Slackers

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Slackers

R

Released Feb 1, 2002

1h 26m

Comedy

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Popcornmeter

10%

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105 Reviews

50%

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25,000+ Ratings

Dave (Devon Sawa), Sam (Jason Segel) and Jeff (Michael Maronna) are about to graduate from Holden University with honors in lying, cheating and scheming. The three roommates have proudly scammed their way through the last four years of college and now, during final exams, these big-men-on-campus are about to be busted by the most unlikely dude in school. Self-dubbed Cool Ethan (Jason Schwartzman), an ambitious nerd with a bad crush, enters their lives one day and everything begins to unravel.

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Critics Consensus

Another teen comedy with little on its mind but moving to the next gross-out gag, Slackers strains for laughs and features grating characters.

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Robert Koehler

Variety

This debut for helmer and vid vet Dewey Nicks and scribe David H. Steinberg, a feverishly naughty revenge comedy, is awful and subversively spunky at the same time.

Apr 3, 2009

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Derek Adams

Time Out

If it's unlikely to stimulate the brain cells, it will almost certainly make you laugh out loud.

Feb 9, 2006

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Marrit Ingman

Austin Chronicle

The less said about this, the better.

Rated: 0/5

Mar 10, 2003

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Mark Steyn

The Spectator

For Mamie Van Doren's, think Harold and Maude with no humanity. For the whole picture, think American Pie with no laughs.

Feb 1, 2018

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Brian Webster

Apollo Guide

It's several good jokes, a whole lot of character development and some skilled direction away from crossing the line from moronic to crudely inspired.

Rated: 58/100

Jul 19, 2007

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Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

I found myself laughing a lot.

Rated: 3/4

May 26, 2006

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Blu B

It's just another dumb college romcom comedy from this era. Belongs right with Road Trip, Van Wilder, How High, and high school sex comedies of the era. It starts out kind of clever and you think it'll be a hybrid of a college comedy with a cool heist type plot. But no it just devolves into a romcom and college comedy that never really makes the two work together well. It bounes between Ethan and Dave's stories constantly and the humor is just dumb, flat, and sex stuff. The characters aren't that likeable. Ethan is clearly hammed up and over the top on purpose but I just found him so annyoing, the other guys all blend in, including the love interest. they act like Ocean's Eleven witty characters but are just idiots honestly. All sizzle and no steak. The music is boring, generic, dated, and forgettable. Everything else isn't good. It's just flat humor and sometimes it's feels like it rushes through stuff also like Dave & his girls bonding like the study group. Wow that lasted not even 10 seconds and we cut to them making out like wow. It forgets about the plot it set out with half the time too. Skip It. Only reason to watch something like this is nostalgia if you grew up with it.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

08/07/25

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Charles S

They squeezed in quite a bit of artistry and style into this movie despite how bog standard it sounds on paper. Still just a silly comedy, but with solid direction and great cast and music.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

05/07/24

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stephen b

I thought I had turned on a Richard Linklater movie. Turns out I had an extra "S."

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

08/12/23

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Audience Member

This movie is awesome, it’s a comedy, lighten up everybody

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

Full Review

Steve D

Not funny and with less heart than most.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

Full Review

Audience Member

The movie is fun to watch. It's got that weirdness In it that's silly, but worth watching on a rainy day.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

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Dewey Nicks

Director

Devon Sawa

Dave

Jason Schwartzman

Ethan

Jaime King

Angela

Jason Segel

Sam

Joe Flaherty

Mr. Leonard

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Synopsis

Dave (Devon Sawa), Sam (Jason Segel) and Jeff (Michael Maronna) are about to graduate from Holden University with honors in lying, cheating and scheming. The three roommates have proudly scammed their way through the last four years of college and now, during final exams, these big-men-on-campus are about to be busted by the most unlikely dude in school. Self-dubbed Cool Ethan (Jason Schwartzman), an ambitious nerd with a bad crush, enters their lives one day and everything begins to unravel.

Director: Dewey Nicks
Producer: Neal H. Moritz, Erik Feig
Screenwriter: David H. Steinberg
Distributor: Screen Gems
Production Co: Screen Gems, Destination Films
Rating: R (Sexual Content|Brief Drug Use|Strong Language)
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 1, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 27, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $4.8M
Runtime: 1h 26m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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