T.S. and Brodie are two suburban high-school friends, both of whom are dumped by their respective girlfriends on the same day. They then go to the local mall to commiserate and hang out, as they often do. Meeting up with punk troublemakers Jay and Silent Bob (played by director Kevin Smith), they collectively hatch a plan to wreak mall havoc and win their loves back. Smith's film is filled with sophomoric and scatological humor, hip 'alternative' music, and pop cultural icons ranging from video games and to comics.

The studio almost replaced Jason Mewes with Seth Green to play Jay. Kevin Smith insisted that Jason Mewes should play Jay, but the studio made Smith take auditions for the role. Breckin Meyer also auditioned for the role of Jay. In the end, all parties agreed that Jason Mewes was right for the part.

Originally, William Atherton was Kevin Smith's first choice to play Jared Svenning. Atherton choose not to do it because the film was aimed at a teenaged audience.

During the Batman homage as Jay & Bob escape from La Fours, the belting attached to Kevin Smith slipped. The crane refused to start (someone had shut it off), and the key could not be located, nearly resulting in a possibly lethal fall.

Stan Lee can be seen looking to his left or right repeatedly while talking with Brodie. This is so he can see his cue cards - not being a trained actor, memorizing lines was very difficult. Jeremy London forgot his lines repeatedly.

The book Bob is reading in the bookstore is simply a mockup, as is the display stand - the real book had not come out yet.

The Wile E. Coyote blueprints used by Jay and Silent Bob were drawn by producer Scott Mosier.

Eden Prairie Center, where the film was shot, worked out perfectly for the shooting. The there were a lot of vacant store fronts, so the producers could set up "fake stores" for the film.

While shopping, Rene Mosier is seen wearing at least three different outfits. Doherty had a clause in her contract that she could keep everything her character wore and came up with the plan that her character should wear everything she bought on her shopping trip.

This is the second film in Kevin Smith's intricately interconnected View Askewniverse series (the others being Clerks, Chasing Amy, Dogma and Jay and Silent Bob strike Back. The movies are all linked by characters, themes and events and each contains numerous references to the others.

During production, a TV movie Clerks based on Kevin Smith's film Clerks was being filmed.

Two main characters named Brodie Bruce and T.S. Quint are a reference to Jaws where there were characters called Brody and Quint and where the shark was nicknamed "Bruce" on the set.

"La Fours", the mall security guard, is a reference to "La Force" the bounty hunter after Robert Redford and Paul Newman in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Both characters are noted for their straw hats and being the toughest lawmen around.

When Jared Svenning pulls Roddy down and says "What the f*** is goin' on up there?" it is intended to be a reference to the line from Animal House (although in Animal House, the line is "down there" not "up there").

In the scene where Jay and Silent Bob are hiding in the bookstore, Bob is reading Spike, Mike, Slackers & Dykes: A Guided Tour Across a Decade of American Independent Cinema by John Pierson. The book contains numerous interviews and writings by Kevin Smith.

T.S. picks up a Clerks hat in the fleamarket.

Ben Affleck's character is named "Shannon Hamilton". Shannen Doherty was briefly married to Ashley Hamilton, although she did not adopt his last name.

Director Trademark: One of the main characters has a cousin Walter who is sexually odd. In Mallrats, Jason Lee's character Brodie Bruce's cousin Walter sticks cats up his ass. In Clerks, Jeff Anderson's "Randall Graves'" cousin Walter broke his own neck trying to give himself fellatio. This cousin Walter is the same person.

In real life, the elevator that Brodie and Rene have sex in has glass doors, covered up for the film so the people outside couldn't see in.

Brodie's shirt is the merged faces of three actors that tried out for the part of Brodie and didn't get it.

The name "Gwen Turner" is a reference to Go Fish (1994) writer/director Guinevere Turner.

Although Renee's surname is never mentioned on screen, the cast list gives it as Mosier, a reference to producer Scott Mosier

When Renee runs to tell Jay and Silent Bob that Brodie and T.S. are being arrested, Ethan Suplee ad-libs, "Brenda?" - a joke reference to Doherty's character on "Beverly Hills, 90210"

The background music when T.S. and Hamilton are waiting for the elevator is the same as in the elevator in The Blues Brothers

Brodie wears a Henry Hudson Regional shirt. Henry Hudson Regional is the high school in Highlands, NJ where director 'Smith, Kevin' graduated.

The pass that Mr. Svenning wears around his neck is the logo of View Askew, the film's production company.

Svenning was not originally supposed to be bald. Michael Rooker was trying to dye his hair gray for a better look, and decided that bald would work even better.

Studio execs required quite a bit of language to be removed or replaced with weaker language.

Seth Green was on call, ready at any moment to fly to Minnesota so he could replace Jason Mewes as Jay.

The original beginning of the movie tested poorly and was replaced by one that was filmed in L.A. The original beginning contained an incident at the Governor's Ball (the one mentioned by the TV execs).

The Henry Hudson T-shirt Brodie is seen wearing during the Segaboy scene is from Kevin Smith's old high school, Henry Hudson High in New Jersey.

The US 1 Flea Market - AKA "The Dirt Mall" - was torn down in the mid-1990s. It is now the site of a multiplex cinema.

Brodie's comic book collection seen in the movie was actually director Kevin Smith's collection at the time (which has grown considerably since). The collection is what Smith was able to purchase back after selling his original collection to finance production of Clerks.

The MagicEye "sailboat" picture is actually a 4 x 3 matrix of geometric shapes consisting of a cross, a circle, a diamond, a star, 4 segmented circles and 4 cones.

Director Trademark: After watching The Empire Strikes Back, Silent Bob tries performing "Jedi mind tricks".

Director Trademark: After failing to see the sailboat image, Ethan Suplee's character wanders over to the stage, and gives a frustrated wail while holding on to a frame. This is a parody of a scene in The Empire Strikes Back, in which Chewbacca omits the same cry while holding on to a support strut.

The person laughing during the Gramercy title sequence is a cellist in Ira Newborn's orchestra.

Director Trademark: Silent Bob hanging upside down to put the video tape in the player is a reference to the Ice monster scene in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back.

Director Trademark: Brodie is a comic book collector, there is a comic book store in the mall, comic book creator Stan Lee appears in the movie, Brodie and T.S. discuss Superman's sex life.

The comic book that features Brandi depicts two director trademarks. First: the fire behind her forms Jaws, and Second: she wears a Boston Bruins hockey jersey.

John Landis was going to make a cameo as an irate customer, but this was written out at the last minute.

Jennifer Love Hewitt tried out for the role of Tricia Jones.

When Silent Bob is placing the tape of Shannon's sexual encounter with Tricia in the VCR, the crossed out title is "Woody Woodpecker."

According to the blueprints, Jay & Silent Bob's two stage trashing operations are "Operation: Drive-By" and "Operation: Dark Knight".

Silent Bob has only one speech in the entire movie, consisting of only eight words: "Excitement? Adventure? A Jedi craves not these things."

Filmed in Minnesota, down the road from Fargo which was shooting at the same time.

When it was unsure that Stan Lee would sign on to play himself, Quentin Tarantino was in line to play him.

Reese Witherspoon and Heather Graham auditioned for roles in this film.

Continuity error: When T.S. first pulls into Brandi's driveway, he drives a Ford. After that, he drives a Mercury.

Continuity error: When T.S. pulls up to Brandi's house to pick her up for the trip, all the trees have leaves on them and the grass is green. In all other outdoor shots, the leaves have fallen off the trees and the grass is brown.

Continuity error: After coming from Miss Ivannah's, T.S. parks close to the mall in a spot between a Honda Accord and a Honda Civic. However, in the next shot, when T.S. and Brodie get out of the car, the station wagon is seen parked farther into the parking spot and between a black pickup and a Ford Taurus. Furthermore, the car is much farther from the mall than it appeared in the previous shot.

Continuity error: The 3D picture is not a sailboat but two rows of various 3D objects such as cube, star, sphere... In the right top corner of the picture you can clearly see a star.

Continuity error: The ring on Mr. Svenning's finger when he's talking to TS and Brodie in the mall changes hands (it is switched in a deleted scene, but not in the released version of the movie).

Continuity error: Near the end of the film, when Brodie Bruce gives his speech to Rene, a shot of Shannon Hamilton shows that the top and third and fourth from the top buttons are unbuttoned. Then the camera cuts to Brodie, but when they cut back to Hamilton all the buttons are buttoned except the top one.

Continuity error: In the first scene with Brandi and T.S., Brandi has her glasses on until T.S. picks her up. Then they mysteriously show up in her hand. (She took them off in a deleted scene, but not in the released version of the movie.)

Continuity error: Jared Svennings' ring switches from his left to right hand soon before Brodie gives him the "stinky palm."

Revealing mistake: When Silent Bob "skates" through the women's clothing store into the dressing room and sends clothes flying, a hand is seen briefly at the bottom of the screen tossing the clothes into the air.

Revealing mistake: When Shannon and T.S. are waiting for the elevator, the extra standing right behind Shannon keeps looking at the camera.

Continuity error: Jay's sleeves start out down when he and Silent Bob attack the Easter Bunny, but in the next shot they're rolled up.

Revealing mistake: When Silent Bob is riding on the toy truck, a fishing line can be seen pulling the truck in the wide shot of Bob in front of Lafours.

Continuity error: Right before Rene breaks up with Brodie, she opens the basement window all the way so that it's touching the ceiling. The window is no longer completely open as she leaves. (In a deleted scene, we see that it keeps sliding shut, but not in the released version of the movie).

Continuity error: T.S.'s coat disappears when he is talking to Jay and Brody after their trip to the Dirt Mall.

Crew or equipment visible: When Silent Bob is running past the jewelry store, you can see the reflection of the camera man and the camera in the class cases.

Continuity error: Brandi's hair changes length between shots during the game show. It changes right after Brandi says "You don't know when to quit, do you?" It changes back to its earlier, shorter length with the line "He just goes on with his life." (The scene where she says "You don't know when to quit, do you?" was filmed at a later date, accounting for the mistake in hair length.)

Audio/visual unsynchronized: Brodie's Dixie cup never has anything in it, however when Shannon Hamilton bumps into him as they enter the mall, a splashing sound is heard, yet the cup is empty

Error in geography: When Brodi and TS are walking through the mall parking lot, all of the cars in the parking lot have Minnesota license plates, even though the movie takes place in New Jersey.

Error in geography: During the closing it says the T.S. and Brandy get married at Universal Studios Florida. However the Jaws ride shown is the one at Universal Hollywood.

Continuity error: When Jay and Silent Bob are running from La Fours, they stumble into the loading docks. When Silent Bob pulls out his grappling hook gun, he isn't wearing any gloves. When he and Jay get pulled up, Silent Bob is wearing black gloves.

 DVD Collector Edition includes almost an hour of outtake footage, including an entirely different opening setup for the movie where T.S. meets Brandi over a rooftop while her father is hosting a luncheon for the governor of New Jersey, hoping to get funds for his public access cable programs. T.S. is mistaken by the bodyguards for a sniper and the governor is hospitalized in the ensuing mayhem.

A deleted scene showed Tricia Jones flirting and having sex with the security guard, La Fours. This explains the final segment in the 'where are they now' ending sequence, showing La Fours looking lovingly at Tricia during the book signing.

The DVD also features an alternate take of the video of Tricia Jones (Rene Humphrey) and Shannen Hamilton (Ben Affleck) having sex shown after the game show. This version shows Ben Affleck in a dress.

Edited footage in the "Where Are They Now?" sequence showed Svenning and Roddy working as janitors for Brodie's talk show, and an additional shot of Shannon's face as he 'makes new friends'.

Three versions of the introduction were scripted (only two filmed). The original, short opening had TS and Brodie blowing a lead on Collegiate Quizbowl when Brodie mispronounces 'Biscay' as 'Bisquick'. He trips over a mike while going to fight a Seton Hall heckler, and electrocutes the host. This opening remains unfilmed. The studio requested above mentioned opening (with the Governor's Ball and the shooting). Much footage had to be dubbed, reshot, or edited because of the opening change (it eliminated an entire subplot as camera crews chased TS, and people recognized him though often for the wrong crime). The third ending had two variants in and of itself. The movie would open near the end, with Brodie on the stage of Truth Or Date, where he would introduce the cast via voice overs, then tell about himself, his birth in a fast food joint that was now a tanning salon, how the place changed since then, and how he was the only constant. A second version featured a completely different voice over commentary, relating a story about how his father had been hurled from his wife's grandparents house after kissing the grandmother shortly after having oral sex. (This story is in the first variant, but Brodie says it was he who was caught.) A TV version mangles a great many scenes, editing all the language, drug references, most of the violence, and any product placement (the Diet Coke cup is cropped out, the references to Jaws and Universal are pulled, and some very awkward zooming is used on Ivana).

In the theatrical version of the movie the second time Bob burst through Gwen's dressing room she is topless. In the US TV version she is fully clothed.

A version aired on USA removes all major obscene language. The USA Network Version moves the shot of Ivannah "consulting" her breasts to an angle where her breasts are not visible. There are two different versions of the scene where the tape of Shannon Hamilton and Tricia Jones having sex in circulation. The first version is in the theatrical version and features the two performing anal sex. The second version is used in the USA version and involves them finishing up having sex, and removes all references to anal sex.

In the edited for TV version in the US already mentioned, there is also one other difference of note. All references to "stink palming" are removed, and the disgusting nature of the pretzels is explained by the replacement of "They're a bit melty, but man are they tempting!" with "They're a bit moldy, but man are they tempting!"

T.S. Quint: But they're engaged.

Brodie: Doesn't matter, can't happen.

T.S. Quint: Why not? It's bound to come up.

Brodie: It's impossible, Lois could never have Superman's baby. Do you think her fallopian tubes could handle the sperm? I guarantee you he blows a load like a shotgun right through her back. What about her womb? Do you think it's strong enough to carry her child?

T.S. Quint: Sure, why not?

Brodie: He's an alien, for Christ sake. His Kyrptonian biological makeup is enhanced by earth's yellow sun. If Lois gets a tan the kid could kick right through her stomach. Only someone like Wonder Woman has a strong enough uterus to carry his kid. The only way he could bang regular chicks is with a kryptonite condom. That would kill him.

T.S. Quint: How is it that I go from the verge of hot Floridian sex with Brandi to man of steel coital debates with you in the food court?

Brodie: Cookie stand isn't part of the food court.

T.S. Quint: Of course it is.

Brodie: The food court is downstairs. The cookie stand is upstairs. It not like we're talking quantum physics here.

T.S. Quint: The cookie stands counts as an eatery, eateries are part of the food court.

Brodie: Bullshit. Eateries that operate within the designated square downstairs count as food court. Anything outside, of said designated sqaure, counts as an autonomous unit for mid-mall snacking. Now, if your going to wax intellectual about the subject...