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Mallrats (1995)

★★★ — Mallrats (1995)

Kevin Smith followed up his breakthrough debut Clerks (1994), made for roughly $27,000, with this considerably more expensive studio-backed comedy, shot on a budget of $6 million at the Eden Prairie Center mall in Minnesota. The jump in resources came with a jump in expectations, and Mallrats was a notable box office disappointment on release, taking in just over $2 million against its budget before gradually finding a second life on home video. It marked Jason Lee's first significant film role, and Shannen Doherty's involvement came during a period when her off-screen reputation was generating as much press as her work. Smith kept the film within his View Askewniverse, the shared fictional world he had established with Clerks, cementing a loyal cult following even as mainstream critics were largely unkind.

Mallrats is one of those Kevin Smith films that hits differently depending on your age. As a teen, I absolutely loved it, full of sarcastic quips, comic book references, and that slacker charm that made View Askewniverse feel like a secret club for misfit nerds. Revisiting it as an adult? It’s… alright. The energy’s still there, Jason Lee as Brodie is genuinely funny in his angry, heartbroken desperation, and the whole “trial by gameshow” climax has a ridiculous sincerity that kind of wins you over. It’s very much a product of mid-90s Gen X mall culture: aimless, self-aware, packed with long conversations about nothing, and powered entirely by pop culture obsession. There are moments that still land but let’s be honest, it drags, the humour hasn’t all aged well, and the plot is basically just an excuse to move characters from store to store. What felt deep at 17 now feels juvenile or overly contrived. It’s not bad, just limited. It doesn’t have the heart of Clerks, but it’s got its own goofy rhythm. Nostalgic fun for fans, mildly entertaining for everyone else. A time capsule of 90s slacker comedy that’s more charming than essential.

Rating: ★★★ | Year: 1995 | Watched: 2025-09-19

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Where to watch (UK)

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Buy: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Google Play Movies
Physical: Amazon UK

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