Movie review | Kevin James is funny, and so is ‘Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2’
I was late to the Kevin James party, having missed “King of Queens” in primetime. But when it hit syndication, and I was able catch years of reruns in a short period of time, I became a superfan.
Whether as Paul Blart or the “King’s” Doug Heffernan, Kevin James is a funny, funny man, and he’s very funny in “Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2,” despite the fact that the movie earned a “0” out of a possible 100 in the Rotten Tomatoes critic’s votes.
The movie earned a much more respectable 62 percent favorable rating from Rotten Tomatoes’ viewers. Why the disconnect?
“Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2,” as a sequel does rehash some of the same old Segway sight gags and fat jokes, from James’ first Blart comedy, but there’s plenty of new material, too.
In this go-‘round, set in the Wynn resort and casino in Las Vegas, Blart and a convention of security officers end up in the middle of an art heist. Raini Rodriguez reprises her role as the sweet Maya Blart, Paul Blart’s daughter, who can’t help but to get involved.
Local golfing enthusiasts may enjoy Gary Valentine, a regular at the celebrity-laden Monday after the Masters fundraising event in Myrtle Beach. Valentine plays convention organizer Saul Gundermutt. His makeup and character are very funny, and James, who co-wrote the script, gives him nearly as many funny lines as the lead.
“Saturday Night Live” funny lady Ana Gasteyer plays Mrs. Gundermutt, Saul’s wife, and together the pair explore an odd, comical on-screen relationship.
Is this a great comedy? No. Is it a fun distraction for a couple of hours featuring some very funny people offering up a few laughs? Absolutely yes.
What made James so funny in “King of Queens,” makes him funny as Paul Blart; he’s a big, goofy, regular guy for whom we feel empathy, and, because of his self-deprecating humor, can laugh at and with.
What do those stars mean?
* Really, really, really bad. Don’t bother.
** Really bad, with one or more redeeming scenes.
*** Pretty good, but maybe not great, worth seeing for most
**** A winning combination of story, casting, and directing
***** The rarest gem, an all-around perfect motion picture
This story was originally published April 22, 2015 at 4:00 PM with the headline "Movie review | Kevin James is funny, and so is ‘Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2’."