Jasper Mall

The documentary provides a good picture of the current state of the American middle class. The various causes of the mall's decline emerge throughout the documentary.

I remember when I was young always being at the mall. Whether it was just hanging out or hitting the food court, it was the place to go in a small town. The traditional mall is a dying world and this documentary captures one example of this. Great film, it's a must watch.

All in all I enjoyed this documentary about a dying mall in Jasper Alabama. The film offers a cross section of people who work there and shop there as well as efforts (generally not successful) to increase foot traffic. I just wished occasionally the film makers had pulled away from the mall setting to give us some context about the larger community where the mall is set. Sure, internet commerce has hurt malls across the country, but are there shopping areas in Jasper that are prospering, such as downtown or the area where the jewelry repair shop moved to? Or is Jasper overall an economically depressed area that has gone severely down hill since the hey day of Jasper Mall in the 80s and 90s? The film would have been a much more rewarding experience for me if such contextual interludes had been provided.

A beautifully structured observational documentary. Each vignette is a little gem. You really feel as if you know these people. And like the best documentaries, it doesn't make any judgement calls about the people whose lives you're witnessing. It certainly made me wistful for the shopping malls of my youth. Love that Santa! I really appreciated the thoughtful, evocative soundtrack as well.

My son and I fell like we were watching a car wreck in slow motion. A group of lovely people caught up in an inevitable economic tragedy that is coming their way. The cinematography and editing is very well done. Admittedly, this is a minor film, but worth every one of the 86 minutes you'll spend watching.