Hank would probably have gone out partying even if he hadn't just heard that he won big in the state lottery, to the tune of two hundred million dollars. Just the fact that his girlfriend has given him the boot would be a sufficient cause to go out on the town, since he's the kind of guy who would turn a funeral into a celebration if he could. He is accompanied by his best friend, who has a stomach problem which keeps him from matching him drink-for-drink. It's not surprising that the news of his win has made his apartment into Grand Central Station for people hoping to profit from his win. However, the man his former girlfriend is seeing these days is somewhat unexpected, a very posh British type. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
Cast
Brendan Kelly - Hank Hansen
Vito Antuofermo - Homeless Man; David Carpenter - Duke; Michelle Jordan; Michael P. Moran - Lawyer; Julian Stone - Trent
Credit
Julie Rae Engelsman - Costume Designer, Ruth Ammon - Production Designer, Rowena Rowling - Production Designer, John Shepphird - Cinematographer, Douglas Katz - Producer
On an academic scholarship, Paul Tannek is a fish out of water kid from the midwest who arrives in New York City. Attending college at NYU, Paul runs into repeated complications and mishap after another. Worsening things for him is his three dorm roommates: obnoxious party animals who were born with silver spoons in their mouths and a pure lack of respect. When Paul is branded a loser and kicked out by his roommates, Paul settles in a room at a veterinary clinic where, by accident, he meets and falls in love with Dora Diamond (Mena Suvari), a fellow coed who is dating their unscrupulous literature professor (Greg Kinnear).
Reception
The film was met with mostly negative reviews,[1] with Roger Ebert giving the film only two stars.[2] It scored 4.3/10 at Rotten Tomatoes, with a rotten rating of only 25%. However, online film critic James Berardinelli gave the film 3.0/4.0 stars. Stating that film was one of the "pleasant surprises" of the 2000 film season.[3]
The film generated a total of $15.6 million in the US. It failed further when released worldwide, grossing a total of just $2.7 million. The film was therefore unable to break even on its production costs, let alone make a profit. Additionally, because film makers only receive half of the box office gross, the film would have fallen short by at least $10 million.[4]
Cameos
Loser contains several cameos, including David Spade as a video store clerk who advises Paul on which film to rent, and a cameo by stand-up comedian Steven Wright as the "bar dude". At the start of the movie, Dan Aykroyd makes an appearance as Paul's father. Andy Dick also has a small role as the "office clerk". Rock band Everclear also make an appearance when Paul buys tickets to go to their concert in an effort to befriend Dora. Several other smaller cameos include Colleen Camp as a homeless woman who helps Dora at the beginning of the film and Alan Cumming at the Cabaret scene (the male lead). Brian Backer, who played a similar character in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, makes an appearance as an emergency room doctor.
