Slacker (1991)

Director:

Richard Linklater

Writer:

Richard Linklater (writer)

Release Date:

5 July 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

Presents a day in the life in Austin, Texas among its social outcasts and misfits, predominantly the twenty-something set...

Plot Keywords:

Philosophy | UFO | Austin Texas | Anarchist | Terrorism

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Richard Linklater	...	Should Have Stayed at Bus Station
Rudy Basquez	...	Taxi Driver
Jean Caffeine	...	Roadkill
Jan Hockey	...	Jogger
Stephan Hockey	...	Running Late
Mark James	...	Hit-and-Run Son
Samuel Dietert	...	Grocery Grabber of Death's Bounty
Bob Boyd	...	Officer Bozzio
Terrence Kirk	...	Officer Love
Keith McCormack	...	Street Musician
Jennifer Schaudies	...	Walking to Coffee Shop
Dan Kratochvil	...	Espresso Czar / Masonic Malcontent
Maris Strautmanis	...	Giant Cappuccino
Brecht Andersch	...	Dostoyevsky Wannabe
Tommy Pallotta	...	Looking for Missing Friend (as Tom Pallotta)

Also Known As:

Richard Linklater's Slacker (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

97 min | 100 min (DVD)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:15 | USA:R | Canada:G (Quebec)

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

Detour Filmproduction

Trivia:

The "Anti-Artist" in the bar about 3/4 through the movie is a prominent Austin musician and spoken word artist. Wammo is a founding member in the band the "Asylum Street Spankers". The spankers have released numerous CDs and Wammo has also released several solo CDs. His music/poetry are either artistic or anti-artistic depending on your taste.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: In the dialog between the Ultimate Loser and Stephanie from Dallas (just before the Madonna-Papsmear-Girl arrives) you can briefly see a microphone coming from the top.

Quotes:

Disgruntled Grad Student: Every action is a positive action, even if it has a negative result.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in An Evening with Kevin Smith (2002) (V)

Soundtrack:

Seven Song

Genuine and deadpan deadpan and genuine

I walked into Richard Linklater's SLACKER not knowing for sure what to expect. I think that is the best way to experience this film. I wouldn't exactly put this film under 'Comedy', if I ran my own video store. I would invent the category 'Post-Film School Experimental Piece' and place it under that. Because that is just what it is, but don't let that repulse you. It is very interesting and has the power to warp you in what seems like one shot throughout a day and night in a college town of Austin, Texas.

The true life preserver of this film is the sure directorial hand and witty script of Linklater. I enjoy the matter-of-fact philosophy within the dialogue of Linklater movies, (DAZED & CONFUSED, BEFORE SUNRISE)it is especially heavy here. It's fun watching the weirdos in this movie, like the video-obsessed droid who prefers taped sequences over reality or the chick with Madonna's pap smear (eewww!!) But it's almost frightening when you come upon a character very much like yourself.

But the movie most successfully gives us a town populated by characters we actually believe are living their aimless life in front of us. Minute-by-minute plays that intricately connect into a long string of slacker beads. These characters belong to the counter-culture where neurosis comes naturally and there are hardly skeptics anywhere. Where conversations find the metaphysical levels of funny postcards.

Later in the future, we will trip upon this movie again and find it more as being a time capsule of the early 90s than a semi-experimental comedy by a director most known for his insights of the sub-culture living inside their own heads.