Loser (2000)

A college student, branded a loser by his roommates and booted from the dorm, falls in love with a coed who has eyes for their condescending professor.

Director:

Amy Heckerling

Writer:

Amy Heckerling

Stars:

Jason Biggs, Mena Suvari, Zak Orth

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jason Biggs	...	Paul Tannek
Mena Suvari	...	Dora Diamond
Zak Orth	...	Adam
Thomas Sadoski	...	Chris (as Tom Sadoski)
Jimmi Simpson	...	Noah
Greg Kinnear	...	Prof. Edward Alcott
Dan Aykroyd	...	Dad
Twink Caplan	...	Gena
Bobby Slayton	...	Sal
Robert Miano	...	Victor
Mollie Heckerling	...	Annie (as Mollee Israel)
Colleen Camp	...	Homeless Woman
Andy Dick	...	Another City Worker
Steven Wright	...	Panty Hose Customer
Brian Backer	...	Doctor

Storyline

Is there room in Manhattan for a decent kid? Can a young woman see past a cad to true love? Paul, from rural upstate, comes to New York City for college. To keep his scholarship, he must study hard and do well. That makes him a loser to his partying roommates who connive to kick him out of their suite. He's assigned a room in an animal hospital. In class he meets Dora, a pretty coed who needs a job to pay for school, and who's the very young lover of their sarcastic and selfish lit professor. When Dora is slipped some drugs at a party, Paul nurses her back to health, and a friendship follows. For Paul, though, it's more than friendly feelings. Can they work things out for them to become a truly lucky couple?

---

Plot Keywords:

loser | college student | male in underwear | condom | toothbrush | 

---

Taglines:

Dare to be different

---

Genres:

Comedy | Romance

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for drug content, crude sexual material and language

Details

Official Sites:

Sony

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 July 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Loser

Filming Locations:

Lower Bay Station, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,008,611, 23 July 2000, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$15,618,626

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$18,404,706

Company Credits

Production Co:

Branti Film Productions, Cockamamie

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In a February 2017 feature at The Ringer that interviewed Amy Heckerling and wrote about her entire career, Heckerling said that the main reason this film failed is that the studio insisted it be delivered as a PG-13 film even though it was intended by everyone else, from Heckerling to the since-departed studio executives who'd greenlit production, as an R-rated comedy. The studio said that R-rated comedies weren't welcomed by enough audiences and forced the film to be watered down considerably. Heckerling said the movie failed because audiences could tell it was not doing what it was intended to do.

---

Goofs

When Paul is approached by Noah who shows him the party drugs, Paul pretends to put them back in Noah's pocket to hide them from onlookers. Instead of doing so he goes to hide them up his sleeve so he can throw them away. When Noah leaves, he pulls the drugs from out of his sleeve. But before this, when he does the motion to put the drugs up his sleeve, his hand is clearly empty-with no sign of the drugs.

---

Quotes

Professor Edward Alcott: Paul, Adam, Chris, Noah - they're all my little honor students, but they couldn't get through a copy of Rolling Stone between the four of them.

---

Connections

Referenced in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)

---

Soundtracks

Welcome To The Working Week
Written and Performed by Elvis Costello
Courtesy of Demon Records, a division of the Demon Music Group Ltd.

User Reviews

Great American College comedy.

even bfor i saw this movie i was expecting an enjoyable watch, and was not surprised at the least,when i got one. with a really good cast of unkowns and a good main character played by american pies Jason Biggs, who holds the part of good hearted and kind LOSER who ain't used to the life in a city.

good thing bout this film is that it ain't a stupid slapstick film, its good comedy that manages to be pulled out of serious situations that are probly undergone by a rather large population of the college student era, i'm getting at drugs,parties and relations etc. worse thing bout it though is that it wasn't released at the cinemas in the uk and so was missed by a large amount of the public even with the famous Wheatus release.

anyways, rent this one cause its well worth the watch and if u'r a bit of a movie buff theres a cameo part by comedian DAvid Spade, but its only a tiny part that he ain't even credited for. have a good one ad bye for now.