MOVIE SCENE
'Slackers' is waste of time, film

By Jack Garner
Gannett News Service

SLACKERS (Rated R for sex and nudity) No Stars (Very Poor) Dewey Nicks' film is the umpteenth teen or college sex and gross-out comedy. It's as stupid and inane as a movie can get; it's also a colossal waste of time and celluloid. Devon Sawa, Jason Schwartzman and James King co-star. Screen Gems, 87 mins.

Even fans of dumb sex comedies must see that this particular film is a tired, unimaginative and derivative variation of that already shallow genre.

Jason Schwartzman stars as Ethan, colossal nerd with no socially redeeming value. Of course, he loves the sweetest, most beautiful girl on campus (James King), but he hasn't a prayer of winning her affection.

Then Ethan discovers three fellow students cheating. Since they're considered cool, he blackmails them so they'll help him woo the girl.

The most attractive of the three guys (Devon Sawa) is assigned to befriend the girl, but falls for her himself. And she falls for him, as well, eliminating Ethan from the equation.

That plot device indicates that at least screenwriter David H. Steinberg knows the story of Cyrano De Bergerac. But that's the extent of this film's intelligence.

Otherwise, the tale is an excuse for endless flatulence and excrement and an embarrassing nude scene from 71-year-old Mamie Van Doren, and much, much more.

Dewey Nicks' direction is slapdash and episodic. Not a moment of the humor is fresh or funny; nothing approaches even the gross-out "artistry" of the Farrelly brothers. And none of the characters are even slightly appealing.

The only person who might think this stuff is funny is a 10-year-old boy who shouldn't be at an R-rated movie in the first place.

Rated R for sex and nudity.