'Paul Blart: Mall Cop' review

Kevin James (Credit: Richard Cartwright/Sony)

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Nice, lonely, overweight mall security guard Paul Blart (Kevin James, who co-wrote the script) has been dealt a rough hand: His hypoglycemia causes him to fail the police academy's obstacle course, and years ago his ex-wife used him for a green card and took off, leaving a now-teenage daughter behind. When armed thieves hold hostages in his mall, Blart finally has an opportunity to take charge, save the day and show the cutie (Jayma Mays) who works at the hair extension kiosk that he can be a hero.

The buzz: Signs point to awful, considering titles with colons often spell doom (Cedric the Entertainer's "Code Name: The Cleaner," anyone?) and "Blart" sounds like something a kid does in the parking lot after too many food court burritos. James' appeal is the possible saving grace; he's one of the few actors who may be able to find something charming about a law enforcement doofus on a Segway.

The verdict: Like the titular big galoot, "Paul Blart" needs time to gets its act together, initially revolving around the concept, "If all else fails, Paul falls down." But then—from Paul's alcohol-induced Loch Ness Monster tattoo to an old foe (Bobby Cannavale) claiming to have set Paul on fire at a pancake festival—"Paul Blart" becomes so endearingly strange that it's impossible not to enjoy the nonsense for 90 minutes of pure, silly fun. This kind-hearted action-movie parody packs a lot of laughs and James, that lovable teddy bear, isn't out to make Paul look like a fool. His remarkably winning performance turns Blart into the ultimate underdog—a decent guy who's finally having the kind of day he deserves.

Did you know? Paul learns that when composing a profile on a site like perfectmatch.com, "I know a lot about sharks" may not be a terribly appealing trait to list.

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