As raunchy and decadent that "Clerks" was coming out the prior year, at least I thought it was pretty funny. Coming from the same creative mind and direction of Kevin Smith, I expected "Mallrats" to be on a par but it failed to deliver. There were some humorous moments of course, and unless I'm mistaken, some of the language might have been toned down from the earlier flick, but there didn't seem to be enough to redeem this picture as one to recommend as a follow up to "Clerks". My understanding is that chronologically, this picture occurs the day before the events in "Clerks", but that's neither here nor there and of no consequence to my mind. The picture's most salient moment is when Stan Lee has his heart to heart chat with Brodie (Jason Lee), but after that it's pretty much down hill. The game show segment in particular was just terrible, it looked like it belonged in an entirely different picture. Still, it was cool to see Jay and Silent Bob once again, and Jason Lee has the right looks and temperament for the kind of character he portrayed. But if faced with a decision to make, you probably should just watch "Clerks" again.

Smith does have an ear for good dialogue (i.e his first movie Clerks), and when the stars align can make good movies (Chasing Amy). But by the time "Mallrats" came out, this particular style became tiresome. It was like a decently budget movie was made out of material only he and his friends thought was funny. I don't blame the guy for making it (as difficult as it is to get a movie made), but this feels like it was all the jokes not good enough to make it in "Clerks". Like that album a label puts out after the singer is dead. Just tracks that were laying around the studio.

There's something so singular and relatable about Kevin Smith's movies. Even when they feature ridiculous plots and unrealistic characters, I always find something about them grounded. That likely has to do with the fact that I share many of the same interests as Smith, with the biggest being, comic-books.Mallrats is about a group of college students who lounge around their local mall because they have nothing better to do. More specifically, Mallrats deals with two guys who have recently been broken up with, and devise a brilliant (or not so brilliant) plan to win them back. The chaos that ensues at the mall falls nothing short of being good ole screwball fun.That's part of the reason why Kevin Smith succeeds with Mallrats so well, he's not making this for critics, he makes his movies for his friends and the fans. Not that critics wouldn't enjoy such irreverent fun, but the lack of sophistication in the way the characters act in Mallrats isn't something you see in most Hollywood films. Visiting a topless fortune teller, beating up the mall Easter Bunny, elevator sex, or listening to Stan Lee fake monologue about his past are only a few of the things that go on. You either like Smith's style or you don't, I just happen to be one of those people who do.Mallrats only works if the writing and the characters are as memorable as they are. Watching a comedy 20 years after its release provides ample time for reevaluation if the bits are still funny, and if they are you know that it's a good piece of cinema. Although the stuff inside the mall may be dated, the jokes certainly are not. At least for me, that is. In all, Smith created another beloved gem with Mallrats, albeit with a slightly goofy sense of humor.8.1/10

Mallrats If it weren't for shopping malls teenagers would be forced to spend their weekends playing organized sports.Even the twenty-something year olds would be distraught without the mall, as this comedy illustrates.To console his friend T.S. (Jeremy London) after his break-up with Brandi (Claire Forlani), Brodie (Jason Lee) takes him to the local mall to hangout.While networking with the other unmotivated shoppers (Ethan Suplee, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith), the boys learn of a dating game being staged in the mall that will feature Brandi.Seeing this as an opportunity to win her back, T.S. enters as a would-be suitor.Renowned for its outlandish characters and comic book laden content way before it was commonplace, Mallrats' puerile and goofy storyline still stands as one of writer/director Kevin Smith's greatest achievement in slacker humour.Surprisingly, however, it's now the stay-at-home moms that are loitering in the food court all day.Green Lightvidiotreviews.blogspot.ca