Paul Blart: Mall Cop

Mall security officers are the unsung heroes of America's favorite pillars of commerce, from the escalators to the stores themselves. It's a wonder that the mall cop has never had an official cinematic patron saint. Enter Paul Blart.

Blart, played by Kevin James, aims to be the Michael Jordan of mall cops. He takes his job at the West Orange Pavilion Mall uber-seriously, and he's easily the most devout guy on the force. However, his hypoglycemia makes him more like the Bill Buckner of the team, as he's constantly passing out from low sugar intake at all the wrong times. It's a clever spin on the bumbling hero, and James pulls it off with much success.

Paul Blart's goal is to "Detect, Deter, Observe, and Report" all semi-criminal activity that transpires in his mall. He's a 10-year veteran, mainly because hypoglycemia—his "cross to bear"—prevents him from joining the state police force. He's happy in his position, though, and he lives with his doting daughter, Maya (Raini Rodriguez), and his surprisingly web-savvy senior citizen mother (Shirley Knight). However, he's lonely. Despite having a Perfectmatch.com account with which to pursue romantic endeavors, he begins doting upon wig stand employee Amy, an endearing Jayma Mays.

On one fateful Black Friday, Blart finally gets the action he's so desperately been seeking at the mall. A gang of BMX-riding crooks overtakes the establishment in an attempt to rob it blind, and Amy is one of the hostages. Now Blart has his chance to step it up and save his beloved, and he does so uproariously.

Once the bad guys take over, the movie does Die Hard PG-style. James takes out one criminal by falling out of a vent on top of him, and in another, he utilizes the Rainforest Café as camouflage like Schwarzenegger in Predator. James does a fantastic job of combining action movie schlock and bumbling physical comedy. His performance channels Chris Farley and John Belushi, but James adds his own flare. Plus, his cop 'stache is priceless.

The supporting cast buttresses the humor in true Happy Madison fashion. Allen Covert takes a hilarious turn as a security dispatcher that could care less about his station. Adam Ferrara's Sergeant Howard holds down the police blockade outside of the mall once the heist goes down, and Stephen Rannazzi's sniveling pen salesman Stuart goes toe-to-toe with Blart in some hyper-charged exchanges competing for Amy's affection.

Paul Blart definitely targets a younger audience, but it's no doubt a blast for the whole family. Everyone will be able to detect, deter, observe, report, and laugh together at this hilarious all-ages comedy.

—Rick Florino
01.15.08