LouHomey
From my favorite movies..
Patience Watson
One of those movie experiences that is so good it makes you realize you've been grading everything else on a curve.
Guillelmina
The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.
ricknelson53
Everyone's making a big deal about Woody's ponytail (which does look ridiculous); but the most unbelievable aspect of his character is his age. At one point in the film, he says he would not get married at 24 and the couple are celebrating their 16th anniversary. If my math is correct, that would make him 40 and he was 54 when the film was released - and looks older than that. Plus, since Midler is 9 years younger; that would mean she was 15 when they married. Just saying... Also, this mall is supposed to be in Beverly Hills (like the Beverly Center) but it offers ballroom dancing and restaurants specializing in caviar. All of this, plus the artificial dialogue, bugs me and makes the movie very unrealistic.
Michael_Elliott
Scenes from a Mall (1991)** (out of 4) Extremely disappointing comedy has Woody Allen and Bette Midler playing a couple who decide to celebrate their 16th wedding anniversary with a trip to the mall. Things are going pretty well until the husband admits that he just got done the previous day with a seven-month affair and this is where various secrets start to come out. SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE this ain't. There's no question that this movie doesn't work but the real mystery is why it doesn't. I've watched SCENES FROM A MALL a couple times not because it's entertaining but because it's just so strange to see such talent involved in a film that should have been so much better yet it never even reaches a mediocre level. Both Allen and Midler are very good actors who have no issues playing comedy yet they're really letdown by the screenplay, which is a complete mess. We start off with some good introductions to the characters and there are a few funny moments with the two trying to find time to have sex. The scenes at the busy mall start off well enough but there's still something missing from them. What's missing is any sort of laugh but I'm going to guess that writer-director Paul Mazursky just figured people would be "in" on the joke that malls are crowded. Other "in" jokes include three black guys rapping for no apparent reason and then we get a mime that is constantly showing up where the couple are fighting. Mimes are very annoying in my opinion but they can be put to good use at times. Just check out Mel Brooks' SILENT MOVIE for one example. The mime here adds nothing to the story and the attempt at humor falls flat on its face. Another problem with the screenplay is that it really doesn't go anywhere. The "secret" gets let out, they fight, they make up and then another secret follows and we go through the entire thing again before yet another secret comes out. Everything is so predictable that you can start watching the movie anywhere and still understand what you've missed and what's coming up. Allen and Midler are working in an overdrive because it's obvious they're trying hard to make the material work but there's simply nothing there. SCENES FROM A MALL should have been at least mildly entertaining but sadly it's a flop that's only entertainment value is seeing everything that went wrong with it.
mattymatt4ever
I'm a big Woody Allen fan, so naturally I got a sufficient amount of laughs from the film (though he didn't write the script). But the movie plays out like a stage play, and perhaps it would've worked better that way--like any movie that centers solely on 2 characters. Allen and Midler have a fine chemistry, and their banter is often amusing. But the infidelity thing seemed to have been thrown in as a simple way to develop some sort of plot and some sort of conflict. Are they gonna break up for good? Are they gonna decide to stay together? Those who've seen films like these won't have a tough time figuring the outcome. "Scenes from a Mall" is funny, harmless entertainment, but not exactly a must-see. My score: 7 (out of 10)
filmbuff1970
This is such a bad movie. Its simply not funny. Watching two people bickering around a mall has to be one of the poorest excuses for a movie. Both Allen and Midler play two very boring people that you lose interest only 10 minutes in.A Turkey. 1 out of 10
