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Slackers

Slackers

List Price: $9.95
Your Price: $9.95
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: One star is too generous
Review: Kudos to SINic for an excellent review. This movie is an incredible waste of time.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Say what you will about this comedy- but I loved it anyway!
Review: Now I understand why the critics did not love this movie. It is neither deep nor ground-breaking in any way shape or form. But, I think that most people will find that it is quite hilarious! Jason Schwartzmann is ridiculous and entertaining as the psychotic stalker of the movie, and all of his scenes will make you laugh so hard that you'll nearly pee your pants. And of course all girls fall for the adorable Devon Sawa (I'm tellin ya- no one can resist that beautiful smile) So if you want an intelligent comedy or a groundbreaking movie experience rent something else, but if you are in the mood for a [funny] college comedy then by all means- THIS is the one to watch. I promise you won't be dissapointed.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Don't blame the writer
Review: Say what you want about the film, but don't blame the writer. Hollywood insiders know that David H. Steinberg ("American Pie 2") wrote a brilliant script that started a bidding war back in 1999, but was rewritten by Craig Mazin ("Senseless" and "Rocketman") who delivered the final shooting script. The studio (Destination Films) went out of business, but not before first-time director Dewey Nicks could demonstrate his sheer incompetence by stomping all over the once-revered script. But the film always gets a fierce reaction (good and bad), so it's worth checking out for yourself. And, by the way, the original script is available online ...

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: There are worse ways to lose 90 minutes of your life
Review: Seeing as it deals with youthful eccentrics searching for love, costars Jason Schwartzman, and presents the idea of stalking from a humorous perspective (a perspective, one might venture a wild guess, not neccesarily shared by people who have actually been stalked), it is tempting (and thoroughly incorrect) to describe Slackers as a raunchier, darker version of Rushmore. In fact, to use such a description would be a strong disservice to both films. For whereas Rushmore is one of the best films of the last decade (and this film most assuredly is not), Slackers is an uneven film that -- while not being all that good -- is still entertaining when taken on it's own terms and certainly is a step above most of the teen-age/college stoner comedies to have come out in the wake of American Pie.

The story is almost painfully familiar. Jason Schwartzman is a disturbed college student with a massive crush on the sweetly attractive James King. In order to trick her into not only noticing him but eventually going out with him, Schwartzman blackmails three cocky cheaters into helping him con her into giving him her affections. Unfortunately, the head cheater is played by Devon Sawa who, while not being half the actor that Schwartzman is, is much better looking and as such, King immediately falls for him and he falls for her and the rest of the movie deals with how to deal with Schwartzman. As said, none of the movie's particular plot points are extremely clever and a lot of the humor falls flat. Particularly annoying is the director's need to pad out the film with the same boring fantasy sequences that seem to pop up in all stoner youth comedies nowadays. Scored to kitschy pop standards from the early '70s (the type of stuff these slackers wouldn't be caught dead listening to in real life), these fantasy sequences are filled with unoriginal takeoffs on better films and tend to stop the action dead -- not good for a film that feels overlong to begin with.

Still, for every dead spot, there's a bizarrely inspired joke or a skillful performance that'll pop up unexpectedly and these good moments are so inspired and provide such a strong pay-off that the viewer is almost left feeling as if he's being rewarded for managing to make it through the bad moments. It's as if the director is saying, "Sorry about making that 20th joke about flatulence, here's a little Jason Schwartzman to help ease the pain." Certainly, Schwartzman is the film's main strength. Playing yet another eccentric, overly intelligent stalker-type, Schwartzman creates a character that is 180 degrees the opposite of his starring turn in Rushmore. He brings a manic intensity to his creepy role that is fascinating to watch -- both because of the skill of his performance and because of the fact that this is a rare actor who is willing to push against all self-imposed limits while on screen. The audience finds themselves tolerating a lot of uninspired bits just for the chance to find out what Schwartzman's going to do next. Schwartzman pulls off a minor miracle, giving a perfect comedic performance as a character who, when you actually get to the heart of the matter, isn't all that funny. However, Schwartzman is not the sole redemption to be found in this film's cast as James King, while stuck playing a symbol (the "good girl"), still manages to be very sweet and adorable (in the best sense of the term) as the unwitting object of Schwartzman's affections. For this film to work, you have to be willing to buy that so many people would be willing to make idiots out of themselves to win the heart of one, individual woman and luckily, King manages to embody that woman, much in the same way that Cameron Diaz helped to lend some credibility to the far superior There's Something About Mary. As for the star of the film, Devon Sawa doesn't get to display the flair of wild comedy that distinguished his work in Idle Hands (truly the only role to give him a chance to definitely distinguish himself from the current crop of 20-something pretty boys wondering around Hollywood) but he's still a likeable enough protaganist. If he doesn't get a chance to be as interesting as Schwartzman, he also doesn't allow this film to turn into Freddie Prinze, Jr. vehicule either. And while most of the direction is rather uninspired, there are still a few moments of inspired lunacy that'll either annoy you or leave you in hysterics depending on your taste in humor. (A bit with a singing gym sock is probably the best example of this.) These bits of inspired lunacy are too few and too far between to make up for the fact that this is -- overall -- a rather uneven mess of a film but, for what their worth, they're there and they certainly make the film a bit more interesting than most of the shlock being churned out nowadays.

Slackers isn't a great film. It's probably not even a good film. But it is a film with some great strengths to go along with its far too numerous flaws. If you're in the mood for this type of film, there are definitely worse ways to lose 90 minutes of your life.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: When all else fails.....cheat!
Review: Slackers is a story about three college friends, who cheat to get through the college. But one day, college nerd Ethan (Jason Schwartzman), caughts Dave (Dewon Sava), one of the cheaters, helping his friend Sam (Jason Segel) to cheat. Ethan blackmails them to win over the school's most popular girl Angela (Jamie King). But Dave is also in love with Angela so the problem occurs. It's either the girl, or helping the friend out of the trouble. But in the end, Dave, Sam and Jeff (Michael Maronna), destroy Ethans blackmailing and Dave also gets the girl.
It's a pretty funny movie and it's worth checking it out.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Slackers...Great Movie...Okay Cast
Review: Slackers is pretty much your average college romp film, only in this case, the bottom line is "Love brings out the best in people, even cheaters." A fairly well cast movie (especially Jason Schwartzman as a quasi-psychotic stalker, trapped in the persona of a campus geek), the story held some definite possibilities, but the movie really doesn't provide anything more than an interesting way to kill about 90 minutes. Not overly side splitting, as was Animal House, but not a complete waste of celluloid either, I found myself laughing out loud during a few scenes (most of which included Schwartzman and cameo players Mamie Van Doren and Cameron Diaz). So...if you're looking for the next academy award winner, this isn't it. If you have an hour and a half to burn, and enjoy fluff movies, this movie will probably sit alright with you. The DVD is devoid of special features, so unless you just have a penchant for collecting campus comedies, I would just stick with renting this one.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Funny...sort of.
Review: Slackers is pretty much your average college romp film, only in this case, the bottom line is "Love brings out the best in people, even cheaters." A fairly well cast movie (especially Jason Schwartzman as a quasi-psychotic stalker, trapped in the persona of a campus geek), the story held some definite possibilities, but the movie really doesn't provide anything more than an interesting way to kill about 90 minutes. Not overly side splitting, as was Animal House, but not a complete waste of celluloid either, I found myself laughing out loud during a few scenes (most of which included Schwartzman and cameo players Mamie Van Doren and Cameron Diaz). So...if you're looking for the next academy award winner, this isn't it. If you have an hour and a half to burn, and enjoy fluff movies, this movie will probably sit alright with you. The DVD is devoid of special features, so unless you just have a penchant for collecting campus comedies, I would just stick with renting this one.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Not to be confused with 'Slacker'
Review: Sophomoric hijinx that fail to score many points in the way of comedy. It was a disappointment to see Jason Schwartzman reduced to playing a gross parody of his 'Rushmore' role in this pathetic film, which barely lifts itself above bathroom humor, and then falls flat on its face once more. The object of desire in this peurile flick is Jamie King, who finds herself caught between a pscyhopathic nerd (Schwartzman) and a two-bit con artist (Sawa). You decide whose worse, but since this film is told entirely from the POV of the two-bit con artist you can guess who wins in the end. While it provides fodder for the overstretched Comedy Network, it is hardly worth buying on DVD.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Grade of B+
Review: The comedy Slackers features Devon Sawa, James King, and Jason Schwartzman. It also has Laura Prepon, Jason Segel, and Michael Maronna. Dave (Sawa) and his friends do many wacky things just to cheat their way through collage. Then Dave made his fatal mistake, having an arguement with Ethan (Schwartzman) over a seat. Ethan discovers Dave cheating and blackmails him. Ethan wants Dave and his two friends to help him get a girl, Angela (King).Slackers is an okay comedy. The plot is something different from other teen comedies that have been getting created lately. Even though it made less than five million dollars at the box office (4.8 million to be technical), you may find it as the unexpected hit comedy you've been looking for. You might also find it to be a horrible film. (See it if you like Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back) I give Slackers a CAUTIOUS recommendation.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Wheres Rushmore type quality
Review: The movie I just watched it was okay. There were two dudes going for the same chick one was some what I guess cool and the othe was nerdy. The nerd was played by Jason Schwartzmen and he mave as well been the movie because he was the only real bright spot. Some red head dude kept on cheating as did his two friends. The girls roomate was stupid and with a mix of many cuss words that somewhat lead to the nerdy kid also getting thrown out. As I said Schwartzmen is this movie completely


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