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Shannen Doherty, Jeremy London, Jason Lee, Claire Forlani, Michael Rooker ... see more see more... , Priscilla Barnes , Ben Affleck , Elizabeth Ashley , David Brinkley , Walter Flanagan , Renee Humphrey , Sven Ole Thorsen , Stan Lee , Kevin Smith , Joey Lauren Adams , Jonathan Brodie , Art James , Jason Mewes , Brian O'Halloran , Ethan Suplee , David Klein , Scott Mosier , Jason Scott Lee

Kevin Smith's follow-up to his unexpected hit Clerks details the pointless story of T.S. (Jeremy London) and Brodie (Jason Lee), two suburban New Jersey slackers who decide to head to the mall in sear... read more read more...ch of solace after being dumped by their girlfriends (Shannon Doherty and Claire Forlani, respectively). There the two young men machinate to appear on a game show being staged and also manage to meet comic-book magnate Stan Lee. However, complications arise when the girls show up. ~ Jeremy Beday, Rovi

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83% liked it

198,772 ratings

Critics

54% liked it

41 critics

R, 1 hr. 35 min.

Directed by: Kevin Smith

Release Date: October 20, 1995

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DVD Release Date: July 18, 2000

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Stats: 11,860 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (11,860)

  • fb1672039553
    January 10, 2012
    fb1672039553
    17 years ago I was around 10 years old, magic eyes were in every daily newspaper comics section, vhs tapes were all we knew, the Sega Genesis was the racy video game machine, and punk rock was beginning its heyday. There was barely an internet and there was no e-commerce, nor we... read morere there shopping centers like we have now; there were only malls. Malls with arcades, pet stores and comic book stores. Mallrats, from 1995, captures this moment in time. This is a very stupid movie, but Kevin Smith does to "stupid comedy" what Quintin Tarantino does to "violence" -- adds an entertaining, signature style and atmosphere (and off-plot dialogue of random observations). They are both confident in their unorthodox approaches, doing things no other filmmakers have the guts to try or sense to pull off (Did I really just do a magic eye image? ..Yes, and that was no sailboat!). This movie knows what it is, bad acting included, and it doesn't care if I don't like it - it was only made for those that would. If I had seen this as an adult 17 years ago, I likely would have thought it banal and given it 2 stars. But seeing it now, well I guess I'm one of the lucky ones!
  • fb1664868775
    November 20, 2011
    fb1664868775
    Though this a brainless, disappointing follow-up to Clerks, it's still enjoyable just to enter back into the world of Kevin Smith.
  • blkbomb
    November 14, 2011
    blkbomb
    Brodie: Listen, not a year goes by, not a year, that I don't hear about some escalator accident involving some bastard kid which could have easily been avoided had some parent - I don't care which one - but some parent conditioned him to fear and respect that escalator. 

    "It's m... read moreall or nothing"

    Okay, so Mallrats isn't Clerks or Chasing Amy; it is still funny and entertaining in ways only a Kevin Smith film can be. Filled with foul language and gross out dialogue; Mallrats is a movie that is pretty much identical to Clerks in concept. The film gives us two friends, who hang out at one location and talk all day. Occasionally something happens, like an elevator fuck, but for the most part it is just an average day in the life of two best friend losers.

    Both T.S. and Brodie have been dumped by their girlfriends on the same morning. After meeting up and learning that the other has had the same misfortune, they decide to go hang out at the mall. There they run into a cast of characters. There's a guy who stares at a picture all day trying to see the 3-D image. There's a 15 year old genius who is writing a book on males sex drive. Stan Lee is having a comic signing in the mall. Brodie's archenemy, Shannon, works in a store there and is making the moves on his now ex-girlfriend. And of course Jay and Silent Bob are there hanging out, doing nothing. 

    This movie doesn't reach the hilariousness of Clerks, but for a second directorial project, it is pretty good. It has the great indie feel that all of Smith's works have. It is packed full of all of the entertainment Smith loves like comic books and Star Wars. In fact, the whole movie Silent Bob is trying to do the Jedi mind trick. 

    Mallrats isn't great, but if you have seen some of Smith's other films and liked them, odds are you will like this one too. If you have seen and disliked movies like Clerks and Chasing Amy, even Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back; I can pretty much guarantee you won't like this one anymore. In fact, you'll probably like it less. 
  • CreedsDelight
    August 15, 2011
    CreedsDelight
    Brodie: Breakfasts come and go, Rene, but Hartford, 'the Whale,' they only beat Vancouver once, maybe twice in a lifetime.

    Here is the perfect example of a totally underrated film from legendary writer/director Kevin Smith. I'll admit it, I hated it the first viewing, but I thou... read moreght to myself "It's Smith, it can't be terrible." So I watched it again and you know what? I loved it. Mallrats is one of those films that gets funnier and funnier after each viewing. The biggest problem in this film are the first fifteen minutes, which were boring and unnecessary. Otherwise, I laughed a lot during this film, and it's one of my favorites ever made, and how could you not love Jay and Silent Bob? It's no Clerks, but it is certainly something great. Seriously, it is one of my favorite films, one of the best. Watch the 60 minute deleted scenes, they are great and add a little side-story. The commentary is great too. I'm just ranting on everything that is great, and I love it, because it's fun writing reviews for perfect films. Snoochie Boochies! Highly recommended.
  • middleeasternfilms
    August 6, 2011
    middleeasternfilms
    Kevin Smith's indie flick about two friends who head to the mall after being dumped by their girlfriends. Their, they slide their way onto a dating gameshow run by T.S.'s ex-girlfriend's father. As usual, Jay and Silent Bob are probably the best thing about this film, but Jason L... read moreee is awesome as well.
  • ajv2688
    June 6, 2011
    ajv2688
    I love this movie, it's hilarious and so much fun! It's probably my favourite Kevin Smith film. Anyone who loves hanging out at the mall, like me, will love this movie.
  • fb535316333
    June 1, 2011
    fb535316333
    A silly romedy that caters to comicbook geeks. If it weren't for Smith's particular brand of style/humor I'm not sure if I could have sit through this bizarrely formulaic and ultimately unimaginative love story.

    It's entertaining with it's laughs but with little substance to han... read moreg it on I just can't recommend this film to anyone in confidence.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    May 24, 2011
    TheDudeLebowski65
    Kevin Smith's second directorial offering is a less accomplished film than the impressive Clerks. However the film does manage to have a few good laughs despite the amateur script writing. It's clear that Mallrats is an effort from an up and coming director, and it does manage to... read more have comical moments, and be lots of fun. But it's clear that Kevin Smithis still trying to work his formula at crafting a truly unique comedy. His efforts would pay off in later works such as Dogma and Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back. Mallrats has a simple, but effective story. Like many of Smith's works, the film is clad with insane dialogue and slapslict humour. Mallrats is a fun comedy, not perfect but definitely not bad whatsoever. Theres room for improvement, and I think Smith realized that as well, and he would craft better films as he progressed. But it's all part of starting to direct, right? Mallrats is a good sophomore effort, and manages to make you laugh. The film is interesting to watch because it shows how Smith has evolved over the years and today he has some of the most memorable comedies under his belt (Dogma, Zack &Miri make a porno and Clerks II) all terrific films. Mallrats is a funny and pretty plotless film that is is one of Smith's overlooked films. A fun film that has plenty of laughs. Smith manages to make a plotless film interesting with it's unique characters and humour.
  • FrizzDrop
    November 23, 2010
    FrizzDrop
    Kevin Smith is the nitty gritty of our society, a director with a knack for the frat boy mentality and the grunge movement. He's made some gems we can all be proud of, but his best work was in this film, centering around mall trollers and the mischief they achieve.
  • DragonEyeMorrison
    March 4, 2010
    DragonEyeMorrison
    Another Kevin Smith movie with a boring lead actor, but that is saved, once more, by Jason Lee. My days wasting time in malls probably help here to make this a bit more likeable. The jokes are flat, and just feel like rehashed material from some 90s sitcom. Overall, yeah, not a c... read moreomplete trainwreck, but nothing to remember.

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Critic Reviews

Janet Maslin
May 20, 2003
Janet Maslin, New York Times

Mallrats mixes clever bits and an appealing quirkiness (which goes a long way) with gross-out practical jokes, needless repetition and obvious padding, since it has no real plot. Full Review

Peter Stack
June 18, 2002
Peter Stack, San Francisco Chronicle

The movie has a few amusing '70s references and there's a wonderfully weird sequence featuring a topless fortune-teller. Overall, though, moviegoers can find much better deals. Full Review

Kenneth Turan
February 13, 2001
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

If the Sundance Institute or the AFI ever offers a course advising directors of successful first films what to avoid the second time around, Mallrats could be at the heart of the curriculum. Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

The fatal flaw in plotting the material is that we don't care. Full Review

January 1, 2000
USA Today

Smith has slicked up his follow-up vision of Slackerville USA, but the outcome is nowhere near as brash and original.

James Berardinelli
January 1, 2000
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

Despite a broad range of effective comedy and a decent laugh-per-minute ratio, Mallrats is likely to be a moderate disappointment for anyone who guffawed their way through the previous film. Full Review

Hal Hinson
January 1, 2000
Hal Hinson, Washington Post

A disjointed but infectious series of comic vignettes, toilet humor, practical jokes, sight gags, even a sort of grunge variation on Keystone Kops slapstick. Full Review

Desson Thomson
January 1, 2000
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

Between the routines and retorts, there's a lot of narrative dead air -- and far too many new guests. Full Review

Alex Orner
January 1, 2011
Alex Orner, Common Sense Media

Typical Kevin Smith fare; not suitable for kids. Full Review

Rob Gonsalves
September 27, 2007
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com

Almost everyone has lively things to say, the topics usually centering on the Kevin Smith triumvirate of sex, comics, and movies. Full Review

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Facts

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    • Tricia: When are men going to learn that women want romance, not Mr. Toad's Wild Ride?
    • Brodie: Be fair, all right? Everyone wants Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.
    • Brodie: I love the smell of commerce in the morning.
    • T.S. Quint: I'd prefer ritual suicide.
    • Brodie: Breakfasts come and go, Rene, but Hartford, 'the Whale,' they only beat Vancouver once, maybe twice in a lifetime.
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Mallrats Trivia

  • What movie is this tagline from? They're not there to shop. - They're not there to work. - They're just there.  Answer »
  • What actor plays the character of Silent Bob in Mallrats, Clerks etc..?  Answer »
  • What sport was actor Jason Lee (Mallrats, Chasing Amy, My Name is Earl)known for before he started acting?  Answer »
  • Who plays Rene in Mallrats?  Answer »
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