Dilorenzo
09-06-2005, 09:17 PM
Mallrats (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113749/)
Time for the second of Dilo's slightly rambeling "I just watched this (again, in this case) so now I'm gonna review it" reviews.
Where to start with this film? Admittedly, not one of Kevin Smiths best efforts, it's not one of his worst either, by a long shot. Filled with pop culture refrences and slapstick gags, it was panned by critics when it first came out, mostly, I believe, because it didn't live up to the quietly funny intelligence found in Clerks. It may not have so much of the "quietly funny," but it does have the funny.
Having watched the film again for the umpteenth time, I notice one thing in particular- the first 10 minutes or so, the setup to the film (or gag, if you will), are stunted. It skips from setup to setup, character introduction to character introduction, as though it just wants to get them out of the way.
But, once it's through that introductory phase, the story begins to flourish. Yes, at it's core it's just about two layabouts with no real future - or even present - trying their best to get their exes back, but it's dealt with in a funny way, spewing out the best fitting refrence to movie/comic book for the time.
The characters are, for the most part, well rounded, and all add something to the story. Some characters only have a small part to add- such as the easter bunny- but they're only there primarily to make you laugh.
The real joy of this film though, to those that actually like it, will be the catchphrases you can take away from it. As with Clerks (37??), Smith seems to have an uncanny knack for coming up with phrases you can take away from a film, and enjoy batting back and forth between friends. The only thing missing from this is the insight that is present in some of his other films, insight into people, and, sometimes, society in general- but this, at the end of the day, is one big gag.
Surmise: This is a harmless, enjoyable film, which, while not for the whole family, will go down well with the disaffected youth or those that just like the funny. Just don't watch it in the back of a Volkswagon.
3.5/5
Time for the second of Dilo's slightly rambeling "I just watched this (again, in this case) so now I'm gonna review it" reviews.
Where to start with this film? Admittedly, not one of Kevin Smiths best efforts, it's not one of his worst either, by a long shot. Filled with pop culture refrences and slapstick gags, it was panned by critics when it first came out, mostly, I believe, because it didn't live up to the quietly funny intelligence found in Clerks. It may not have so much of the "quietly funny," but it does have the funny.
Having watched the film again for the umpteenth time, I notice one thing in particular- the first 10 minutes or so, the setup to the film (or gag, if you will), are stunted. It skips from setup to setup, character introduction to character introduction, as though it just wants to get them out of the way.
But, once it's through that introductory phase, the story begins to flourish. Yes, at it's core it's just about two layabouts with no real future - or even present - trying their best to get their exes back, but it's dealt with in a funny way, spewing out the best fitting refrence to movie/comic book for the time.
The characters are, for the most part, well rounded, and all add something to the story. Some characters only have a small part to add- such as the easter bunny- but they're only there primarily to make you laugh.
The real joy of this film though, to those that actually like it, will be the catchphrases you can take away from it. As with Clerks (37??), Smith seems to have an uncanny knack for coming up with phrases you can take away from a film, and enjoy batting back and forth between friends. The only thing missing from this is the insight that is present in some of his other films, insight into people, and, sometimes, society in general- but this, at the end of the day, is one big gag.
Surmise: This is a harmless, enjoyable film, which, while not for the whole family, will go down well with the disaffected youth or those that just like the funny. Just don't watch it in the back of a Volkswagon.
3.5/5