Kevin James has the number one hit at the box office with his comedy Mall Cop. Think of the film as a comedic Die Hard that takes place in a mall. It's the first hit opener for James where he has the lead role.
The movie thus becomes James' latest big-screen success (after Hitch and I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry), and it's his first hit opener as the main lead star. Too, this marks the second success that Adam Sandler has had as a producer in less than a month: His Bedtime Stories has grossed $103.7 million since debuting on Christmas day.
Credit likely goes as much to James' growing appeal as to the film's broad reach: According to CinemaScore, the comedy (which got an okay grade of B) drew an audience comprised of all "four quadrants" -- older men, older women, younger men, and younger women.
Right behind Paul Blart: Mall Cop was Eastwood's Gran Torino, which has been doing well at the box office.
