LOSER

"Amy Heckerling has to be one of America’s most subversive filmmakers. Having directed two of the most intelligent teen movies ever in Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Clueless, she returns to the genre again with Loser. While there’s a temptation to write this film off as yet another teen romance, there’s a lot going on just below the surface of Loser. Poverty, social disadvantage, substance abuse, date rape and corruption all feature in the plot; and are dealt with in quite a surprisingly subtle way. The central character, Paul (the "loser" of the title) is actually a winner in many ways; while those who seek to denigrate him are shown to be the true losers. Even Dora, played with a combination of wide-eyed innocence and worldly cynicism by Mena Suvari, who appears to be "cool" is pretty much a loser, caught in a situation not entirely of her own making. Jason Biggs backs up from American Pie with a solid performance in a role which offers him more depth than the earlier film. But the standout in the cast is Greg Kinnear as the erudite but sycophantic Professor Alcott. Whenever he’s on screen, he commands attention and his presence really pulls the film together. Watch out also for cameos from the likes of Steven Wright and David Spade. Loser is rather contrived at times (particularly in the weak ending) and doesn’t push the boundaries of the teen flick in the way Clueless did. But its heart is in the right place and if you’re prepared to give something back to it, you may well find Loser an unexpectedly welcome little film."
David Edwards

"How can we forget Jason Biggs, the pie-raping teenager in his first film, American Pie? He graduates to college in Loser, and confirms he’s about as sweet and wholesome as apple pie; a trustworthy face, simple features, and big puppy-dog eyes. It makes one wonder if his casting here - as a country-bumpkin struggling in a hip city - is just. How will audiences believe this kid would have trouble making friends anywhere - even girlfriends? The star of a movie about a goofball who’s the butt of everyone’s jokes should surely be a strange-looking dork - like the skinny kid in Road Trip or Eddie Murphy’s alter-ego in Bowfinger – and not a looker who shot to stardom in last year’s blockbuster comedy. A goofball would give the "loser" tag a little more credibility. Besides, this is the movies - goofballs rarely have American beauties like Mena Suvari falling for them. That’s the inherent problem with Loser; it’s a light-hearted, good-natured romantic comedy, but it fails to connect the dots. Biggs is just too likeable and energetic to be an authentic loser. The only real character trait that makes him "different" is his back-woods clothing. In fact, his abhorrent roommates come off bigger losers than he – with their try-hard fashions, hip-hop language, and fake tans. Suvari is every bit the beauty she was in American Pie and American Beauty, and the trust in her boyfriend professor – who treats her subserviently - proves as misplaced as Biggs’ trust in his roommates. It’s just a matter for the two misfits to find each other, and that’s about all we’re waiting for in Loser. It’s as lightweight on narrative and style as it is on humour. However, the chemistry between Biggs and Suvari is charming, and the performances are heart-warming enough to win us over. But in the face of the much funnier Road Trip and the quirkier High Fidelity, Loser, like its central character, will likely be lost in the crowd."
Shannon J. Harvey