FILM-FORWARD.COMReviews of Recent Independent, Foreign, & Documentary Films in Theaters and DVD/Home Video
SLACKER
Slacker prides itself on taking the road less traveled. American indie icon Richard
Linklater's breakthrough film doesn't produce a story so much as the possibilities of
stories among a group of loafers in a lethargic Texas college town. There is an
undeniable charm flowing throughout the film. To define it would be to misinterpret it, as
Slacker is all about wonder, not about action.
In essence, Slacker feels and looks like a documentary about Generation-Xers. But the film was
sharply scripted by Linklater, almost to the point where if it had been improvised, you get the sense the
footage wouldn't be all that different. During the course of the film, the camera abruptly leaves characters
when our interest is on the verge of peaking and veers off, following others. Initially, this tactic may seem
abusive to the viewer, but rest assured, Linklater takes you where he does for good reason, finding
interest where you would least expect it. The film would like to beg the question, "What would happen
if we went that way instead of this way?" However, Slacker mostly gawks and
chuckles at its semi-fictional subjects. Most notable among them include a woman in possession of
Madonna's Pap smear and a man convinced that one of the moonwalkers spotted an alien spacecraft.
DVD Extras: "Showing Life," a segment among the casting tapes, joyfully exposes that Linklater's
inspirations for the film's characters are, in fact, minimally different from their on-screen portrayals.
Amazingly, Linklater's first feature-length film, It's Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books, is
included on the second disc. Another exploration of everyday life, the film is worth a look, although the
audio and video qualities leave much to be desired. The same goes for "Woodshock," a short film about a
local music festival. "The Roadmap" offers a ton of deleted/alternate scenes, including an extended cut of
the always-welcome aforementioned spacecraft observer. Also of interest is "End of Interview," which
follows the 10th anniversary screening of the film, complete with cast and crew updates. Michael Belkewitch
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