Slackers
Features
Devon Sawa, Jason Segel, Jason Schwartzmann, James
King
Directed by Dewey Nicks
Genres: teen comedy, teen romance
July 22 - 28 2002 |
Slackers
follows the antics of a group of college test-cheaters who get caught
in the act by Ethan (Jason Schwartzmann), a disgruntled
co-student. Ethan tells them that, unless they can get him a
girl, Angela (James King) in particular, he's going to get them
expelled. The problem is, of course, that Angela doesn't like
Ethan. In fact, she likes one of the slackers, Dave (Devon
Sawa)! Shocking plot twist! And - oh no! - Dave falls
for her!
The film is a standard teen flick - with some funny bits and the
obligatory romantic subplot. On the whole, it's completely
unbelievable, yet mind-numbingly enjoyable - well, in a way. You
see, if you let your brain drop into mindless mode, it's an
occasionally entertaining film. While fart gags, peeing in the
shower gags, masturbation gags, and even getting beaten up by homeless
people gags all make appearances, you probably will crack a giggle at
some point while viewing.
Ethan, the over-exaggerated geek, is possibly the film's biggest
asset; despite the stupidity of the act, Schwartzmann plays the
character surprisingly well, in all his slapstick lunacy. In the
end, of course, it comes to a big confrontation scene where Ethan
spills the beans about Dave and the fact that he and his friends
collected a bunch of information about her behind her back (including
breaking in to her dorm and stealing her e-mails!), and things look
bad for our fabled slacker. He spends time reflecting on his
feelings towards Angela, and, in a silly sequence involving Ace of
Base's "I Saw The Sign", he joins with his friends to
perform one last "job". Of course, everything works,
and Dave bursts into the final exam room, explains everything to
Angela, and then they frame Ethan. In the end, the slackers are
expelled, but, in a scene that teaches us the true moral values in
life, they print off fake diplomas and still get to
"graduate". He gets the girl, they all stay friends,
and everyone makes the grade. What an unpredictable and edgy
ending!
If you liked Scary Movie or Road Trip, but can stand
a little romance stuffed in, Slackers may be for you. If,
on the other hand, you're looking for more depth, stay away.
Matt Shimmer [Vitals:
86 min; rated R; Alliance Atlantis;
released 2002] |
