Paul Blart Mall Cop parents guide

Paul Blart Mall Cop Parent Guide

This moderately engaging comedy manages to offer some good laughs while providing lessons about self-esteem, body image and making the best of a difficult situation.

Overall B-

Paul Blart (Kevin James) has always wanted to become a law enforcement officer, but sadly has not been able to make that wish a reality. Instead he has had to settle for a job as a security guard. However, when the mall where he works is taken over by a gang of organized crooks, the wannabe cop gets the opportunity to live his dream-- which suddenly feels more like a nightmare.

Release date January 16, 2009

Violence C+
Sexual Content B
Profanity B-
Substance Use C

Why is Paul Blart Mall Cop rated PG? The MPAA rated Paul Blart Mall Cop PG for some violence, mild crude and suggestive humor, and language.

Run Time: 89 minutes

Official Movie Site

Parent Movie Review

Kevin James is a winner at playing guys who are losers—in this case a pudgy, hypoglycemic mall security guard named Paul Blart. Incredibly loyal and absolutely serious about his desire to protect the New Jersey shopping destination, Paul works his beat on a Segway with the fervor of his dream to be a real police officer. While looking for crime around every corner, the mall cop also accepts the assignment to train Veck (Keir O’Donnell), the newest recruit to the security force. As part of the orientation, he demonstrates the kind of psychological weaponry he deems necessary to get their job done right.

Yet, for all of his bravado, the enforcer without a gun withers whenever he passes by Amy (Jayma Mays), a newly hired employee who works at a kiosk in the mall. Making matters worse is another kiosk sales clerk, Stuart (Stephen Rannazzisi), who swoons with smoothness around women and takes great delight in making Paul feel small about being big around the middle.

Fortunately, fate intervenes and gives the wannabe hero the perfect opportunity to show what he’s really made of when a team of thieves make their way into the mall just before closing on Black Friday. Taking half-a-dozen hostages, including Amy, the gang thinks they have their heist in the bag—until they realize Mr. Blart is still on the loose.

Created by Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions, a label usually associated with edgy content and crude humor (like I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry and You Don’t Mess With the Zohan), it was a bit unexpected to see this film awarded a PG-rating from the MPAA. Yet, even with the recent leniency that ratings category seems to be experiencing (movies like Marley and Me and Bride Wars both earned PG ratings in spite of having some “mature” moments), parents will be pleasantly surprised to discover Paul Blart Mall Cop does keep its potential offensiveness under a relatively tight reign.

Violence will likely be the biggest concern, with depictions of gunplay (some shots are fired), an explosion and one-on-one scuffles where people are subdued with a variety of “convenient” objects—the most popular being Paul’s rather large size. As well, a child’s safety is put at risk and a dog is presumably injured or killed. In other scenes, a woman’s shirt is pulled up and her bra is partially seen during an altercation with a security guard, and a man becomes intoxicated. Also, a couple of veiled sexual remarks are heard, along with a few mild profanities and terms of deity.

By keeping things a little more “real” and avoiding extreme over-the-top scenarios, this moderately engaging comedy manages to offer some good laughs while providing lessons about self-esteem, body image and making the best of a difficult situation. And that makes Paul Blart: Mall Cop someone you might want to introduce to your teens.

Starring Kevin James, Courtney Cox, Sam Elliot, Danny Glover. Running time: 89 minutes. Theatrical release January 16, 2009. Updated

Paul Blart Mall Cop
Rating & Content Info

Why is Paul Blart Mall Cop rated PG? Paul Blart Mall Cop is rated PG by the MPAA for some violence, mild crude and suggestive humor, and language.

This humorous look at the toils of a shopping mall security guard features scenes of conflict shown in a comedic fashion. These portrayals become more serious after a group of thieves take control of the mall and capture hostages. Some characters use guns and shots are fired. Hand-to-hand conflicts are depicted with characters using basic weapons and their bodies to subdue each other. A man wrestles with a woman, and her shirt begins to come off exposing her bra (no sexuality is implied). A man who usually does not drink due to health issues, becomes highly intoxicated and falls through a large window. Another character is pushed through the glass on an elevator. A dog is presumably injured or killed by a character riding a Segway. A dummy, meant to look human, is shot multiple times. A couple of veiled sexual references are heard. Infrequent mild profanities and terms of deity are included. References are made to being “fat” and body image topics are discussed.

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Paul Blart Mall Cop Parents' Guide

Although the Segway personal transporter is seen in this movie, the manufacturing company reminds viewers that the device is not meant to do many of the things depicted in this film. Check this link for more details.

Also, look at this link for an example of how Segways are being employed by real world law enforcement agencies.

Hypoglycemia is a complex condition, usually related to diabetes. For more information, check this page from the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse in the US.

Home Video

The most recent home video release of Paul Blart Mall Cop movie is May 19, 2009. Here are some details…

Paul Blart: Mall Cop hits the stores on DVD and Blu-ray. Both editions of the movie include:

-Deleted Scenes

- Commentary with Kevin James and Producer Todd Garner

- Featurettes: Fun on Set, Kevin James: Not Your Average Mall Cop, Stunts, The Mall, On Set with Mike ‘Rooftop’ Escamilla, Action Sports Junkies, Mall Cop Response, Mike V. vs. Mall Cop, Free Running vs. Parkour, Thoughts with Kevin James and Sugar.

Additional features found on the Blu-ray version only:

- Digital Copy of the film

- Cinechat

 

Related home video titles:

Actor Kevin James plays a looser hoping to win the heart of a glamorous celebrity in Hitch. Other klutzy dreamers who have tired to fill the gumshoes of law enforcement personnel include Johnny English (a.k.a. Rowan Atkinson), Maxwell Smart in Get Smart and Inspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther.