Michael Townsend
Self
Secret Mall Apartment
“Let's all live at the mall.”
2025
1h 32m
Director: Jeremy Workman
Overview
In 2003, eight Rhode Islanders created a secret apartment inside a busy mall and lived there for four years, filming everything along the way. Far more than a prank, the secret apartment became a deeply meaningful place for all involved.
Cast
8 people
Reviews
5 min readThe Apartment That Wasn’t There
I keep thinking about the moment in Secret Mall Apartment when Michael Townsend, the ringleader of this improbable experiment, describes the first time he stepped into the hidden space behind the mall’s walls. It’s not the kind of revelation you’d expect—no gasp, no dramatic music swell. Just a quiet, almost sheepish admission: “It felt like we’d found a secret door in the world.” That line stuck with me because it captures something essential about the film, and about the strange, stubborn human impulse to carve out a life in the cracks of the one we’re given.
Jeremy Workman’s documentary isn’t just about the fact that eight artists lived undetected inside a Rhode Island mall for four years. It’s about why they did it, and what that act of defiance—part prank, part performance art, part survival strategy—reveals about the rest of us. The film walks a tightrope between celebration and critique, and for the most part, it doesn’t wobble.
But the real tension isn’t in whether they’d get caught. It’s in whether their experiment was a radical act of creativity or just another privilege of whiteness, youth, and artistic entitlement.
Workman, best known for Lily Topples the World, has a knack for finding the poetry in outsider stories. Here, he’s working with material that’s already surreal—like if Fight Club and Grey Gardens had a baby, then raised it in a food court. The apartment itself, a 750-square-foot warren tucked behind a maintenance panel in Providence Place Mall, is the kind of space that shouldn’t exist.
It had a bed, a kitchen, even a makeshift shower. The group furnished it with scavenged items, turning a corporate void into something resembling a home. The footage they shot themselves—grainy, intimate, often hilarious—is the documentary’s secret weapon.
There’s a scene where Townsend, using a camera small enough to fit inside an Altoids tin, films his friends lounging on a couch they’d smuggled in piece by piece. The image is so mundane it’s jarring: people watching TV, eating takeout, arguing about whose turn it is to take out the trash. It’s the most normal thing in the world, except for the fact that they’re doing it inside a mall.
That juxtaposition is where Secret Mall Apartment finds its rhythm. The film toggles between the group’s archival footage and present-day interviews, where the now-older artists reflect on their time in the space. Workman also stages reenactments, building a replica of the apartment in a studio so the subjects can physically revisit their memories.
Audience Opinions
Audience 7.2/10
"A quirky and intimate documentary that shines a light on unconventional living, though its narrow focus may leave some wanting more depth."
Viewers appreciate the film’s unique premise and the intimate portrayal of its subjects, finding it both fascinating and thought-provoking. However, some feel the documentary’s scope is too limited, leaving unanswered questions about the broader implications of its subject matter. latestnetflix.com's read is that the storytelling is engaging but occasionally meanders, making it a niche experience rather than a universally compelling one.
What viewers praise
- Unique and intriguing premise The concept of a secret apartment inside a mall captivates audiences, offering a fresh perspective on unconventional living spaces.
- Intimate character portrayal The film’s focus on its subjects feels personal and authentic, drawing viewers into their lives and experiences.
- Thought-provoking themes It sparks conversations about societal norms, privacy, and the lengths people go to for a sense of home.
Common complaints
- Limited scope Some viewers feel the documentary doesn’t explore the broader context or implications of its subject, leaving gaps in the narrative.
- Pacing issues The film occasionally drags, with moments that feel slow or unfocused, detracting from its overall impact.
- Niche appeal Its specialized subject matter may not resonate with everyone, making it a hit-or-miss experience for broader audiences.
Recommended for
Documentary enthusiasts Fans of unconventional lifestyles Urban studies and sociology buffs Jeremy Workman fans Thought-provoking film seekers
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsThe Wild True Story Behind Secret Mall Apartment—And How Netflix Got Involved
In 2003, eight young artists pulled off one of the most bizarre stunts in modern urban living: they built a secret apartment inside a bustling Rhode Island mall and lived there undetected for four years. latestnetflix.com's read is that the surreal saga is now the subject of Secret Mall Apartment (2025), a documentary directed by Jeremy Workman and produced by Jesse Eisenberg, set to unravel the audacious experiment that blurred the line between art, rebellion, and trespassing.
The film centers on Michael Townsend, the ringleader of the group, and his friends—including Colin Bliss, James J.A. Mercer, and Andrew Oesch—who transformed an unused utility space in Providence Place Mall into a fully functional living quarters. Outfitted with a bed, kitchen, and even a makeshift shower, the hideout was a defiant response to the gentrification of their city, as well as a creative escape from the grind of rent and bills 
. For four years, they documented their lives in the shadows of the mall, filming everything from mundane routines to the thrill of evading security .
How a Stunt Became a Netflix Documentary
The project’s leap from underground legend to Netflix feature is almost as improbable as the story itself. Workman, known for his intimate documentaries like Lily Topples the World, was drawn to the group’s DIY ethos and the sheer absurdity of their scheme . Eisenberg’s involvement, though not detailed in the snippets, suggests the story’s appeal to Hollywood’s love of eccentric true tales—think The Social Network meets Exit Through the Gift Shop .
The documentary reportedly leans into the group’s artistic motivations, framing their mall residency as both a performance piece and a social commentary on urban displacement . But it’s the logistics that make the story irresistible: How did they smuggle in furniture? How did they avoid detection for so long? And what finally led to their discovery? The film promises to answer these questions, though the snippets don’t reveal the exact moment their cover was blown .
The Cast: Who Were the Mall Dwellers?
The core group included:
- Michael Townsend: The de facto leader, described in snippets as an artist whose work often critiqued consumer culture .
- Colin Bliss, James J.A. Mercer, Andrew Oesch: Fellow artists and collaborators who joined Townsend in the mall, though their individual roles remain vague in the available evidence .
- Greta Scheing, Emily Ustach, Adriana Valdez-Young, Jay Zehngebot: Additional members of the eight-person collective, with Valdez-Young and Zehngebot specifically named in the IMDb cast list .
The snippets don’t clarify whether all eight lived in the mall full-time or rotated in shifts, but the documentary is expected to shed light on their daily lives—from sneaking in groceries to hosting secret gatherings .
Why This Story Resonates Now
The timing of Secret Mall Apartment feels eerily relevant. In an era of skyrocketing rents and housing crises, the group’s defiance of traditional living arrangements reads like a darkly comic precursor to modern movements like van life or co-op squatting . Their mall hideout wasn’t just a stunt; it was a middle finger to the idea that space—even commercial space—should be off-limits to those priced out of conventional housing.
The documentary’s release on Netflix (per Tudum’s coverage) also hints at a broader appetite for stories about outsiders thumbing their noses at the system . Whether Secret Mall Apartment leans into the humor, the artistry, or the legal gray areas of the group’s experiment remains to be seen, but the premise alone is a conversation starter.
Unanswered Questions
Despite the intrigue, the snippets leave key details frustratingly vague:
- The discovery: How were they caught? The Wikipedia entry notes they lived there for four years, but the exact circumstances of their eviction aren’t mentioned .
- The aftermath: Did the group face legal consequences? The Salon snippet calls the story “amazing,” but doesn’t specify if they were charged or fined .
- Eisenberg’s role: Beyond producing, it’s unclear if he appears on camera or helped shape the narrative .
For now, Secret Mall Apartment stands as a tantalizing glimpse into a real-life heist—one where the loot wasn’t money, but the ultimate urban hideout.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.
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