Guilty Pleasures – Mallrats (1995)

Kevin Smith has always been a great influence on me. I can pinpoint the exact moment I became a fan. It wasn’t at critically acclaimed films such as Clerks, or Chasing Amy – it definitely wasn’t at his red-headed stepchildren Jersey Girl or Cop Out. It was at his big budget follow-up to Clerks, which didn’t do as well, but has a major cult following – Mallrats.

That was my introduction into his world. His universe. His ViewAskewniverse. The plot is very simple, two guys hang out at a mall after breaking up with their significant others, and eventually decide to get their women back, with hijinks and stink palming happening over the course of the movie.

The reason why I love it so much? I have no idea. Sure, it’s not as poignant as Clerks, nor does it have the theological meaning of Dogma. It’s just a lot of fun. Sure you can poke holes in it, but that can be said of any film.

Mallrats came to me at a time where I didn’t want to know what I wanted to do with my life. It came to me when I was in my final year at Secondary School, and instantly I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a filmmaker – sure that dream has changed over the years, but the basic jist of it was there. I wanted to work in or around the film industry.

Mallrats was the first film I actively started to show to my friends. Making them come over to my house, and sit them down and make them watch it with me, whether they wanted to or not. I had a girlfriend who worked at the mall, and I eventually started hanging out there, Dixie cup in hand trying to grab freebies.

The thing about Mallrats, is that before Jay and Silent Bob Strikes Back, there was always a deep message to Kevin Smith’s films. They felt personal, and with something underlined. Sure you could pick apart Mallrats and find some kind of meaning, but at the end of the day, it was just a big studio trying to make the most of what ‘fame’ Kevin Smith had after Clerks. It was essentially a big budget Clerks.

Kevin Smith has started to enter the twilight of his filmmaking years. Now finally over the studio system, and making films for himself. Most of them he releases himself and uses his podcasting network in order to promote. It seems like he has a happy life since ‘going into business for himself’.

But Mallrats was the start of it all for me. Whether it was an introduction to his films, or an introduction into the world of filmmaking. And for that reason, Mallrats is definitely my guilty pleasure.

Ricky Diaz

Director: Kevin Smith

Cast: Jason Lee, Jeremy London, Shannen Doherty, Claire Forlani, Joey Lauren Adams, Ben Affleck.