Paul Blart – Mall Cop Family Movie Review
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Movie Mama Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Recommended For: Middle school age and above
Starring: Kevin James, Jayma Mays, Keir O'Donnell, Shirley Knight, Stephen Rannazzisi
Directed By: Steve Carr
Running Time: 1 hr. 31 min.
MPAA Rating: PG for some violence, mild crude and suggestive humor, and language.
Genre: Comedy / Family / Crime
As a suburban single dad, Paul Blart's (Kevin James) dream is to become a New Jersey cop. He certainly has the ability to be overweight, but each time, hypoglycemia prevails him from passing the test. So a mall security guard he must remain, taking his job as seriously as if he were protecting the president of the United States. But when a group of criminals posing as mall employees take over the mall, Blart proves to everyone what a great cop he truly is.
Paul Blart: Mall Cop is a far cry from an award-winning film, but a comedy the whole family can see together is a winner, no matter what. You will not come out of the theater with a moral lesson learned, but you will not have to cover your child's eyes or ears either. This is enough for me to give this 2-star film an extra star. Yes, it's slow in spots, it's slapstick and silly, and most of the players are less than sub-par, but if you're willing to suspend reality for 90 minutes, and you've got a third grade sense of humor to tap into, it's also really entertaining, funny and heartwarming.
PROS
In everyday life, Paul Blart does not take many risks. But when push comes to shove, he reaches inside himself and finds the courage to save those he cares about. There are some sublte themes about emotional overeating, the importance of family, and being in control of yourself.
I loved the retro rock soundtrack, which casts an audio spell over the film that suspends Paul in time. He does not own a cell phone, does not have a twitter account or four-wheeled transportation, and he learns pop culture from tweens at the mall while riding on his Segway. Paul may be the only person who takes himself seriously, but therein lies the true message of the film: to succeed in any venture, you must believe in yourself first.
CONS
Be warned that there is a lot of "fat" in this film. You glimpse a chubby lady's back and tummy rolls (including her bra), fat jokes abound, and fat people shove food into their mouths for comfort or contest. Paul, who usually does not drink, gets raving drunk at one point, which is both funny and uncomfortable. There is mild comic violence, a few minor curse words and crude jokes, but they are not too easily noticed. Paul runs over a dog on his Segway, though it is not shown.
OVERALL
For a PG-rated comedy, Paul Blart: Mall Cop delivers the laughs.
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