# Mallrats (1995)

### reviewed by
Jason Overbeck

    MALLRATS
    *** of **** grade is B-

Clerks was a big hit with the critics and film festivals and Smith was entered into cult status. Then Mallrats was released, the second of his Jersey trilogy, and the critics smashed it with a sledge hammer. It managed to generate bad reviews from just about everybody, Smith later even apologized for it at the 1995 Independent Spirit Awards. I found it a larger, yet less succsessful film than Clerks, but funny in its own way.

Quentin Tarantino said that he didn't want people to compair Jackie Brown to Pulp Fiction, it may have helped if Smith had done the same with Mallrats. This film has some very funny moments, a fresh cast and a minimalist setting. Most of the film takes place in a shopping mall, where Mallrats T.S. (Jeremy London) and Brodie (Jason Lee) hang out, and concieve of ways to get their girlfriends back, with the help of Jay and Silent Bob, whom have a bigger role here than Clerks. There are moments of sparks along the way but the refuses to catch fire, even in the hilarious climax on an old fasion Dating Game show, where they screw up T.S. former girlfriend's father and she falls back for him.

This is no doubt the lowpoint of the Jersey Trilogy BUT not a bit as bad as all the critics said. Most of the humor here is visual and grossout, and there are mixed efficent and absurdly dumb scenes of characters set up for just a single joke. Overall a mixed feeling from me, and overall a very slight recomendation if you liked Clerks or Chasing Amy.

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