Loser
So this weekend, after having a crazy, incredibly crappy week, I decided to get a little retail therapy and headed over my local mecca of used DVD's, Dimple Records. After some browsing, I was fortunate enough to come across the movie Loser, which I hadn't seen in awhile.
Loser is pretty much your basic teeny-bopper cutesy/funny romantic comedy geared at that wonderful 16-25 age demographic. But something about it is different. In spite of all the cliches and predictable plot points, there's a heart behind this movie, which makes it more enjoyable than most teeny-bopper fare.
The gist of the story is thus - dorky, awkward and kind-hearted Midwest guy Paul (Jason Biggs) moves to NYC for college, suffers from culture shock and snobbish, date-rape obsessed roommates. Paul strikes up a friendship with the down-on-her-luck Dora (Mena Suvari), but the friendship turns into a crush when Paul takes care of Dora when he discovers her unconscious after his crazy roommates slip her a date-rape drug. However, the thing that stands in the way of Paul's happiness is the antagonistic Professor Alcott (Greg Kinnear), who is having a secret, illicit affair with one of his students - Paul's aforementioned crush Dora.
Overall, the movie is pretty predictable, but the good performances from Jason Biggs, Mena Suvari, and of course, the wonderful Greg Kinnear make the films predictability forgivable. Jason Biggs shows he has the dorky, awkward but still adorable character down to a tee. Where other characters in this genre are flat, and two-dimensional, Jason Biggs gives a wonderful heart to Paul, and doesn't just focus on one aspect of his personality. Paul is dorky, yes, and he's a small fish in a huge pond, but he's also sweet and charming. He's extraordinarily naive but he's aware of this fact. In this regard, Jason Biggs makes Paul somewhat complex, and complexity is something that tends to be nonexistent in films of this genre.
While Mena Suvari makes her character likeable, her performance is lacking when compared to her co-star. Suvari nails the cute and carefree aspect of Dora, but when it comes to Dora's rough times, or her relationship with Professor Alcott, she falls a little flat. Dora is a nice person, not overly confident, but definitely smart and not nearly as innocent as Paul, however, Suvari has a hard time conveying this part of Dora without sounding like a whiny, obnoxious teenager.
Rounding out the cast is Greg Kinnear, who basically plays a total asshole. The thing is though, as Kinnear proves time and time again - he's fantastic at being a total asshole, in any movie. He's snide and condescending - he's the bastard you love to hate, which works especially well in this film.
I don't know what it is about Amy Heckerling (of Clueless and Fast Times At Ridgemont High fame) but she definitely does this genre well. Her films are quirky and hilarious and Loser is no exception. She breathes life into characters who, under other directors, might come off as plain and boring. The other thing is that she tends to write most of what she directs, so her personality shines throughout the story.
Loser isn't anything special - it's not impressive, and it's certainly not original (the plot actually takes from the film The Apartment, which is one of my favorite old-timey films) but it's definitely better than a lot of the other crap in the teeny-bopper genre. It's cute and funny, and for anyone who's gone to or currently attending college, you can relate to it.
It's most definitely worth checking out if you're ever in need of a mood lifter. And if that doesn't work, there are kittens in the movie!! Kittens are good for everyone!!
Loser is pretty much your basic teeny-bopper cutesy/funny romantic comedy geared at that wonderful 16-25 age demographic. But something about it is different. In spite of all the cliches and predictable plot points, there's a heart behind this movie, which makes it more enjoyable than most teeny-bopper fare.
The gist of the story is thus - dorky, awkward and kind-hearted Midwest guy Paul (Jason Biggs) moves to NYC for college, suffers from culture shock and snobbish, date-rape obsessed roommates. Paul strikes up a friendship with the down-on-her-luck Dora (Mena Suvari), but the friendship turns into a crush when Paul takes care of Dora when he discovers her unconscious after his crazy roommates slip her a date-rape drug. However, the thing that stands in the way of Paul's happiness is the antagonistic Professor Alcott (Greg Kinnear), who is having a secret, illicit affair with one of his students - Paul's aforementioned crush Dora.
Overall, the movie is pretty predictable, but the good performances from Jason Biggs, Mena Suvari, and of course, the wonderful Greg Kinnear make the films predictability forgivable. Jason Biggs shows he has the dorky, awkward but still adorable character down to a tee. Where other characters in this genre are flat, and two-dimensional, Jason Biggs gives a wonderful heart to Paul, and doesn't just focus on one aspect of his personality. Paul is dorky, yes, and he's a small fish in a huge pond, but he's also sweet and charming. He's extraordinarily naive but he's aware of this fact. In this regard, Jason Biggs makes Paul somewhat complex, and complexity is something that tends to be nonexistent in films of this genre.
While Mena Suvari makes her character likeable, her performance is lacking when compared to her co-star. Suvari nails the cute and carefree aspect of Dora, but when it comes to Dora's rough times, or her relationship with Professor Alcott, she falls a little flat. Dora is a nice person, not overly confident, but definitely smart and not nearly as innocent as Paul, however, Suvari has a hard time conveying this part of Dora without sounding like a whiny, obnoxious teenager.
Rounding out the cast is Greg Kinnear, who basically plays a total asshole. The thing is though, as Kinnear proves time and time again - he's fantastic at being a total asshole, in any movie. He's snide and condescending - he's the bastard you love to hate, which works especially well in this film.
I don't know what it is about Amy Heckerling (of Clueless and Fast Times At Ridgemont High fame) but she definitely does this genre well. Her films are quirky and hilarious and Loser is no exception. She breathes life into characters who, under other directors, might come off as plain and boring. The other thing is that she tends to write most of what she directs, so her personality shines throughout the story.
Loser isn't anything special - it's not impressive, and it's certainly not original (the plot actually takes from the film The Apartment, which is one of my favorite old-timey films) but it's definitely better than a lot of the other crap in the teeny-bopper genre. It's cute and funny, and for anyone who's gone to or currently attending college, you can relate to it.
It's most definitely worth checking out if you're ever in need of a mood lifter. And if that doesn't work, there are kittens in the movie!! Kittens are good for everyone!!