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8/12/2022

Mallrats (1995) - Revisit the unworried '90s in Smith's 2nd

♥♥

 

A comic book-styled poster for Kevin Smith's Mallrats

We follow a pair of dudes who hang out at the mall, while both of them attempt to avoid losing their girlfriends.

 

Mallrats is written and directed by Kevin Smith (Clerks (1994)). It is the second film in Smith's View Askewniverse fictional universe, after Clerks, with a plot that takes place a day before the one in Clerks.

It is a study in the 1990s perception that history had ended, and that the time of great narratives had past. How so? Mallrats wallows in irony and sarcasm, snide remarks and shamelessly pubic 'dude sexism'. The girls show breasts and/or are sex objects. The need for real narrative, themes or meanings are intentionally left blank.

Shannen Doherty (Charmed (1998-01)) is best in the cast, and the Keystone Kops-like subplot about Jay and Silent Bob and La Rouge the mall security guard is not without its charm.

High art or just a good movie Mallrats isn't, but it is youthfully exuberant, has its share of good lines (often in dialog about next to nothing), and is an entertaining ode to the American mall in a way.


Related posts:
 


Kevin SmithTusk (2014) - Smith goes all-out wack
2011 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III] 
2011 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2011 in films - according to Film Excess

Red State (2011) or, End of Days II 
Cop Out (2010) or, A Couple of Dicks   

Chasing Amy (1997) or, How to Lay the Hot Lesbian 

 


 

Watch a trailer for the movie here

 

Cost: 6.1 mil. $

Box office: 2.1 mil. $ (North America only)

= Mega-flop (projected return of 0.40 times the cost)

[Mallrats was released 20 October (North America) and runs 94 minutes. Shooting took place from March - April 1995 in California, including in Los Angeles, New Jersey and in Minnesota, including in Minneapolis. The film opened #13 to a 1.1 mil. $ first weekend in North America, declining from there for a 2.1 mil. $ final domestic gross. It was only released in a handful of other markets for a projected 2.5 mil. $ final gross. Roger Ebert gave it a 1.5/4 star review, translating to 2 notches under this one. Smith returned with Chasing Amy (1997). Mallrats is rotten at 57 % with a 5.60/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]


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