Slackers

Dave, Sam and Jeff are finishing their degrees at Holden University with a growing reputation for hustles and half truths. For four years they've winged it through campus life, turning clever schemes into a badge of honor as finals approach. Their carefree run begins to wobble when a self styled cool kid named Ethan enters the scene. He's an ambitious, socially awkward guy who falls for a crush and starts asking the right questions, threatening to expose their methods. As mischief escalates, plans unwind and loyalties shift, setting off a campus wide domino effect that tests friendships and leaves everyone scrambling to cover their tracks without betraying themselves. The trio realizes the web they've woven may snap back at any moment, forcing them to decide what kind of people they want to be when the dust settles.

Slackers was directed by Dewey Nicks and released in 2002. The screenplay by David H Steinberg is an original story, not an adaptation. The cast features Devon Sawa as Dave, Jaime King as Angela, Jason Segel as Sam, Jason Schwartzman as Ethan and Laura Prepon as Reanna, among others.

The film earned about 6,413,915 worldwide against a 14 million budget, marking a modest box office performance for an ensemble comedy released in theaters.

Slackers has a niche place in early 2000s indie comedy, helped by a then rising Jason Segel and Jason Schwartzman before they reached broader fame. It’s remembered by some fans for its cheeky campus vibe and the way it captures a moment when college mischief felt both bold and reckless.

Critics offered mixed notes, praising the brisk energy of the ensemble while noting uneven humor and tonal shifts. The film probes friendship, deception, and the price of clever schemes, with light romance threading through its buddy caper. It lands as a watchable but imperfect snapshot of dorm life.