Loser (2000) Reviews

• Predictable, but still very entertaining

  spazierganger2000-08-02

  Yes, Loser is a very predictable film. Plotwise, it follows most other romantic comedy type movies. But still, there is enough here to make it stand out somewhat. Granted, being better than most teen romantic comedies isn't much of an accomplishment, but Loser is a good movie, even though I knew what was going to happen. I thought Jason Biggs played his part as Paul very well. He had the loser-like goofiness that inspired quite a few laughs, but you could also tell how much the character loved Mena Suvari's character, Dora. Greg Kinnear is also very good as Professor Alcott, Dora's love interest at the beginning of the movie. When all is said and done, Paul comes out as a winner, not a Loser, because he realizes that you don't have to fit in with everyone else to be "cool." That's what really sets this movie apart from lots of other recent teen movies. It does have a point. Obviously, it's not extremely deep, and it won't change your life or anything, but it's still good, and it makes the movie very worthwhile. I think that lots of people didn't like this movie because they were expecting something along the lines of American Pie, given that both Biggs and Suvari were in that. If you're looking for American Pie, you will not like Loser. Although billed as a comedy, there are some times when it's downright serious, especially further into the movie. If you want non-stop gross-out humor, Loser is not for you. If, however, you want to see a good romantic film, that's funny at times, but serious at other, just like real life, then I think you will enjoy Loser. Yes, the basic plot is quite familiar, but there's enough extra stuff to keep it interesting and make it stand out from the crowd of bad teen comedies that have been around lately. Rating: 8/10

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• Charming Comedy is No 'Loser'!

  cariart2000-12-09

  Amy Heckerling's latest teen comedy, 'Loser', is an old-fashioned charmer where nice guys finish first, sweet girls end up making the right choices, and pushy 'users' get their just desserts! Perhaps nobility is passe in films today, but 'Loser' makes a great case for working class heroes who succeed by 'doing the right thing'. Paul Tannek (Jason Biggs) is a farm boy who wins a scholarship to a college in New York City. Bright, awkward, and shy, and possessing the worst haircut since Adam Sandler's in 'Little Nicky', he accepts his family's celebration of his success with embarrassment, and a fear of failure, but his father (Dan Aykroyd, who is wonderful in his brief scenes) offers simple advice: "Listen to people, look them in the eye. Be a friend, and you'll succeed." Cut to New York City (which has never looked more beautiful), and Paul's worst fears are coming true. His dress is ridiculed, his roommates are 'too cool' jerks who take advantage of him while dissing him, and his instructors, particularly Professor Alcott (Greg Kinnear, at his smarmiest!) snub him imperiously. Paul is lonely and frustrated, which makes a simple act of kindness by fellow student Dora Diamond (Mena Suvari, in her best performance, to date) take on special significance to him. Diamond is a kindred spirit, although she has been manipulated into believing Professor Alcott loves her, and has become his clandestine lover. As both of their lives take downward turns (he gets thrown out of his dorm, she loses her waitress job), they develop a platonic friendship (he is far too much a gentleman to attempt to break up a relationship!), and the film becomes a game of guessing when these two terrific people will realize they belong together! 'Loser' features a lot of very funny cameos, by Andy Dick, David Spade, Andrea Martin, Colleen Camp, many others, and, to Heckerling's credit, these 'guests' never detract from the positive message of the film. This makes a great date movie (particularly if your date loves kittens!), and is a 'feel-good' flick you can enjoy again and again! I loved it, and I think you will, too!

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• Amusing and honest college movie

  Rourke2001-02-26

  Unfairly condemned by the critics, this movie worked for me as a comedy and as a somewhat dark look at the mores of college life. Our hero may be branded a loser, but he's definitely a believable three-dimensional character (with a heart of gold, naturally). The story takes for granted some unethical and potentially unsettling behaviour, and allows the characters to rise above it. Lets you smile throughout, and gives you some insights into contemporary life on campus without resorting to cliches.

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• If Only....

  amanda-my-lum2008-01-15

  Why don't nice guys like that exist in real life? Or maybe they do and are just overshadowed by the nasty ones. Either way, it's a travesty. I caught this movie on a late-night rerun, and it wasn't exactly what I expected. When I first saw Jason Biggs, I dreaded another 'American Pie'-type teen movie. My main complaint with the 'American Pie' series is that they rely a lot on crude, slapstick humour and placing their characters in wholly unrealistic situations to get a laugh. Surprisingly, not so in 'Loser'. The humour was more subtle, nuanced, with no proverbial big red flashing signs saying "THIS IS A FUNNY PART, LAUGH HERE". It was more genuine, gentle and affective - yes I mean affective with an a. We laugh empathetically because we know what he's going through, not because he gets caught with his hand glued to his penis. There are complaints that this movie is somewhat unrealistic, and I agree that the background characters (mainly Paul's dorm mates and the Professor) are pretty one-dimensional at times, but they're the support cast. They're just there to effect (yes, with an e) and support the storyline. Jason Biggs did pretty all right as the nice country boy lost in the nastiness of the city, and Mena Suvari's character complemented his nicely as the girl who makes all the wrong decisions, but is really trying to find her way. And besides, I think it's sad that this movie is considered to be unrealistic because the main character is so nice. Really shows what kind of world we live in if we consider niceness to be unrealistic. Overall, it was enjoyable, not very complex... a movie you'd watch to wind down from a busy day, or on a rainy evening with nothing to do.

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• A charming and sweet romantic comedy.

  jiangliqings2001-02-17

  *** out of **** Loser is a breath of fresh air considering the amount of vulgar comedies (American Pie, Road Trip, and Scary Movie) that have been released recently. It relies on little sex and profanity, but instead has its success rooted firmly in the acting and charisma of young stars Jason Biggs and Mena Suvari. The film centers around Paul Tannek (Jason Biggs), an all-around nice guy from a small town who is now going to college in a big city due to a scholarship he's received. His personality is a contrast to most people around him, particularly his roommates, who like to party all night and taunt Paul. Because of his kindness and his apt studying each night, he's considered a loser. Yet, not everything is bad for Paul. He's met a girl, Dora (Mena Suvari), in his European Literature class, and he develops a fast crush on her. However, he doesn't know that she's secretly having a relationship with the class's teacher, Professor Alcott (Greg Kinnear). After some mishaps involving a party, Paul begins to develop a strong friendship with Dora and his feelings for her begin to go even farther as he wonders if he even has a chance to have a relationship with her. A warning before watching this film: if you're expecting similar antics from Biggs in American Pie, prepared to be disappointed. Loser is a contrast to that movie. It prefers to develop relationships rather than put in some sort of sex joke, and it's all the better for it. True, there aren't exactly a huge amount of belly laughs in the proceedings, but it's always entertaining, fast, witty, and charming. As I said before, the movie's success lies squarely on the shoulders of Jason Biggs and Mena Suvari, and they're as good as ever. Biggs nice-guy performance is his best to date and he creates one of the most genuinely likeable and true characters I've seen in movies for a while. Suvari is equally appealing as the role of a girl whose also kind but is mixed up in the wrong relationship. The chemistry between them is strong and the best praise I can give this film is the fact that I cared for their characters and wanted to see them get together. The other performances are suitable enough. The other standout is probably Greg Kinnear as the professor, whose smug performance makes hims a character easy to hate. There are also appearances from well-known comics like Andy Dick and David Spade, and their brief cameos bring a few good laughs. Amy Heckerling wrote and directed this film, and while her script may be rather predictable, her direction is still good and she shows the same talent she had in the 80's. This may not be her funniest film, but it's easily the most likeable. Loser also has other little elements that work to its advantage. The film features a good soundtrack, playing songs that are actually appealing and also work with the scenes and situations it's played along with. With standout performances, excellent chemistry between the two leads, Loser is a great date movie and one you certainly cannot pass up if you're a fan of both Biggs and Suvari. This is definitely the most pleasant surprise I've seen in a long time.

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