Loser MPAA Rating: PG-13 Entertainment: +2 1/2 Content: -2

Paul Tannek (Jason Biggs) has just moved from a quiet, family-oriented small midwestern town to the hustle and bustle of New York City to attend college. He knows the big city crowd will be different from his community, but is quite surprised to find hes more ridiculed than he thought. Some people look at him funny because hes polite and holds open a door for others. His three roommates despise him because he wont party with them. His English professor doesnt understand that hes trying to make a good grade the old-fashioned way with honest, hard work. Only Dora (Mena Suvari) takes any interest in him. But while Paul angles for a date with her, she tries to hold together her shaky and forbidden relationship with Professor Alcott (Greg Kinnear). Promoted as a comedy, LOSER turns out to be much more heartfelt and serious than many may expect. And while the two leads struggle to find any chemistry together, the movie has its funny moments and should captivate the teen audience.

LOSER, in more serious moments, plainly shows teens and young adults deep desire to be accepted into society. On several occasions, poor Paul is literally left out in the cold by a variety of selfish and thoughtless people. Not only do we see Pauls desire for acceptance, his three roommates want so badly to be a part of something, that they do anything their social group wants. Have wild parties? Absolutely. Consume excessive amounts of alcohol? Without a doubt. They even slip the date rape drug to women and, all the while, refuse to acknowledge the consequences of their actions. Additionally, an illicit teacher/student affair is referred to, with one scene of the two in bed. Several scenes in a nightclub also involve scantily clad women dancing in and out of view. Although light on obscene language, crude sexual references are often heard. However, the implied endorsement of pre-marital sexual activity, foul language and immoral behavior without consequence makes LOSER a well loser.

Preview Reviewer: John Adair
Distributor: Columbia Pictures, 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232