Mallrats (1995)

Both dumped by their girlfriends, two best friends seek refuge in the local mall.

Director:

Kevin Smith

Writer:

Kevin Smith

Stars:

Shannen Doherty, Jeremy London, Jason Lee

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Shannen Doherty	...	Rene
Jeremy London	...	TS Quint
Jason Lee	...	Brodie
Claire Forlani	...	Brandi
Ben Affleck	...	Shannon
Joey Lauren Adams	...	Gwen
Renée Humphrey	...	Tricia (as Renee Humphrey)
Jason Mewes	...	Jay
Ethan Suplee	...	Willam
Stan Lee	...	Stan Lee
Priscilla Barnes	...	Ivannah
Michael Rooker	...	Svenning
Carol Banker	...	Security Guard
Steven Blackwell	...	Arresting Cop #2
Kyle Boe	...	Pull Toy Kid

Storyline

Brodie Bruce, a Sega and comic book obsessed college student, and his best friend, TS Quint, are both dumped by their girlfriends on the same day, and to deal with their loss, they both go to the local mall. Along the way, they meet up with some friends, including Willam, a guy who stares at Magic Eye pictures, desprately trying to see the hidden image; Gwen, one of TS's ex-girlfriends; and Jay & Silent Bob, of Clerks fame. Eventually, they decide to try and win back their significant others, and take care of their respective nemesises (TS's girlfriend's father, and a store clerk who hates the two for not having any shopping agenda).

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Plot Keywords:

mall | jay and silent bob | mini dress | blonde | white panties | 

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Taglines:

It's mall or nothing

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong language, including sexual dialogue, and for some scenes of sexuality and drug content

Did You Know?

Trivia

The scene where backstage before the game show ran by Jared Svenning starts, Roddy yelled at T.S. and Brodie quoting "You called down the thunder, now you got it"! That's the same line that was quoted by Wyatt Earp in Tombstone (1993). Kurt Russell played Wyatt Earp along side Michael Rooker, who played Sherman McMasters. Rooker's character was present when Russell quoted this line. The whole line is "All right, Clanton... you called down the thunder, well now you've got it! You see that? It says United States Marshal! Take a good look at him, Ike... 'cause that's how you're gonna end up! The Cowboys are finished, you understand? I see a red sash, I kill the man wearin' it! So run, you cur... RUN! Tell all the other curs the law's comin. You tell 'em I'M coming... and Hell's coming with me, you hear?... Hell's coming with me!"

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Goofs

In the "Truth or Date" game show, Suitor #3 is introduced as a student at Rutgers majoring in Greek Mythology. There is no such major; he could major in the Classics and that would include studying Greek Mythology, as well as several similar classes. Rutgers offers a major in the Arts and Sciences but not specifically the Classics.

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Quotes

Brodie: You fuckers think just because a guy reads comics he can't start some shit?

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Crazy Credits

Casting Rat...Dee Dee Wehle (as Deedee Wehle)

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Alternate Versions

DVD Collector Edition includes almost an hour of outtake footage, including an entirely different opening setup for the movie where T.S. meets Brandi over a rooftop while her father is hosting a luncheon for the governor of New Jersey, hoping to get funds for his public access cable programs. T.S. is mistaken by the bodyguards for a sniper and the governor is hospitalized in the ensuing mayhem.

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Connections

Referenced in Cinematic Excrement: Ready to Rumble (2017)

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Soundtracks

Boogie Shoes
Written by Harry Wayne Casey (as Harry W. Casey), Richard Finch
Performed by KC & The Sunshine Band
Courtesy of Rhino Records
By arrangment with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

Best watched with eyes closed?

As most Smith fanboys know, Mallrats has been trashed critically, financially (bad box-office) and by a lot of Smith's own fan-base.

Personally I like it. Even without watching the DVD with commentary by Smith its obvious that this outing was backed by Hollywood, emitting a polish and lack of gloom that his other films don't have and thus gaining flack over its lack of "Indie" look and feel and hammy storyline. Had this film been in black in white, shot using a cheaper production method, or had a less happier ending, it possibly would have fared better with the fans than it did.

Listen to the dialogue though and its soon apparent this is indeed pure Smith. And it shines. The long diatribes about seemingly nothing, the anti-establishment rumblings of Brody (who ironically spends a lot of the film clarifying escalator ettiquite and other mall law), and a bigger involvement of Jay and Bob (but not too much) make this as good, if not better than the other Kevin Smith films and quite possibly my favourite of his.

Its hard to rate this film, you'll either really like it and give it a 10 or tuck into another chocolate pretzel after giving it a 1.

Details

Official Sites:

View Askew's "Mallrats" page

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 October 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mallrats

Filming Locations:

Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$8,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$1,153,838, 22 October 1995

Gross USA:

$2,122,561

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,122,561

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gramercy Pictures (I), Alphaville Films, View Askew Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min 123 min (extended)

Sound Mix:

DTS-Stereo DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1