This January 16th, Paul Blart the Mall Cop will be celebrating its tenth anniversary. It's a big deal.
If you haven't heard of him before, he is a mall cop that enjoys talking to the lady in charge of the wig kiosk, eating sugary treats to help keep his blood sugar high, and being a loving father to his daughter.
The real action in the movie begins during the holiday season, when Paul Blart is the only security guard left in the mall when criminals take hostages and shut down the mall to pull off an identity-theft heist. He is the unexpected hero of the movie.
A lot of my friends would say that this movie is ridiculously bad. They would say the humor is not sophisticated, Paul trying to prove himself to the wig kiosk lady is cheesy, and my friends could be watching Elf or Home Alone instead.
I understand where they are coming from, but Paul Blart is a cool character and here is why.
Paul Blart is Hard Working
He worked really hard during police training at the academy, but as bad luck would have it, he passed out during his final exam due to low blood sugar. Even though this was a huge blow to his self esteem, he didn't quit his dream to protect others and he didn't quit his job at the mall. I find that admirable.
Paul Blart is Clever
Did you see how he used props to outwit those criminals? Paul Blart used the mannequins and other store props to battle the bad guys and gals. I think its important in daily life to use what is available to you for your best advantage, so kudos to Paul Blart.
Paul Blart is Friendly
He's friendly to the kids in the mall, the people at the kiosks, and the other security guards. He even tries to be civil to the really annoying SWAT dude. It's so much easier to choose to be bitter and angry at people, especially when your hard work to thwart the villains' plan is unappreciated by so many people. But Paul Blart remains positive and optimistic as he saves the day.
Paul Blart is Bold
Well... he's bold in almost everything but asking his crush out (which he does eventually #spoiler). He boldly stays in the mall to give the police and SWAT team eyes on the inside. He boldly goes around on his segway to catch up to and capture the bad guys. He even boldly licks a piece of candy off of the floor when he needed some sugar to keep himself energized. We need more courageous men like Paul Blart.
I know it's not Elf or Home Alone, but Paul Blart the Mall Cop has its own adorable charm and important lessons to take away from it. It's on my watch list this holiday season, and maybe now it will make your watch list, too.
