Mallrats (1995)

Mallrats (1995)

7/10

Starring

Shannen Doherty

Jeremy London

Jason Lee

Claire Forlani

Kevin Smith

Jason Mewes

Directed Kevin Smith

This is my first time watching Mallrats, and I can see why it’s a cult classic. I enjoyed it so much that I was already looking forward to watching it again over the weekend. I got lucky and watched the original version, not the theatrical cut. I had two hours of fun-filled time with the guys from the View Askewniverse—some I recognized, while others never showed up again in any other movie.

The runaway stars of this movie were Jay and Silent Bob. They had a more prominent role here than in other movies in the universe, excluding Jay and Silent BobStrike Back (2001) and Jay and Silent Bob Reboot (2019), which were centered entirely on them. Everything funny in Mallrats revolved around these two. If something needed to be destroyed, fixed, or if people needed to be moved into the right places (or out of the way), Jay and Silent Bob were the guys to get it done.

Another standout in this movie is Jason Lee. His character, Brodie, is the kind of person you’ll love in any movie because he’s all words with no filter.

The plot revolves around two friends, T.S. and Brodie, who get dumped by their girlfriends around the same time. T.S. is heartbroken and wants to win his girl back, openly showing his emotions. Brodie, on the other hand, is also heartbroken but hides his feelings. Brodie suggests they go to the mall to get over their pain and move on, but that turns out to be easier said than done.

At the mall, they run into their ex-girlfriends and a bunch of other characters. T.S. and Brodie go through some self-realization about what they really want. We also see them try to ruin T.S.’s girlfriend’s dad, who played a big role in the breakup of T.S.’s relationship.

Despite its simple plot, the movie fills the gaps with comedy and moments you wouldn’t believe anyone would put in a ’90s movie, let alone expect people to enjoy. At the time of its release, Mallrats wasn’t a critical or commercial success. But if you watch it now, you’ll appreciate it more. The jokes that might have been considered offensive back then are the same ones I’m laughing at today—and you will too.

Plans for a sequel to this movie are still in the works, with Kevin Smith saying they kicked off in 2020.

If, like me, you’ve delayed watching this movie for one reason or another, I’m telling you to stop wasting time and go see it.