Mall (2014) User Reviews

Stylish and talented, though not fulfilled

[OJT · 5/10 · 15 November 2014]

The first part of this film hooks you on. Stylish and well photographed, and able to keep you interested. But that doesn't go all the way. The film loses it's way due to some very disillusioned and sick people inhabiting the mall.

A disillusioned young man living at home in his mothers trailer goes on a hateful rampage on a mall. At the mall we find several persons doing their everyday thing, as the observant college student Jeff which really is smart, but still wasting his life on the mall, not caring enough not if he should take an Ecstasy pill or not. More shouldn't be told before you watch it.

Because I think it's worth seeing. There are some very talented stuff here, though there are scenes pulling down the great stuff built up in the start. It seems like the story is not sure of what it's supposed to tell. There's also too much use of slow motion, and the young boys narrative voice, when thinking.

This is the first feature film directed by Linkin Park-DJ Joseph Hahn, and his music video past is quite obvious. Some clear talent, but the film should have had more work put into the script. The film isn't at all what you think it is, and that is a main problem.

Salvageable if you're willing to dig through the crap

[xrabid_yaoi_fangirlx · 5/10 · 22 June 2017]

Oh dear lord, this kid and his "observations." At first I thought it was supposed to be funny, but after a while, it just got annoying. He was seriously the most obnoxious character in the movie, so it sucks that he was the lead. The writers really nailed the pretentious, "above it all" high school tool who never goes anywhere without his copy of The Catcher in the Rye and an inflated sense of self-worth. He's so full of wisdom! So deep and enlightened! He's there to put the sheep in their places, since he's the only one who knows what's going on! This is like stoner 2.0, the kind of stuff that these guys think sounds so life-changing, like it's never occurred to anyone else, and their sole duty in life is to redirect the miscreants. I'm still not sure this was supposed to be part of the odd, dark humor that seemed to exist throughout the film. If it wasn't, though, I have to imagine the writers *were* that kid.

I didn't know B.K. Cannon was in this movie! I was excited to see her for her brief cameo, despite the creepiness of the scene. Vincent D'Onofrio was fantastic, of course, and his scenes, as painful and uncomfortable as they were to watch, saved a lot of the movie. I feel like the entire bit with the bored housewife should have been cut. It added nothing to the movie and played out more like a clunky attempt to metaphorically represent a boy growing up and coming into his sexuality. The pacing died, and I found myself doing other things with the movie playing in the background. Honestly, if all of that had been removed, it would have been a much better film. Those scenes really dragged, and they were so jarring whenever they occurred, total change in tone and atmosphere. It's like you're in the middle of a car chase scene, then it cuts really quickly to Antiques Roadshow.

As much as I hated the beginning with the pseudo-intellectual babble, I actually really liked the ending. That saved it a bit. Overall, the film was trying too hard to be artsy and complex, but it did have some interesting moments and some legitimate humor. I give it a resounding "could have been worse."

Why Did I Bother?

[lovefallsempty · 10 February 2020]

To be very honest, I only bought this movie because Cameron Monaghan stars in it. I figured that he played Jerome/Jerimiah well in Gotham, and Ian Gallagher in Shameless. Boy was I mistaken. The start of the movie was a cheap B-grade entry, then as it progressed I felt like the characters were reading their lines off of a script board. Cameron Monaghan wasn't the greatest actor to my disappointment, but he was still better than the rest of the lame characters. I need to be wary of watching movies with cute actors in it, because sometimes they're just crap.

Pointless, Dis'mall' and Annoying too!

[ikeybabe · 3/10 · 28 March 2015]

Giving this film 3 stars was very generous. The only reason I didn't give it 1 is because I have seen movies that were absolutely dismal and, yes, worst than this. "Mall" is absolutely horrendous, though. The kid spouting his whacked out observations is so annoying. And, no wonder, he sounds like a younger version of actor/comedian Eric Bogosian, who wrote the book this movie is based on. (And I actually like Bogosian - just not this movie). The acting is all right, but the story sucks from the start to the very depressing end. There are very few redeeming values in any of the characters - from the cheating wife, to the pervert, to the rowdy teens with dead end futures, and of course, the maniac with the automatic weapons. None of it truly made any sense. The film ended I was left with this question - what's the point?

Visually compelling, but intellectually lacking.

[shaitch · 2/10 · 6 January 2015]

What a shame to see such competent actors like Vincent D'Onofrio, Gina Gershon, and Peter Stormare in this wallowing, meandering thing. Lacking in clear direction, message, quality of writing, acting ability (from most other members of the cast), and filled with pseudo intellectual fluff delivered from a totally unbelievable character. While the attempt to tackle such gritty subject matter was admirable in it's ambition, the execution was severely lacking. Sincerely wish Joe Hahn better luck in his future feature directorial efforts.

The visual effects were interesting, digitally grimy (in a good way), and flowed well with the emotion of the film, but were a bit overdone early on. They felt dumped on you from the start without any context to support them, and unfortunately cliché by the end.

Tarantino WANNABE

[jaxbubba · 1/10 · 23 August 2014]

UGGGHHHhhhhhh!!! If you have never had the experience of sitting through a 90-minute feature film and as the final credits start to roll, you ask yourself, "WTF, over???" Then boy do I have a film for you....

Director / Musician Joe Hahn braved his first Comic-Con when he was 14 years old. Now 37, the Linkin Park beat maker is making his directorial film debut with "Mall", a movie about a horrific shooting at a shopping mall.

Hahn had 18 days to shoot Mall, which focuses on five "disgruntled suburbanites" inside the mall separately, but the narrative is driven by a single person. The movie follows a group of suburbanites who find themselves at a shopping mall in the wake of a random shooting and how their outlooks on life are transformed as a result.

"Mall" is based on Eric Bogosian's 2001 novel of the same name, and it was slightly altered for the big screen by Sam Bisbee, Joe Vinciguerra and Vincent D'Onofrio. The latter two, respectively, also produced and and acted in the film.

Paragon Pictures acquired the North American rights to the film, which comes from a screenplay penned by Vincent D'Onofrio, Joe Vinciguerra and Sam Bisbee, adapted from a 2001 novel from Eric Bogosian. D'Onofrio, best known for his roles in "Full Metal Jacket," "Men in Black," "Ed Wood" and TV's "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," will also star in the thriller along with Gina Gershon, Cameron Monaghan, Peter Stormare and James Frecheville.

"The script needed a main voice to lead you through the film; Jeff (played by Cameron Monaghan) was chosen as the one because of his character arc in his personal growth and realizations about life." There is a quote in the film where Jeff says, 'I am not stuck, I am unstuck.' In that moment, Jeff chooses his own destiny to not take the easy way out like the other characters in the film."

However as the film progresses, it becomes a complete mishmash of ridiculous story lines that may or may not intertwine as the night unfolds. It's almost like "The Breakfast Club" except the five (5) lead characters are as follows: the pervert, the whore, the loser, the killer, and the token black guy. None of whom know each other before the day begins. Throw in four more high school rejects to add mayhem to the story line and "PESTO!"...what you have here is a low-budget Tarantino knockoff-wannabe!!!! And not in a good way either.... Do not waste your time and / or money on this one.

See more of my reviews on Facebook @ www.face book.com/TheFarisReel

Good Ensemble Drama

[MovieHoliks · 7/10 · 26 March 2015]

Based on the novel of the same name by Eric Bogosian, "Mall" centers around a group of strangers, whose only connection is a gun-yielding methhead psychopath (James Frecheville) terrorizing the mall they frequent on this one particular day in question.

I liked this film, mostly for it's good character studies, especially based on the observances of one of it's lead characters- our young philosophical hero, played very well by Cameron Monaghan. And look for a good cast- including (SPOILER a very short time on screen)Mimi Rogers, Peter Stormare, Vincent D'Onofrio (also producer), and a very HAWT Gina Gershon.

Terrible

[Amira-Says · 1/10 · 5 July 2021]

I made it exactly to the 44:41 mark before I couldn't take anymore. The "special effects" in this film are completely out of place and give the movie a D- feel. Special effects are meant to enhance scenes. They aren't meant to be randomly strung about. The endless and extended monologues at the beginning sound like your typical 22 year old that gets high and feels so "enlightened and smart" that they need to give everyone a big speech. This film is beyond pretentious and it shows. They tried to thrown in known actors, but even they can't save this mess.

Not Everyone Can Handle A Challenge

[TheAnimalMother · 7/10 · 19 May 2023]

My title is how I feel about many of the other people who've rated this film on here so far. Currently a 4.9/10 rating? Almost unbelievable, but then I remember how few people are actually able to handle real life challenges in our modern world, or how many hate when their thinking is challenged, even just a little. This film will challenge you, that is if you even dare to think about what the film is saying much at all. Many people today however have conditioned themselves to cower, hide or run from things that challenge their minds. In my view, this is simply far from a healthy choice.

This film is based on a novel by Eric Bogosian. Partially written for the screen by none other than Vincent D'Onofrio, who also has a role in the film. Personally I found this film to be far better than its rating here on this site. Gina Gershon gives quite a great performance, and the film is simply thought provoking. It's an interesting film in my view, and one that still has gotten so little exposure. People that enjoy uniquely delivered and/or intellectually challenging or provoking films will likely find this at least worth a watch. My rating...

7.5/10.

Fullness or emptiness of the soul

[LiamBlackburn · 8/10 · 7 August 2014]

This is a well-directed movie. It has a good overall sense of emptiness. I think its main premise is to focus on the soul of the person. How the soul becomes vacant, empty, but then full again. Full of purpose, whether it's purpose is going on a shooting spree in a mall. Or bangin a bored housewife. After a while you don't expect any plot twists, it's not about the plot... It's one of those movies where you kind of feel like you're just in this one long moment in time with the characters. I don't like the glamorization of the shooter, or his cigarette smoking. The perspective shots are really cool. The faces start morphing.....into wolves, and other beasts. I like how the one kid (who gets denied by that redhead) is all messed up on e the same time as the shooting takes place. And the kid, he gets told he is so boring...and he really is so boring! lol. It's so excruciating to listen to his dialog. This all makes sense since his soul was empty at that point, a void, lifeless, bound by his infatuation with this girl he doesn't know at all. Overall. a flashy movie, with great impact. You keep forgetting he's on e and then you remember as he's talking to people, and then you remember and it's funny.

Highly underrated film...

[twilightshadows-428-400303 · 9/10 · 15 February 2020]

This is the kind of film that is often underrated because of the type of film it is. It's an artsy film, a cerebral film, one that follows a character as he discovers meaning and evolves as a human being, but it's a realistic evolution, not a fairy tale happily ever after. However, reviewers who find this a dismal or depressing film have completely missed the point. Those familiar with Steppenwolf, the favorite book of the protagonist Jeff, will recognize he is often quoting that book, and will also notice the similarities between Harry's journey and Jeff's. In the end, however, Jeff makes a better choice and thus the film ends on a positive, hopeful note. I will only say, pay attention to the last few lines and the change in Jeff in the final scene compared to the first.

As for other aspects of the film, it is beautifully shot, well paced, and superbly acted, but it is a film one has to pay attention to, or certain subtleties will be missed. For instance, in the first few minutes, it appears Jeff is having a conversation with Adele, but it then becomes apparent that that was all in his head, and she is likely nothing like he was picturing. There are also a number of surreal scenes that I think even David Lynch might envy. Some of these are drug induced, while others are just symbolic. Additionally, the technique of juxtaposition is expertly used to drive home certain themes.

Despite the beauty of the film, it could have fallen short had the acting been subpar. Luckily, this is not the case. Most of the cast does an admirable job, but standouts for me were Bobbi Salvor Muenez, Vincent D'Orofino, Gina Gershon, and Cameron Monaghan. There are no characachers in this film. The actors have created real, believable characters. Bobbi Muenez is almost chilling in her lack of compassion or empathy, and yet, there is a nuance in her portrayal that makes the viewer wonder if there is more to her story. Vincent D'Orofino does an excellent job of creating a character who should be loathsome, but manages to engender sympathy and the hope of redemption. Gina Gershon, as a cheating housewife, also manages to be sympathetic, in part because she doesn't change or evolve. Her life will likely continue as it did before the shooting. There may be a comment in that as, unlike Jeff or the pervert, she was not a direct witness of the events.

However, the shining star of this film is Cameron Monaghan, and that is true of virtually anything he is in, as he is one of the most talented actors in Hollywood today. Here, he is in his element, an intellectually gifted, emotionally complex character. He could so easily have come off as a spoiled, entitled teen spouting the discontent of authors and philosophers with no real understanding of their work. Instead, what we see is a young man who, despite his seeming indifference in his choice to indulge in drug use, has incredible depth and a unique insight. Far from not comprehending his favorite book, he is actually a reflection of it, one following a similar path, but who ultimately develops a greater understanding and exhibits more personal growth than the character he initially resonates with. In addition, he demonstrates a much deeper level of compassion and empathy than any other character. None of this ever feels forced or contrived, a testament to just how brilliant an actor Cameron Monaghan is. Jeff is real, believable, and even likable. In the end, he's the hero, but not in the way one would expect. All in all, an incredible film well worth watching.

Not worth your time.

[tomjustbro · 21 March 2015]

This may be the worst movie I have seen so far this year. Weak narrative, a plot that goes nowhere. So poorly written you cannot decipher the actual story line from the deranged thoughts of one of the characters.Sort of like a weak wanna be Donnie Darko. It's sort of like 4 bad mini movies put together to form an hour and a half stinker..Before watching this you may wanna weigh your other options of how to waste an evening.... ...... ......... ....... ........ ... ........... ..... ..... ... ... ... .......... ..... .... ...... ..... .... ....... .......... .... .... ..... .... ... .... .... ....... ....... ..... ...... ....... ..... ........ .... ...... ..... .... ..... .......... ........