Starring Jason Biggs, Mena Suvari, Greg Kinnear, Dan Ackroyd, Zak Orth, Tom Sadowski, Jimmi Simpson, David Spade, Andy Dyck. Directed by Amy Heckerling. Paul (Biggs) is a really nice guy living in rural upstate New York, and has earned a scholarship to New York University. Leaving home for the first time, his family throws him a going away party, where his dad (Ackroyd) gives him some advice - in order to make friends, listen to other people's stories. He arrives in the big city wearing his Fargo-issue hat and doesn't exactly fit in. He has three roomates at his dorm, Adam, Chris and Noah (Orth, Sadowski, Simpson) and they are the epitome of snotty rich-kids. Partying all the time and not bothering to crack open a book, they spend their time trying to angle their way to the best GPA with least amount of effort. They also make no effort to get to know Paul, and sleaze their way into getting him tossed out of their dorm so as not to cramp their style with the ladies. In his first class, he arrives late and proceeds to fall down the stairwell. He sits beside a gothic waif named Dora (Suvari) who kindly provides ice for his knee. He takes a shine to her, but there's only one problem - she's sleeping with the professor Alcott (Kinnear), and is kinda in love with him. But he picks up some Everclear concert tickets and invites big Everclear fan Dora to go. Unfortunately she doesn't make it, and he later finds her passed out and sick. He takes her to the hospital, and then nurses her back to health. While grateful, she can't wait to get back to see her professor when he comes to pick her up. Heartbroken, Paul wonders whether she will ever really notice him. On the positive side, there is considerable chemistry between Suvari and Biggs, and both actors provide characters that we care about. Biggs is quite good, giving Paul a fundamental decency who even when he knows he's being played, refuses to fight back or sink to their level. Suvari is very attractive as the gothic free-spirit who plays in a bit of a sordid world to get by, but underneath is a sweet and giving person who, like Paul, too easily trusts those who would use her. Suvari and Biggs are both charming and make a cute couple. Kinnear is especially good as the callous, smarmy professor who likes to control his world and those that inhabit it. There is some humour which is often subtle, and usually gentle and amiable. We learn the wholesome message that it is better to be yourself than try to mold yourself to someone's idea of who you should be. You'll feel warm all over. And therein lies the problem. Unlike some of director Heckerling's past work, there is very little bite. Even when Paul discovers his roommates cannot be trusted and are just using him, the best he can do for revenge is to steal their date rape drugs and replace them with vitamin pills. He's just too nice a guy. Loser is a traditional romantic comedy, adhering to the genre's usual format. A nice guy meets a beautiful girl who is currently attached to a conniving but more sophisticated and often richer older man, who she loves but doesn't see he's just using her. She likes the nice guy, but they're just friends, not noticing the nice guy actually cares for her. Unfortunately, we've seen this story before. I suspect the target teen audience might not be too impressed. This film might be better appreciated by an older audience who can remember their college days. And although it does not rise too far above what we've come to expect from romantic comedies, the performances of the three lead characters and the warm and humourous dialogue make Loser watchable and a pleasant way to spend an afternoon or evening. If you would like to respond, please click the E-Mail Press Here To Go To The Review List Page