Loser (2000)

A mild mannered student from the country adapts to life in the big city after receiving a scholarship. This is a predictable comedy but a highly enjoyable one. Although not hilariously funny it's good to watch the relationship between Jason Biggs and Mena Suvari. Both leads are highly likable in this and Greg Kinnear is also great as the lecherous lecturer. The soundtrack that launched Wheatus to worldwide fame is an additional bonus. I have seen this film a few times now and have always enjoyed it. It's not that highly rated but everyone is allowed a guilty pleasure film. If you're looking for an easy to watch bit of fun then this is worth a view.

Amy Heckerling doesn't quite know what kind of audience she is trying to engage. If she's trying to show high school kids the problems and unexpected strife of college life in a metropolis, then she should have shown that world in a more focused way. If she's trying to be funny and quirky for the older subset than her characters should have been better written and less dickish. Besides being clinically underwritten, it's difficult to figure out who is the lead character, or at least the person we're supposed to sympathize with. Throughout the film we follow Paul (Biggs) and it seems that he is our protagonist. We feel for him when his dorm mates are mean spirited, when the girl of his dreams is misguided, and when everything tries to keep him from getting through school, but he lacks character development. He goes through hard times, but there's no resolution to be seen, and he doesn't change at all. Dora (Suvari) on the other hand has a mess of bad things happen to her, and then she changes her opinion about her relationship with her professor (Kinnear), which means she's the only character who evolves throughout the film. It seems that we should be following her, but then interwoven in her tale is that of Paul's, who just seems like some poor schmuck who never wins. Without any proper direction for our characters, and no change in their behaviors or thoughts on the world, there shouldn't really be any reason for this film to exist. It's trying to show the problems of college students, but it doesn't realistically depict them. Paul's three roommates are also pretty distracting, as they're rich, sycophantic rapists, who don't seem to get much comeuppance until the credits. Besides its plot defects it's also drab and very of its time, making this film a tiring slog.

Jason Biggs stars as the "Loser" a freshman trying to fit in at New York University. It has the usual likable loser who gets stuck around jerks and tries to win over a girl. It's been done many times before and it's been done better.Written and directed by Amy Heckerling, this is her first film since "Clueless" (1995). It only has a few funny lines and relies on popular music to make it entertaining. It has very little of the ascorbic wit Heckerling has shown in her other films. The best character was Greg Kinnear as the unscrupulous college professor with great banter. Biggs is his usual likable awkward self. Mena Suvari plays 'the girl' and as usual for Suvari she comes across as annoying and not nearly as smart as her character is supposed to be.If you are looking for the next "Clueless" check out "I Could Never Be Your Woman" (2007) it better matches Heckerling's potential. Or for a better version of this "Loser" genre, watch "She's Out of My League" (2010) or "Sydney White" (2007).

I really enjoyed this film! Its a real and genuine feel good movie which will undoubtedly charm you. Many films you watch once and never watch again, but for me i can watch this film many times and still get that same fuzzy feeling from when i first watched it.The acting is pretty good, I think pairing Mena Suvari and Jason Briggs was perfect as they'd already worked together in American Pie. The film is also more plot to it than most teen-comedy movies. It may not be as funny as the likes of American Pie, But it has many of its own qualities. Jason Briggs does really well and you end up really liking his Character, He does a really good job at playing Mr Nice and really charming you.Give this film a watch. You never know, you might just agree with me