Phaedra Van Cortlandt (phaedravc)

Paul Blart is a bumbling police academy flunk out who has a penchant for sweets and takes his job as a shopping mall security guard way too seriously. He tries to give a speeding ticket to a senior on a scooter, makes things worse when he attempts to stop fights, and runs his Segue-Way into obstacles. The overweight, cantankerous, but lovable Blart vies for the affections of a cute kiosk employee and breaks in the "new guy" with questionable advice while stumbling, bumbling and foundering his way through life.

When criminals hold up the mall, Blart finally gets his chance to prove himself, but is off to a rough start after being diverted into a video arcade during the robbery. Will Paul Blart be able to get out of his own way and succeed despite himself? Will he vanquish the evil criminals and win the trophy girl? Or will he drop the ball and fall flat on his face as he is accustomed to doing?

Kevin James is a good looking bear of a man who, like John Goodman, makes a virtue out of a necessity. In the tradition of Chris Farley and Jonathan Winters before him, James strives for laughs by wrecking the set. While Paul Blart Mall Cop is a basically funny movie, it finds its humor by mocking the truth, but the truth in Paul Blart Mall Cop is an embarrassing one.

Comedy is the flip side of tragedy and regrettably Paul Blart is no exception. It is excruciating to watch James have to rely in part on his weight as a comedic vehicle when he trips and falls repeatedly. I winced watching Blart try to stir romantic interest in a slender girl. Worse yet, I can remember from working in malls during my teens just how inept and groundlessly self important -make that infuriatingly petty and arrogant mall security can be. It is with mixed feelings that I try to love James' well-meaning but buffoonish character, which is an exception to the mall cops of my own experience.

Sarah Gellar has done a lot of horror. This one happens to be well thought out and clever. A good performance,e and neat plot twists. I like her other films, (except for the idiotic Buffy), but this one really seems to stand out. I was impressed and pleasantly surprised. Now if I can just figure out how to become tied up in my own basement to fulfill my own selfish agenda...