretty amazing. The picture and sound quality is really good as well. Ten times better than the VHS version.
"Mallrats" is a great comedy filled with laughs, excitement, and thrills. If you're a Kevin Smith fan, then you will love it. Even if you're not, you should still give it a shot. Be warned that there's a lot of offensive humor and language, but I think it suits the film well. A terrific movie and an outstanding DVD. I couldn't be happier.
49 Mallrats
This was Kevin Smith's funniest movie! Who ever thought that hanging out at the mall would be funny? Well somehow, Smith did it and he did it very well in this non stop rib breaking comedy.
MALLRATS is about 2 guys T.S. (Jeremy London) and Brodie (Jason Lee). After breaking up with his girlfriend because she agreed to go on her father's copycat version of the Dating Game, he goes over to his friend Brodie's house and finds out that his girl, Renee (Shannon Dougherty) broke up with him as well. Brodie, wanting to make his friend feel better, takes him to the mall. It's a non stop laugh riot from sailboats to stage trashing to the backseat of Volkswagon, MALLRATS will keep you laughing from beginning to end.
This was Jason Lee's first movie and he really made it count. Lee is hilarious in this movie and he steals every scene that he's in. Plus who could forget the comedy due of Jay and Silent Bob? Of course you can't because they're in this one as well. Plus this movie is just wrong. There are some really scandalous scenes (Ms Ivana's fortune telling and the game show). And a very special cameo by Stan Lee, creator of Marvel Comics, doesn't hurt.
There is a lot of swearing, some nudity and some drug references but other than that, all good here. You'll definitely want to add this to your collection. Plus I had to give it 5 stars because this movie was filmed in MN and the "Minneso-TAH accent" (like in FARGO and DROP DEAD GORGEOUS) was not used!! That alone scores serious points. In any case, enjoy MALLRATS and don't forget to pick up Smith's other great titles like CLERKS, CHASING AMY, DOGMA and JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK
50 Senseless ... Shame On You
...The acting was atrocious. Apart from the main guy, everyone sucked big time. The pseudo intellectual dialogue was completely unfeasible and 'callow'. Jay and bob were pathetic. The sailing boat dude; not even funny the first time he appeared.
Cinematography ridiculous. Special effects: high schoolish. Lighting terrible. Sound effects completely off.
It's as if someone gave a mentally retarded person a chance to make a film--the 'special needs make a movie day' or something.
The only entertaining part of this was the game show.
What was with the girl's dad? why?
I am up in arms over the entire fiasco.
51 "All It Took Was a Fat, Chronic Blunt!"
Kevin's second movie definatley holds true to that old sophmore jinx.
The movie is about two friends (Brodie and T.S) who are dumped by their girlfriends, and retreat to the mall to brood and try to piece themselves together. When they arrive at the mall, there is a stage being set up for T.S's ex-girlfriend's dad's game show, Truth or Date. T.S believes that his ex's father forced her to dump him (being as head strong as he is) and decides to try to sabotage the show...somehow. So, he uses two henchmen...Jay and Silent Bob, who now reside in front of the mall's pet store. Now with them trying to destroy the stage before showtime, T.S and Brodie try to get their ex's back, and after a quick visit to the local topless fortune teller (which turns out to be as funny as it is nasty and repulsive) he gets a great plan for winning her back.
The only problem is that T.S has to face her father, who had already tried to get them arrested by planting some weed on them. As for Brodie, he has to face his ex's new boy-toy, who's in it only so that he can get some action *in a very uncomfortable place* as he puts it.
The whole movie has but a few laughs, which involve chocolate covered pretzels, (the already mentioned) topless fortune teller, Jay and Silent Bob, and the Truth or Date gameshow being filemed live.
I rented this movie with very high spirits, hoping it would be funny, as are all of Smith's movies, but it turned out to be one wash after another. In fact, the only real thing of comedy in this movie were the antics of Jay and Silent Bob which include trying to destroy the stage, getting stoned (at one point, TS gathers a plan, and asks Jay, You guys up for getting stoned, to which Jay replies with a laugh, Look who you're askin,) beating up the Easter Bunny, and a lot, lot more. It was especially nice to have them in the movie THAT much after only being featured in Clerks for a few brief scenes.
There are tons of hit and miss jokes, among which, the backseat of a volkswagon being the longest.
The stupid sound effects during the movie add nothing but a corniness that isn' common for any Smith movie (unless it is meant to be.)
Actually, the movie was really entertaining, not as funny as Clerks, I must say, but it has that Smoth charm that kept me rewinding that tape. There are just some movies that are supposed to be funny, but actually aren't, but that doesn't take away from their entertaining qualities... look at Bill and Ted, for example.
The movie works, overall, but is still heavily flawed, and lacks that sophisticated humor that made Clerks what it is today. Many find this movie to be boring, and I can see where they're coming from, and some say it's the best of the Jersey Trilogy, and I can get that too, but as for me, it was a pretty deacent movie. Not as man laughs, but it does entertain to some degree.
Personally, I reccomend the othe movies first, save this for last. Or, actually, you should watch this movie second (in order, sense Kevin's movies are designed in such a way that if you watch them out of order you won't be able to understand them, because you need the other movies for the basis for many of the othe movie's plots or jokes) after Clerks, with the though that this is his worst, and if you love it, then you're bound to love his others, but if you don't, then at least you know that you've seen the worst, and it's smooth sailing from then on.
52 Good, but not as good as others. 3 1/2 Stars more than 4
That's about all that can be said about this movie and DVD. THe extras aren't wholly spectacular, yet the film's funny moments are great. Specially Silent Bob and his utility belt. Great stuff. By far the Jersey Series' red-headed step-child. But if you're the big Kevin Smith fan, buy it.
53 "you call that romantic". "no i call that illegal"
i bought this movie and love it. if i could give it 6 stars i would. the characters (t.s, brodie, jay, silent bob, brandie, and gwen) all have a screwed up day at the mall. ben affleck makes his "jersey saga" debute a the manager...of fashionable male. with a hilarios "jedi mind trick"at the end that will make you need to laugh. buy this movie to day.and take 1 moment, just 1 moment because thats all life is is a series of moments, to enjoy it...
54 Mallrats-underrated
This is by far the best of Kevin Smith's five films, although it is highly underrated. Jason Lee's performance as the cruel Brodie is awesome. This is what you should see whenever you want to kick back, drink beer, and eat pizza.
55 A "Smart Porky's"
I'm one of the schmucks that thinks Smith missed the mark with this one. I know the end product isn't what Smith really wanted, but it probably wouldn't have been much better or worse anyway. Clerks was hard to top, and it seems like Smith was kinda pressured or rushed to do this. I certainly don't want to cut down Kevin Smith(and this review will probably sound like that), he's one of the best newcomers of the last decade if you ask me. To me, this movie is just okay. Some of the dialogue, acting and humor are just so God-awful it's mind boggling. On the other hand, there are some extremely funny moments. So, ultimately it evens out as okay to me. As I mentioned before, this movie has some rotten dialogue. The whole food court arguement is extremely lame. Jeremy London's role is there because it has to be. He's not that good and comes across as a schmuck. Jason Lee is pretty funny, but his whining gets pretty annoying. "No libido to attack??" "Boy Wonder??" "Are you nuts??" Kevin Smith also has a nasty habit of showing us how many fancy words he knows, and all of his characters(even Jay!) sound like they all have English degrees. We all know that no one talks like that(not even Smith I bet). It's alright to throw some of that out, but he goes overboard with it. There are also reoccurances of jokes that just aren't funny no matter how much they're pounded into the ground like: The Volkswagen crap, the kid on the escalator, Slient Bob crashing the changing rooms. Plus, Jay and Bob are made into cartoon characters this time instead of the scummy drug dealing slackers they were in Clerks. All in all, it's really not too bad, just could have done without a few things.
56 Slackers Rule The Mall
Kevin Smith's second film in "the Jersey trilogy", MALLRATS centers around two budddies, who spend too much time, hanging out at the mall. T.S. (Jeremy London) and Brodie (Jason Lee) have recently been dumped by their girlfriends. The friends decide to try and win them back by making a trip to the mall, where Brodie's girl, Rene (Shannen Doherty) and T.S.'s girl, Brandi (Claire Forlani) will be as well. Along the way, the boys meet up with Spiderman creator Stan Lee (playing himself), and this being a Smith film, Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith), make a spirited return after CLERKS. The film has that great View Askew take on life. As usual though, it's Lee, who gets all the best lines. By having a few characters from CLERKS return, the films are (loosely) tied together, and even introduce us to what the future holds for some in CHASING AMY. Don't let that stop you though, the movie works fine as a stand alone. Critics have said the film was not quite as good as Smith's first film--it's just different--that's all.
The Collector's Edition DVD has another winning commentary from Smith et al. There's over 60 minutes of deleted scenes from the cutting room floor. Some of which are really funny, while others are not, a mixed, but worthwhile bag. The extras also include footage fom the commentary recording session, a making of feturette, the clever theatrical trailer, a video from the soundtrack, and a handful of production photographs. This disc is a must for fans of Kevin Smith Recommended.
57 Snoochie boochie!
Kevin Smith made it big after "clerks" and his next movie was "mallrats." It's not as deep as "clerks," it's a much more tongue-and-cheek kind of movie. Nevertheless, "mallrats" is a great, fun film.
The DVD bonus features are not that great. The deleted scenes were wisely deleted as they are not at all funny.
Kevin Smith said the studio wanted an 90's "meat-balls" but smarter. I think that's pretty close to what they got.
This is also the first Kevin Smith movie that Jason Lee appears in. His performance as Brody, T.S.'s comic book loving side-kick is probably his best to date.
"Mallrats" is every bit as vulgar as "clerks." Fans of Kev's first movie will not be disappointed.
58 Every film Smith makes is stupid.
If you watch Kevin Smith films, listen to Howard Stern, spend too much time on the Internet, and watch MTV. This movie with it's zero cast of stars is for you. But Not Me.
59 A fine DVD edition and a decent movie
I think everyone that grew up in a mall-containing town can remember a phase in their life when they were a mall-rat. Kevin Smith, the writer-director of this picture, obviously remembers the experience well and has written this amusing film about the phenomenon. The plot: two guys (T.S. and Brodie) have just broken up with their girlfriends. To ease the pain, they decide to take a cruise through the mall. A series of mishaps and adventures ensue, culminating with the two of them as contestants on a Dating Game-style TV game show.
This is the 2nd in the Jay and Silent Bob series. Here our favourite drug-dealing anarchists are trying to disrupt the game show, first by trying to knock down the set and then by giving drugs to the original contestants. The film is not a sequel to Clerks, and in fact some of the actors in Clerks (notably Brian O'Halloran, THE clerk in Clerks) are in this film as different characters. However, it is in the same spirit as the earlier film, with numerous pop-culture references (to comics, Star Wars, and TV shows), foul language, and slacker characters.
Overall, the film is probably as good as Clerks, but without being as fresh. The production is obviously slicker - it looks and sounds much better. There is more plot here, and less "random" dialogue, but that's not a good thing. The best parts in Clerks were the verbal wordplay between Dante and Randal. Here, there are fewer moments of genuine truth to underscore the dialogue, and it feels a bit like Clerks without a soul. Therefore, I rate it 1 star below Clerks (out of 5).
This DVD is a great buy. It's jam-packed with nifty extras, the most important being a huge number of cut scenes. There was an entire subplot excised from the theatrical cut, and it's neat to see it re-created in the cut scenes. The commentary is quite good with lots of tidbits on actors, and some funny jokes as well. Having said that, I found this DVD the most irritating disc I've ever tried to navigate! There's just something about the setup that irritated me. Oh, well, I got used to it, and this DVD is certainly recommended for any fan of the film - there's lots here to keep you interested, even after having seen the film 100 times.
60 a must have
this dvd is a definite must have for kevin smith fans. the movie is so genius that most people can't appreciate it. if you're not a kevin smith fan, buy it and you'll become a fan. the commentary is probably the best of all five commentaries (thats my twin brother...barney affleck) affleck and smith in one room for a commmentary always makes it funny- but the movie is a great waste of an hour and a half if you just want a cheap laugh without much plot, this is a good way to go. 5 stars all the way.
61 Why do big studios ruin good scripts?
As a huge Kevin Smith fan I find it strange that the only movie of his to be truly (and unfairly) bashed by critics is the one that Universal Studios backed. Having a studio exec on set whispering in Kevin's ear "you can't do that!" every time something funny was shot almost ruined the movie. Personally. Mallrats is a little bit funnier than Clerks (although not as original), and much funnier than Chasing Amy or Dogma. The only View Askew film that is funnier is Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. If you liked the humor in Clerks, give Mallrats a go. Jason Lee is pure comic genious (Funniest and most quotable actor in all of Smith's films) and only has a better performance in Almost Famous than in any of Smith's movies.
62 Flawed, but funny
I guess it's fair to say that Kevin Smith had a sophomore slump with "Mallrats". Let's be fair to the guy: following up "Clerks" was a tall order. When I was 19, I would have given this movie 5 stars, but as time and (hopefully!) maturity have set in, I feel I can give a better assessment.
Parts of this movie are brilliant: Jason Lee's performance during the "Truth or Date" game show at the mall, the frustrated guy perpetually staring at the eye puzzle, the videotape of Ben Affleck and a 15 year old sexologist, "stinkpalming", and (of course) Jay & Silent Bob. Some of Smith's best material can be found here and "Mallrats" certainly didn't deserve the harsh criticism first leveled at it in 1995. Smith was setting out to make a cheesy 1980s-style teen flick and he succeeded.
Unfortunately, other parts of the movie fall flat. The "back seat of a Volkswagen" joke is still lame no matter how many times you tell it. There is no on-screen chemistry between Jason Lee & Shannen Doherty (you certainly don't root for them to get back together during the course of the flick), and the whole set-up for Jeremy London & Claire Forlani's break-up and (inevitable) make up is ham-fisted and just doesn't make any sense. The dialogue is too wordy (NO ONE talks like these characters in real life). Finally, "Mallrats" lacks the rich cast that made "Clerks" a classic.
The DVD itself comes equipped with more stuff than you'd ever want (or need) to know about the making of the film. It contains over an hour of outtakes (most of which--including the film's original introduction--are so bad you realize why they were never included in the final cut), plus an interesting and informative audio/visual commentary from Kevin Smith & Co. You get to learn all the screw-ups on set, that the movie was filmed outside of Minneapolis (not in New Jersey), how the movie studio nearly cut Jason Mewes out of the picture (which clearly would have been a disastrous move) and Ben Affleck's undying love of himself.
I would recommend "Mallrats" to die-hard Kevin Smith fans only, while casual fans should stick to "Clerks", "Chasing Amy" and "Dogma".
63 critics, kiss my ...!
Do critics really know anything about entertainment? NO !!
Because when they slamed this movie, they oviousley have no sense of humor at all.Yes, My Kevin Smith worshiper friends and I, agree that this movie wasn't an Oscar contender. But for heavens sake it's called comedy !!
This DVD has it all !! The commentaries are..word fail me, funny. And the deleted scenes where well deleted. Just seeing Ben Afleck, being an jerk, is worth the ($) alone.
Jay and Silent Bob Rule !! and will be missed !!!
This DVD, is a must for any View Askewinverse collector (Duh)!!
64 Seriously underrated
OK, so it's not a gem of subtle moviemaking. The fortune teller with three nipples is kinda juvenile and probably unnecessary. But every line out of Jason Lee's mouth is pure comedy gold. And those who have recently speculated about Ben Affleck's hairline can gaze in awe at his pompedour and titter. Shannen Doherty also gives what is probably her best performance to date. She also gets to do it with Jason Lee in an elevator, but I digress.
65 A Great Movie And DVD
MALLRATS is a unique comedy film and a great DVD. Not a classic like CLERKS is. For his first studio film Kevin Smith did a great job, although the movie didn't do well at the box office . After seeing this movie it became one of my favorites. Besides the movie being good the DVD is awesome. The commentary track is fantastic, before this I never listened to the commentary tracks but after listening to this commentary track I'm addicted. The featurette and music video were cool. The deleted scene was excellent. This is a must for any DVD collector.
66 Good Kevin Smith Film
You can watch this film over and over.
67 I Just Can't Get Tired Of This Movie.
This is one of my most favorite movies of all time.No matter how many times that I watch Mallrats,I just can't get tired of it.This is a classic.It is a really fun movie that is so easy to like.Watch this movie today.
Peace Out.
68 Underrated Masterpiece.
I certainly agree with the reviewer who said this was the best of "Rentable Smith." I have seen every Jay and Silent Bob movie, from Clerks to Jay and SIlent Bob STrike Back, and have seen every episode of the Clerks animated series cartton show. I am building my collection, and right now have CLerks and Mallrats on DVD, intending to buy Chasing Amy soon.
But anyway, back to Mallrats. This movie is absoloutley hilarious! I actually enjoy this film more than Clerks. Don't get me wrong, Clerks it great, but it really doesn't make me laugh to hard, though it does make me think (something Mallrats doesn't do), and I love the low budget feel of it. I give Clerks 5 stars. However, Mallrats is just a plain more enjoyable romp! Gags every second, hilarious, memorable characters (who could forget Willam desperately trying to see that sailboat!), great lines, great music, and fabulous acting by everyone involved. I'll admit Jeremy London does bad somethimes, but mostly he did fine, and I enjoyed his performance. However, Jason Lee is the one who really steals the show here! What I fine actor. His performance as Brodie should go down in history and be studied in film schools. He's loud, obnoxious, rude, and very, very funny! Shannen Doherty, CLaire Forlani, Michael Rooker, Jason Mewes, Ethan Suplee, all turn in excellent performances, especially Jason Mewes, whose performance as Jay in this film is about three times as funny as in the previous film, although he's different here. In Clerks he was rough, grouchy, foul mouthed and mean. Here, him (and Silent Bob, too) are both lighter and more cartoony, but more funny. Michael Rooker also gives a very special performance. He's scary, but hilarious! And the game show scene is classic!
The DVD rocks! Over one hour of deleted scenes, which includes the film's brilliant original opening that really beats the theatrical one by a mile. I just love the guard looking up and screaming "SNIPER!" You get to learn way more about all the characters involved, and it's very funny. Tons more stuff to be found, all a joy, and with introduction by Kevin Smith and Vincent Periera.
There's also a sweet audio commentary with lots of people, including Smith, Jay Mewes, Scott Mosier, and Ben Affleck. It's a very entertaining commentary, and you can even access live footage from the recording session! Cool.
There's also a music video, and the film's horrible theatrical trailer (no wonder nobody went to see it). You can read cast and crew documents or production notes, and an engaging 20 minute documentary.
The film's presentation is excellent, presented in it's original ratio of 1:85:1 and animorphically enhanced for widescreen TVs. The sound is 5.1 surround sound and both are great, but a movie like Mallrats really doesn't need surround sound and the rear speakers are only used once. Still, the movie looks and sound great. After watching Clerks and then going straight to Mallrats, the picture is like WOW! Excellent.
Anyway, Mallrats is great. Buy it now.
69 My favorite
This is probably my favorite out of K. Smith's. It's full of quotable and memorable moments, and unlike many other films, it deserves, and can be, to be watched over and over again.
70 Mallrats rules
Mallrats is probably the best Kevin Smith film he's made to date, there are quality perfomances all around the shop (sorry about that pun) Jason Lee did a superb impression of a character based on Walt Flannegan (also in the move as the fan boy outside the comic book store), T.S was good, the clip with Joey Adams was ok, but by far (in my impression) the best performance has to go to the girl who plays Brandy Svenning (she's actually English) she's brilliant in this flick, Jay and Silent bob have some memerable scenes and the big guy who plays william Black's superb in the sailboat scenes.
71 Hilariously Funny Movie!
This movie is very funny. T.S and his girlfriend Brandi are about to go on vacation to Florida where he was going to purpose. Brandi can't go because of a game show her father is producing Truth or Date. T.S reacts to this and they break up. Broadie a lazy comic book store owner. He also breaks up with his girlfriend Rene. This movie takes place in a mall. The gameshow Baandi will be on is in the mall and is live. As Broadie tries to break up Rene and Shannon, her new boyfriend, T.S tries to stop the gameshow. This is where Jay and Silent Bob come in. They help stop the gameshow in this very funny movie. This movie is HILARIOUS! Don't waste your money on anything else buy this movie!
72 This is a great movie!
This movie was extremly funny! T.S (Jeremy London) is dumped by his girlfriend Brandi (Claire Forlani) and Broadie (Jason Lee) is dumped by his girlfriend Rene (Shannen doherty). The movie takes place in a mall.T.S is trying to stop a gameshow that Brandi is on called Truth or Date. As Broadie tries to breakup Rene and her new boyfriend Shannon (ben affleck). But none of this can be accomplished without Jay and Silent Bob. This movie is hilarious as the four friends help T.S and Broadie get back together with their old girlfriends. Buy this movie. It is fantastic!
73 Jason Lee
Mallrats is the best Kevin Smith movie ever made in my opinion.This movie is [great],and it's funny and clever.I like Kevin Smith a lot since I'm from New Jersey and every movie he makes with Jay(Jason Mewes)and Silent Bob(Kevin Smith) are [realy] awsome and funny.I think if you've sean Clerks and the rest see it.Jason Lee is the bomb,he's like the best actor of all time and play's Brodey Bruce so well,and if you like Jason Lee see Chasing Amy,Dogma,and his new movie with Tom Green Stealing Harvard.I think if a movie takes place in one place like this movie it would [stink] but since this movie takes place in a mall it's awsome...
74 This is for Brodie!
Rarely have I ever enjoyed a goofball comedy so much as I enjoyed Mallrats. It was clever, original and relaxed, allowing its comedy to roll on its own, never keeping it within boundaries, but always keeping comprehensible. The result? A terribly silly storyline, unneccesary plot diversions and a cast of undeniably memorable characters. This movie does not appear to be very special on the outside, but once you get down to it, every tiny detail is thought out and planned beautifully. Jason Lee's Brodie was the highlight of the movie, even managing to leave the usually over-poweringly special Jay and Silent Bob behind in the laugh-o-meter. Although by no means is this dry, witty, mature humor, it is extremely enjoyable, and nearly flawless as far as the genre goes. I highly recommend it to anyone who is willing to leave their maturity behind and just enjoy a good comedy.
75 Mallrats
I love Kevin Smith's films, and at this point, every one of them will get 5 stars from me. Mallrats is closely tied to Chasing Amy, Clerks, and has other ties with Dogma and J&SBSB.
If for no other reason, fans of Jay and Silent Bob should own this for another look at some of their antics. But it also has a deeper side, exploring the stupidity of young humans and their relations with one another.
76 Funny but not fantastic
This film IS funny but no true masterpiece, it ranks along side films like the Breakfast Club and Bachelor Party - the sorta films you just sorta 'look at' insted of 'watching'.
The real problem is that the two main guys in it (T.S. and Brodie) are not really that nicer guys; lazy and wingeing and even by the end of the film you dont really think that their Ex-Girlfriends should take them back.
This was Kevin smiths first studio film, and there is a feeling of compramise to it. Like its not the film Smith or the studio wanted it be. There are signs of re-editting like refrences to scenes which are not in the picture.
Jay and Silent bob are as funny as ever, and we have Kevin Smith to thank for introducing Jason Lee to the acting world.
Mallrats is worth seeing just dont to far out your way to see it.
77 More Kevin Smith Humor Than You Can Shake A Stick At
Mallrats is a movie that is made to be a comedy... in other words, don't look for much of a story. After the success of Clerks, Kevin Smith was given big budget support for this follow-up. Unfortunately the results were not good when it came to box office numbers, and Smith returned to his low budget roots after Mallrats bombed. It's still regarded as Smith's funniest movie, and rightfully so, it's hysterical. If you know anything about Star Wars, comic books, video games, etc, then this is your movie. The characters are hilarious and you get to see a young Ben Affleck play a very good villain. The witty dialogue though doesn't feel very realistic, it sounds very scripted in the movie.... the quickfire delivery of Shannon Doherty in the elevator really proves this. This movie was originally supposed to be much different and was re-shot almost completely. I would like to see what was originally intended for Mallrats, but I'm not going to pay the inflated price for the DVD to find out. Yes, the DVD does have a widescreen version and over an hour worth of deleted scenes from the first cut of the movie. I guess the studio figures they can get the fans for the money they didn't spend when Mallrats was in the theater.
78 what could you expect from the man who brought you clerks
Mallrats is the second film in Kevin Smith New Jersey trilogy (though since it is five movies and a cartoon series, I don't think trilogy fits anymore), and his first large budget studio film. And it is pretty good, though the weakest of his movies. It is loaded with the dialogue that Kevin Smith is good at writing and has strong performances by Jason Lee and Jeremy London. Jay and Silent Bob have larger roles in this film than they did in clerks, and there is a cameo appearance by Stan Lee. Ben Affleck's performance is weak. It loses a little bit at the ending, but it's still a film that I like. I don't think it is for everyone, but if you like Smith's films, and haven't seen this one yet, you definitely need to.
Like Clerks, this is a strong dvd. The commentary track contains Kevin Smith, Jason Lee, Jason Mewes, Ben Affleck (though his role in the film is so small, I don't understand why he was brought in for commentary), Scott Mosier (producer), and Vincent Pereira. This is a better commentary track than that on Clerks. There's an hour of deleted scenes, introduced by Kevin Smith, a video, and a few trailers and featurettes. If you like the movie, then this dvd is definitely worth buying.
79 I think I came up with a reason why it bombed..
This movie was the first "mainstream" movie from Kevin Smith, Clerks was an indie feature and critics like indie films a lot. Kevin tried to go from an indie film into a teen comedy paying homage to growing up in New Jersey watching John Hughes films, the year was '95, no one wanted to see a gross out teen comedy because it was an action blockbuster year, American Pie wouldn't come out for another 4 years in '99. I just think that Mallrats came out at the wrong time and if it was released today I think it would've been looked at in a new light, because a LOT of the movies today are bad. Just remember to watch all of Kevin Smith's movies and you'll realize how great he is.
80 Forget What You've Heard!
This movie DOESN'T [stink]! The dvd offers alot of deleted scenes left out of the theater release and VHS edition that add to the plot. Like why T.S.'s girlfriends father hates him so much. I love this movie mostly for the comic relief provided by Jay and Silent Bob. But overall this movie is pretty darn good. It's not Smith's best movie but by no means does it [stink]! Your best bet in watching this movie is buying the dvd with it's awesome extra features. Espically the commentary feature some of the cast which is pretty darn funny initself something that is worth renting to check out. You even get to watch the cast as the comment during certain parts of the film. So if you don't decided to buy this dvd fine but at least rent it. Trust me you won't regreat it.
81 Trashed by the Critics, but what do they know?
I had seen every other Kevin Smith film before I saw this one, and I was expecting a film not worthy enough to wear the Kevin Smith label. This was mostly due to how bad the critics (and the movie going public as well, for that matter)felt this movie was.
Well, I saw it without much hopes of a good movie, but it ended up being hilarious! The movie has so much going for it, I fail to see why it wasn't a hit. It's just as funny as "Clerks", if not more so. Plus, the quality is much better, as is the acting. And, the biggest bonus: Jay and Silent Bob have a much bigger role then they do in "Clerks"! What else would you want in a movie?!?
See this movie. If I had to compare it against other Kevin Smith movies it would be better then "Chasing Amy" and "Clerks" but not as good as "Dogma" and "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back". See this movie.
82 Eff the Critics
So the critics hated it. Are you gonna sit there and listen to other people tell you how good a movie is (such as I am right now)? Well you shouldn't. If you like any of Kevin Smith's other works, or you just enjoy stupid humor, here it is at its best. Mallrats is chock full of sarcasm, perversion, and just all around knee slapping humor. Smith makes movies full of inside jokes that the rest of the world understands. The jokes are witty, yet childish. ..., yet funny. Check it out and decide for yourself if you'll ever listen to another critic again.
83 Worst of the 'Trilogy' gets one of the best DVDs
MALLRATS is a failure by Kevin Smith. While a funny movie, it fails to be a good movie.
MALLRATS is a studio picture, and you can tell. It's dumbed down and many parts are quite stupid. I could have done without the topless psychic scene.
Jeremy London was terrible in this movie. Absolutely terrible. Perhaps the worst actor in the entire New Jersey 'Trilogy'. No wonder his part was knocked down from lead to sidekick.
However, Jason Lee is brilliant as Brodie Bruce. He has a certain charisma and he's always reminded me of Chevy Chase and Bruce Campbell. Two different styles of acting brought together in one actor.
Jay and Silent Bob return, but this time as a pair of live-action cartoon characters. Their parts are funny, but purely slapstick. While I love slapstick (The Three Stooges are my favorites), it felt out of place in a Kevin Smith movie...
This film seems to be a John Hughes homage, and on that wavelength, it's a success. It felt very much like one, except for the mustache... Er... language...
The DVD is one of the best in my 38 DVD collection. The commentary by Smith, Chasing Amy's Jason Lee, Ben Affleck, Scott Mosier, Vincent Pereira, and Jay Mewes is better than the movie itself. They mock it horribly...
The deleted scenes are one hour long, and feature a twenty minute alternate ending... And it's really no wonder why it was cut...
There's a very funny video featuring Jay and Bob in it.
There's an interesting documentary about the making of Mallrats.
And there's the trailer. My God, how terribly it was marketed. No wonder it bombed.
Average funny movie; great DVD.
Movie: *** 1/2 out of 5.
DVD: ****** out of5
84 Bickety-Bam
I don't understand why no one liked this movie.. It was my first time seeing any of kevin smith's movies. It was funny, one of his best next to chasing amy. I own a copy on vhs and dvd...Forget what the critics say sure, it did have a campy 80's feel to it but i was impressed especially with the Jason Lee as Brodie and he was even better as Banky you'll not be dissapointed.
85 mallrats
a really funny movie, may not be the best kmovie ever made but good for a fun time.
86 a great movie, despite what every movie critic ever has said
i am a big fan of kevin smith, and have seen all of his movies and own three of them (mallrats, chasing amy, and dogma). i must say, this is not the best of the view askew productions, but it is, in my opinion, a very good movie. great even. it depicts your tipical american mall scene and brings out all the elements of the mall that we have all known ourselvs. the plot may be a bit unbelieveable, and some scenes (especially, and unfortunately, the ones with jay and silent bob) are a little outrageous, but the movie as a whole is a classic comedic picture. i suggest for anyone with a taste for funny movies, and a bit of an open mind, to check out this movie.
87 Chasing Amy = better reviews than Mallrats?! (A comparison.)
Mallrats is the story of Brodie and T.S., two pretty much average twenty-somethings who have somehow managed to get themselves dumped by the women they love, and how they find slight comfort, and eventual resolution, in the mall. The storyline is hilarious, and with wit and intelligence throughout, it is completely tolerable to even the most adamant anti-silliness movie-goer. Their mishaps in love and in the mall may not be all that realistic, but if you take just a moment to think about it, you'll realize that they're not really SUPPOSED to be.. it's just supposed to be funny. (However, in Chasing Amy, everything is supposed to be realistic, and although there is humor, the storyline is to be taken seriously. You'll have a pretty hard time relating to the promiscuous, carefree lead in Chasing Amy, but it probably won't be that hard to picture yourself getting dumped and loafing around at the mall later that day, as in Mallrats.) Continue watching Mallrats and you'll be dealt the cards of wonderful perfomances from Shannen Doherty and Ben Affleck, hilarious comebacks, awesome quotes, a rapidly moving storyline, and awesome work from Jay and Silent Bob in aiding T.S. and Brodie's plea for their ex-girlfriends to be their girlfriends again. Don't forget random insertion of various actors from Kevin Smith's "family" at View Askew. This movie is hilarious, hilarious, hilarious, and it comes highly recommended. Kevin Smith actually did what he's good at very well here, as opposed to the next film in the series, which was a huge and utter disappointment.
88 Best of Kevin Smith.
I think Mallrats is the best movie Kevin Smith has made.It is so old school Jay and Silent Bob.It has a lot of actors in it that don't get enough respect.Jason Lee is so funny,he's like awsome and funny thats why he's my favorite actor.Jeremy London isn't in like anything,his brother Jason London is in Out Cold and other TV shows.Michael Rooker isn't in much but is in more than Jeremy London.
I like Mallrats because it is about comics.(not only because it is funny)If you like comedy,Foul language,and comics see Mallrats.
89 They're not there to shop. They're not there to work.
They're Mallrats! Mallrats is a seriously funny movie that will make you laugh your a-- off but of, to date, Clerks, Chasing Amy, Dogma and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back Mallrats has got to be the most...well, bad Smith film. Its not that its just totally bad and you shouldn't give it the 1 hr and 36 mins to watch even the video version, but compared to Smith's other films Mallrats is the one that seems so out of place. Perhaps that is because this was only his second movie, but Clerks was his first and it is by far better than Mallrats. Mallrats, I believe, was Smith's first shot at a slap stick comdey, unlike any other film he wrote or directed besides Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back which came years after Mallrats. The movie starts out as friends Brodie and T.S. both get dumped by their girlfriends on the same day, but for different reasons. Brodie because he's a comic book reading, no job having, sega obessed loser who slips his girlfriend in his bedroom window at night and makes her get up and leave in the morning so his mom, who he lives with at over 25 something years of age, won't know she was there...'cause he hasn't told his mom about his girlfriend!!! T.S. is a bit better, but not by much. Under some kind of freak circumstances he indirectly caused the star of his girlfriends father's love connection like TV show not to appear on the show anymore...causing his girlfriend to have to take the girls place when they had plans to go on vacation, where T.S. was planning on proposing. Both down and out after being dumped by both their girlfriends, Brodie and T.S. they decide to go to the mall where after walking around and getting into several funny situations already Brodie and T.S. decide their going to get their girlfriends back, and you'll laugh your a-- off as you watch them try. If you are a Kevin Smith fan and haven't seen this film, then its a must. But if you have no idea who Kevin Smith is you shouldn't watch this video before, say...Chasing Amy, or even Clerks, 'cause Mallrats just might make you not want to watch the other Smith films and that just would be bad for you 'cause you'd be missing out on four other great films.
90 Another Brilliant Kevin Smith Movie !!! - A**
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This film is one of my fav's.
This is the second in a series of Kevin Smith films (1st "Clerks" - 2nd "Mallrats" - 3rd "Chasing Amy" - 4th "Dogma" - 5th "Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back" and hopefully many many more....).Funny storyline & great acting from Jason Lee,Jeremy London, Shannen Doherty, Joey Lauren Adams & last of all the comedy pair Jason Mewes & Kevin Smith as Jay & Silent Bob - got romance & action, there's a little bit for everyone.Got some great characters like "Jay & Silent Bob" who star in all the Kevin Smith films.
This film definitely get my 2 thumbs up (A**).
I've only got the british version that hasn't got all the extras - so I'd definitely get this version with Deleted scenes, Making of & much more.
If you haven't got this film & are looking for a film that will make your head explode with laughter this is the film for you..
I also recommend ALL the other Kevin Smith films .His one hell of a director/actor.
91 "Would you like a chocolate covered pretzel?"
Critics panned Mallrats as Kevin Smith's sophmore slump after his surprise critical hit Clerks, but while Mallrats may not be Kevin Smith's finest effort, its still hilarious. Jason Lee plays comic book nut and Sega NHL freak Brodie Bruce, and Jeremy London plays his pal T.S. Both get dumped by their girlfriends (Shannen Doherty and Claire Forlani respectively), so both decide to go to the mall to get their minds off of being dumped. While there they meet up with good 'ol Jay & Silent Bob, and wind up seeing their exes in the mall as well. What follows is a plan for both of them to get they're girls back, and funny hijinks. While Mallrats doesn't offer an underlying theme like Clerks and Chasing Amy did, it does have blasts of Smith's irreverant comedy, which makes Mallrats a great movie, but certainly not Smith's best. The cast also includes Ben Affleck (before he hit it big), Joey Lauren Adams, Michael Rooker, and Marvel Comics icon Stan Lee.
92 "Would you like a chocolate covered pretzel?"
Critics panned Mallrats as Kevin Smith's sophmore slump after his surprise critical hit Clerks, but while Mallrats may not be Kevin Smith's finest effort, its still hilarious. Jason Lee plays comic book nut and Sega NHL freak Brodie Bruce, and Jeremy London plays his pal T.S. Both get dumped by their girlfriends (Shannen Doherty and Claire Forlani respectively), so both decide to go to the mall to get their minds off of being dumped. While there they meet up with good 'ol Jay & Silent Bob, and wind up seeing their exes in the mall as well. What follows is a plan for both of them to get they're girls back, and funny hijinks. While Mallrats doesn't offer an underlying theme like Clerks and Chasing Amy did, it does have blasts of Smith's irreverant comedy, which makes Mallrats a great movie, but certainly not Smith's best. The cast also includes Ben Affleck (before he hit it big), Joey Lauren Adams, Michael Rooker, and Marvel Comics icon Stan Lee.
93 "Would you like a chocolate covered pretzel?"
Critics panned Mallrats as Kevin Smith's sophmore slump after his surprise critical hit Clerks, but while Mallrats may not be Kevin Smith's finest effort, its still hilarious. Jason Lee plays comic book nut and Sega NHL freak Brodie Bruce, and Jeremy London plays his pal T.S. Both get dumped by their girlfriends (Shannen Doherty and Claire Forlani respectively), so both decide to go to the mall to get their minds off of being dumped. While there they meet up with good 'ol Jay & Silent Bob, and wind up seeing their exes in the mall as well. What follows is a plan for both of them to get they're girls back, and funny hijinks. While Mallrats doesn't offer an underlying theme like Clerks and Chasing Amy did, it does have blasts of Smith's irreverant comedy, which makes Mallrats a great movie, but certainly not Smith's best. The cast also includes Ben Affleck (before he hit it big), Joey Lauren Adams, Michael Rooker, and Marvel Comics icon Stan Lee.
94 It's The Mall You've Gotta Love It!
Mallrats is definetly a Kevin Smith movie. It's got all of Smith's outrageous dialogue as well as Jay and Silent Bob. This movie is a must have for a lover of Smith, especially if you like Jay and Bob. This movie defines the character of Silent Bob for the later Smith movies, and if you want to fully enjoy Jay and Silent Bob strike back you must see this movie. Many of the jokes in JSBSB are from Mallrats. This is definetly a cult classic. If you like comedies you'll love this movie. Don't forget to watch the running jokes and for the jokes Smith makes on himself.
95 Comic Genius for all
You don't have to know Jay and Silent Bob to like this movie, but it helps. A fantastically hilarious performance from skateboarder-turned-actor Jason Lee, who delivers his cynical, sarcastic lines with malicious enthusiasm. As a writer-director, Kevin Smith refuses to let traditional Hollywood stereotypes dictate his dialogues. What it lacks in realism it makes up for ten-fold in poignancy. It's not all about the dope-jokes and comics, folks!!
96 Best Smith movie ever
If you like Kevin Smith's movies, and dont have this one you've got to go get it now! This is the best one in my opinion, and I'm sure you'll probibly think it's funny too.
97 Best Smith movie ever
If you like Kevin Smith's movies, and dont have this one you've got to go get it now! This is the best one in my opinion, and I'm sure you'll probibly think it's funny too.
98 Mallrats, a great movie for the comic lover in all of us.
Mallrats, a great movie with some great cameos as well. A perfect movie for a day when you just want to laugh. I've thoroughly enjoyed this movie each of the times I've seen it. I can especially respect the comic references in this movie. The climax of these references being the extended Stan Lee cameo. Brodie, who you could call the protagonist of the movie, finally gets to meet Stan, his idol, after a day where he could never imagine something so cool as meeting Stan would happen. This is probably my favorite part of the movie. Brodie definitely covers what he thinks are the important questions concerning some of Stan's characters. Example: Mr Fantastic, do his stretch powers go to every part of his body? The movie is chock full of humor. If you can have the stomach for crude humor as well as just plain old stupidness, rent, or even buy Mallrats today. You'll never regret it. And if you really like this one, You'll probably like the rest of director Kevin Smith's movies. In fact, watching Clerks before watching Mallrats helps out as it gives you an introduction to the characters of all of Smith's films. If you really like Kevin Smith, check out some of his comic book work as well. He writes the new Green Arrow series called "Quiver" for DC. Also, you can check out his run of the Marvel comic Daredevil. It is available in paperback form. Enjoy the show.
99 Great DVD, lackluster movie,
Well, when you start following Kevin Smith's movie career and get here, there might be two possibles outcomes.
1. You will lose all respect for mr. Smith
2. You will forgive him and laugh with his worst slapstick, because , after all, a bad Smith movie is better that any regular teen comedy.
This DVD is jam packed, and has very decent anamorphic transfer. The 5.1 sound is neat and the extras are so informational you will get tired at one point.
Just for historical purpose, this was the dvd that started the excelent "Viewaskew DVD trend." Since this edition, every Wieaskew release follows a very similar strcuture in representig each DVD. So, if you are a Hardcore fan, buy it now....if not...rent first....
100 Aging like a fine cheese
It's funny... back when Mallrats was first released, pretty much EVERYONE hated it. Not just critics, but Clerks fans as well. It was disappointing, compared to Clerks. It seemed less witty, perhaps a little overblown. It wasn't Clerks 2. But as time went on, I think most of us came to understand that it wasn't SUPPOSED to be Clerks 2. It was supposed to be a farcical slapstick comedy. Viewed as such, it rocks. Well, usually... a couple of the jokes just plain don't work. And I suppose that goes for a couple of the performances, too.
