Crazy-but-true documentary with a great Rotten Tomatoes score becomes Netflix streaming hit

The weirder a Netflix documentary is, the better. If it’s true crime, these documentaries tend to become streaming sensations. Just look at the resounding success of Make a murderer And Don’t Fuck With Cats: Hunting a Killer on the Internet. The same success rate can be said for the crazy but true genre, which features incredible stories captured on film. The streamer’s latest hit is Secret mall apartment.

Located in Rhode Island, Secret Mall Apartment chronicles a group of artists and their innovative journey at Providence Place Mall. What started as a small experiment grew into a long-term project that culminated in a residency within the walls of the mall. During its premiere, Secret Mall Apartment was critically acclaimed and holds a 98% on Rotten Tomatoes.

How did the artists achieve this incredible feat?

Every crazy project starts with an idea: what if you could somehow live in a mall without being detected? In the early 2000s, Michael Townsend, the leader of the project, was angry with Providence city officials for allowing the destruction of Fort Thunder, a community warehouse and haven for artists. Real estate developers purchased Fort Thunder and neighboring areas to build the mall. In 2002, the artists were evicted from Fort Thunder.

In 2003, Townsend had the idea to make the mall his new Fort Thunder. He wanted to see if he could secretly set up shop inside the Providence Place mall. By studying the building’s construction, Townsend knew where he could potentially construct a residence. With the help of Adriana Valdez-Young, Andrew Oesch, and Jay Zehngebot, Townsend managed to spend a week in the mall undetected.

Eventually, the group recruited four other artists to join their crusade, which led to the construction of a new home: a 750-square-foot space in a hidden part of the structure. Townsend and company brought in furniture, a game console, pictures and shelves to make it look like a real apartment. The artists even built a wall with cinder blocks, which led to a run-in with security. The group spent four years in this apartment before Townsend was arrested in 2007.

Secret Mall Apartment it was more about making a statement than finding accommodation

Credit: Michael Townsend/Wheelhouse Creative

What Townsend and the other artists did with the secret apartment was very impressive. This looks a lot like Roofera film in which Channing Tatum’s character lives inside Toys “R” Us undetected. However, it’s more than just a cool story. Secret Mall Apartment is a response to gentrification, where these eight people protested the system through their art.

Directed by Jeremy Workman and produced by Jesse Eisenberg, Secret Mall Apartment includes footage discovered inside the mall apartment as well as interviews with the artists who built it. This documentary is for everyone who still believes that art can have a profound impact on the world.

Release date

March 8, 2024

Runtime

91 minutes

Director

Jeremy Workman

Producers

Jesse Eisenberg

If you’re looking for more Netflix movies, watch these climbing documentaries, especially if you liked Skyscrapers live. Also discover that of Alex Honnold Free singleplayer to witness an incredible achievement in human resilience.