Friday, August 19, 2011

Mallrats





Starring: Jason lee, Shannen Doherty, Jeremy London, Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith
Written by: Kevin Smith 
Director: Kevin Smith
Year: 
1995

Rating: * * *   Stars       +       (Fan Bonus * )  Total: * * * *


This follow up to his successful indy hit Clerks, Kevin Smith establishes himself as the stoner voice of his generation. 

The story centers around two characters, Brodi (Jason Lee) and T.S. (Jeremy London), both getting dumped by their respective girlfriends spend the day reflecting their lives and shattered romances at the kingdom of small town culture and commerce, the mall.

Jason Lee is hysterical as Brodi, a comic book collecting basement dweller who has no inner monologue. He speaks his mind, and speaks it loudly. In the mall he runs into his arch nemesis, Shannon (Ben Affleck), the manager of the Fashionable Male store. He not only hates Brodi, but is making the moves on Brodi's ex-girlfriend Rene (Shannon Doherty). Rene, having dumped Brodi seeks a more mature and sensitive man like Shannon, unaware that he plans to screw her in an uncomfortable place, and I don't mean the back of a Volkswagen. Ben Affleck is at his douche-baggiest in this role, making him just easy to hate.  T.S. seems the more mature of the two, upset that his plans to propose to his now ex, Brandi, have gone awry. Blaming Brandi's Father for their break-up, T.S. is outraged that the mall is hosting a tv dating show produced by Brandi's Father, with the bachelorette being Brandi herself.

In the mall they encounter all sorts of characters, including Jay & Silent Bob, who run afoul of mall security. Friends like Gwen (Joey Lauren Adams) and Tricia (Renee Humphrey) who help them put their love lives back together. Plus a three-nippled topless fortune teller, a slobbingly couch potato chum determined to see a sailboat appear in a 3D picture, Brandi's Father (Michael Rooker), and the comic book icon himself, Stan Lee. 

And as our slacker heroes get in one wacky situation after another, we can't help but admire their banter and introspective looks on life, love, and mall culture.

Mallrats is one of Kevin Smiths funniest low-budget flicks. A seamless blend of situational comedy and brilliant, organic dialogue give Mallrats that thought-provoking slapstick feel. 



SEE THE TRAILER: Mallrats

1 comment:

  1. While not perfect, Mallrats is a masterpiece. An absolutely enthralling film and a strong entry into the View-Askewniverse. I think the strength of this film is in the characters and the dialogue.

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