Secret Mall Apartment

Play trailer

2:14

Secret Mall Apartment

2025

1h 31m

Documentary

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

63 Reviews

74%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

In 2003, eight Rhode Islanders created a secret apartment inside the busy Providence Place Mall and kept it going for four years, filming everything along the way. Far more than just a wild prank, the secret mall apartment became an incredibly meaningful act for all the participants, at once an act of defiance against local gentrification, a boundary-pushing work of public/private art, and a 750 square foot space that sticks it to the man.

Critics Consensus

Secret Mall Apartment unspools a wild story full of relatable wish fulfillment and social commentary, making for a highly entertaining treatise on artistic expression.

Read Critics Reviews

Ann Hornaday

Washington Post

May 9

3/4

Thanks to its thoughtful protagonists and filmmaker Jeremy Workman, what starts out as a quirky human interest story becomes a profoundly humane portrait of creativity and community.

Go to Full Review

Michael Phillips

Chicago Tribune

04/17/2025

3.5/4

It’s consistently, thoughtfully engaging. And, yes, often very funny in its open-hearted embrace of the DIY spirit, legal or otherwise.

Go to Full Review

Kimber Myers

Crooked Marquee

04/11/2025

B+

For all its big ideas, Secret Mall Apartment is full of charm and wonder. This is a breezy 91 minutes to spend with this idealistic group of people, and it’s easy to see why they kept coming back to the space they created, despite its dangers.

Go to Full Review

Robert W. Butler

Butler's Cinema Scene

Feb 9

B+

His attitude permeates the film… playful, modest, unstoppably creative.

Go to Full Review

Ryan Syrek

The Reader (Omaha, NE)

Feb 5

A-

At a time when we are all longing for a way to "stick it to the man," these creative and caring weirdos found a rebellious but heartwarming way to flip the bird to the establishment. It’s so cozy and nice.

Go to Full Review

Ruth Maramis

FlixChatter Film Blog

Feb 3

4/5

It’s art as a form of resistance, which is always a fascinating topic. You can’t help but be inspired by these artists’ inventiveness and amazing teamwork; there’s an underlying sense of mischief combined with rebellion against corporate greed.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Kathy L

May 17

Use of shifting timeline. Especially appreciated final updaftes

See more

barbara

Apr 20

What a great story not only of the apartment but the great art work that is done. Following @tapeart on instagram to see all they are doing.

See more

Jeannette

Apr 19

Loved the history of how Providence looked back then and now. Love seeing old footage and its amazing the story content. Incredible story about all the artists.

See more

erika

04/13/2025

Fabulous, life affirming in the spirit of art from the heart.

See more

Evelyn

03/27/2025

Great documentary! I was tuned in from start to finish. Also had some good laughs. Heard this story growing up but to see actual footage was great. Love the representation of Providence

See more

Dave W

03/26/2025

Very well done documentary that brought you into the movie. Informative and entertaining at the same. And if you live near Providence like I do seeing it in the building it took place adds to the experience.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Jeremy Workman

Director

Michael Townsend

Self

Colin Bliss

Self

Adriana Valdez-Young

Self

Jeremy Workman

Producer

Jesse Eisenberg

Executive Producer

Wick Is Pain

100%

87%

Wick Is Pain

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Wick Is Pain

I Know Catherine, the Log Lady

100%

%

I Know Catherine, the Log Lady

Watchlist

TRAILER

for I Know Catherine, the Log Lady

Marx Can Wait

100%

%

Marx Can Wait

Watchlist

A Thousand Pines

%

%

A Thousand Pines

Watchlist

Flipside

97%

89%

Flipside

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Flipside

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Awards Leaderboard: Best Movies of 2025

Secret Mall Apartment: Trailer 1

2:14

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

In 2003, eight Rhode Islanders created a secret apartment inside the busy Providence Place Mall and kept it going for four years, filming everything along the way. Far more than just a wild prank, the secret mall apartment became an incredibly meaningful act for all the participants, at once an act of defiance against local gentrification, a boundary-pushing work of public/private art, and a 750 square foot space that sticks it to the man.

Director: Jeremy Workman
Producer: Jeremy Workman
Distributor: Wheelhouse Creative
Production Co: Wheelhouse Creative, Wildbrush Media, Wrong Turn Productions
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 21, 2025, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2025
Box Office (Gross USA): $42.5K
Runtime: 1h 31m

Most Popular at Home Now