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Dir. Steve Carr, 2009, US, 87 mins
Cast: Kevin James, Keir O'Donnell, Jayma Mays, Shirley Knight
Review by Michelle Moore
When it comes to the law, there have been many police comedies over recent years: from Naked Gun and Police Academy to Big Momma's House and Miss Congeniality. Paul Blart: Mall Cop is the latest to hit the big screen.
It is based on a loving, caring, goofy and overweight character, Paul Blart (James), a wannabe police officer that due to his hypoglycaemia is unable to make the force, leaving him as a security guard at the local mall. Living with his mother and daughter (his wife only married him for a visa) he has never really had time for the ladies, until that is he meets kiosk owner, Amy (Mays). Apart from her, everyone looks down on Blart, until the mall comes under attack from bank robbers and Blart takes it upon himself to save the day.
There are two focal points to this film. First there is Blart's growing relationship with Amy and second his attempts at proving himself capable and responsible for saving the mall, stopping the bad guys and rescuing the hostages. With the first there is a little romance, which never really kicks off, so nothing there that a young child could get confused about. The majority of the comedy comes from the robbery, which makes for a few jolts and some shocks, while Blart's methods of concealing himself from the robbers and his ways of overpowering them are ridiculously amusing. Police comedies or in this case a security cop comedy are almost by definition jammed with the sort of obvious slapstick humour, which still makes you laugh out loud. This is no exception.
Originally a stand-up comedian, James made his first co-starring appearance alongside Will Smith in Hitch and later joined Adam Sandler in I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry . With Paul Blart: Mall Cop , James has taken on a larger role as co-writer and co-producer, as well as taking the starring role. Sandler is credited as one of the film's producers, yet even with these two very funny comedians on board, it lacks the sort of humour that will satisfy an adult appetite. It is though great as an appetiser or child's meal. Just enough tickles for a tiddler!
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