Story
Paul Blart (Kevin James) is a likable security guard at the West Orange Pavilion Mall. He patrols the mall on his Segway scooter, assisting and directing shoppers. He has worked in the mall for 10 years after failing to get into the police force because of his hypoglycaemia. Paul is a single parent, who lives at home with his mother (Shirley Knight) and daughter Maya (Raini Rodriguez).
While patrolling the mall, Paul is attracted to the owner of a small kiosk, a young woman named Amy (Jayma Mays). Their first date turns into a disaster when Paul, unaccustomed to alcohol, becomes drunk. From then on, he is determined to get back into Amy’s good books.
A new trainee security guard, Veck Sims (Keir O’Donnell), arrives. Paul takes Veck under his wing, not realising that he is really a criminal. Armed criminals led by Veck rob the mall and take Amy and Maya hostage. This gives Paul a chance to prove his real worth.
Themes
Crime; hostage-taking
Violence
Many of the frequent violent acts and examples of accidental harm depicted in this film are slapstick. There are occasions when the violence takes on a more intimidating and harmful nature. There is also some behaviour that might be imitated by children. Examples of violence include the following:
Sexual references
There are some sexual references in this movie. For example:
- When Paul approaches Amy (who runs a hair extension shop), he asks her, ‘Do you do men?’ Realising what he has just said, he changes his question to, ‘Do you do hair on men?’
- Two women argue over a bra in a shop. One of the women says that she has to have the bra because she has a date that night. The second woman comments, ‘Is he blind?’
- While drunk, Paul says, ‘Time to pluck the grape from the vine’ in relation to Amy.
- Paul tells Amy that it was weird the previous night (when he was drunk). He asks if he tried to make out with her purse.
- Paul is given a bottle of hot chilli source with the label ‘The Devil’s Crotch’.
- A man says a woman is ‘into leather’.
- Paul gives Amy a birthday card that tells her how he feels about her. The last line says, ‘You make me feel stuffed’.
Alcohol, drugs and other substances
There is some use of substances in this movie. For example:
- People consume mixed drinks in a bar, but no one appears intoxicated.
- Paul states several times throughout the film that he does not drink alcohol. But while at a bar, he mistakenly consumes a pitcher of Margarita and becomes highly intoxicated. Paul loses all inhibitions and gets out of control, embarrassing himself in front of Amy. He harasses several people, crawls across table tops, drinks other people’s drinks, knocks a man off a stage, and finally overbalances and falls through a glass window. His actions jeopardise his chances of forming a relationship with Amy. Later in the film, it is revealed that he has a large tattoo of an eagle covering his entire back, a result of his drunken escapade.
Nudity and sexual activity
There is some nudity and sexual activity in this movie. For example:
- Paul rides his Segway scooter rather suggestively. He looks a bit like a pole-dancer, thrusting and pumping.
- Paul uses security cameras to watch Amy working at her store.
- During Paul’s struggle with a shopper, the back of the woman’s shirt is pulled up to reveal her back and bra strap.
- Women wear revealing clothing.
Product placement
There is some product placement in this movie, including:
- Segway scooters
- mobile phones
- computers
- internet dating services
- food products including nachos, peanut butter, hot chilli sauce and apple pie.
In addition, when Paul tries to fight off the mall robbers, he uses several products from various shops. These products range from a scuba diving tank to a remote control toy robot. Many of the products would appeal to children.
Coarse language
This movie contains some occasional mild coarse language and put-downs.
Ideas to discuss with your children
Paul Blart: Mall Cop is a slapstick comedy that is likely to appeal to children over 10 and adolescents who will be able to identify with the film’s underdog hero. Adults looking for a light-hearted laugh are also likely to enjoy and be entertained by this film.
The main message from this movie is that true courage and heroic action come from a stout heart and a clever mind, rather than a handsome appearance and a body full of muscles.
Values in this movie that you might wish to reinforce with your children include courage, selflessness, forgiveness, compassion and the ability to see the best in people.
You might also wish to discuss the real-life consequences of:
- drinking alcohol
- some of the scooter, bike and skateboard stunts in the film
- hypoglycaemia (as suffered by Paul).