Watch Slacker

Slacker is a 1990 independent film directed by Richard Linklater. The movie paints a vivid portrait of Austin, Texas, in the 1990s, and is comprised of episodic vignettes that are loosely connected to each other. The film follows a group of twenty-something year old slackers, who are aimlessly floating through their days and nights, wandering through Austin's neighborhoods, cafes, bookstores, and nightclubs, engaging in philosophical conversations about life, politics, love, culture, and the meaning of everything.

The movie begins with a philosophical monologue by a man who seems to have a lot of ideas about the world, but he has no clear path in life. He rambles on about parallel universes, telekinesis, and other outlandish theories, which sets the tone for the rest of the film. We are then introduced to a series of characters who are all struggling in their own ways to connect with the world around them.

The film is shot in a documentary style, and it almost feels like we are watching real people in real situations, rather than actors playing roles. The camera lingers on the characters, and we hear their thoughts, opinions, and hopes. There is an emphasis on everyday life, and the camera crew follows the characters around the city, capturing moments of random chance and coincidence.

One character talks about her experiences as a local musician in Austin, while another character discusses his obsession with conspiracy theories. We meet a homeless man who sells his poetry on the street, a man who works at a convenience store, and a woman who sells used books. They all cross paths with each other, sometimes at random, sometimes intentionally, and their interactions lead to a chain of events that builds towards the film's climactic ending.

Slacker is a film that celebrates the art of conversation, and it embodies the spirit of the 1990s, a time when people were interested in ideas, and were not afraid to express them. The film is filled with long takes of characters talking about politics, philosophy, and culture, and there are some profound moments of insight and wit that are sprinkled throughout.

One of the most memorable scenes in the movie involves a character who talks about the history of a JFK assassination conspiracy theory. The character recounts how he came up with the theory in a dream, and how he then spent years researching it, trying to find proof. The scene is both funny and tragic, and it encapsulates the heightened sense of paranoia and disillusionment that permeates the film.

The film is also notable for its use of non-linear storytelling. The camera follows one character for a while, and then switches to another character, who picks up the thread of the story. The characters themselves become the narrative thread, and the film is like a living, breathing organism that grows and changes along with them.

Slacker is a film that defies conventional categorization. It is not a comedy, although it has many funny moments. It is not a drama, although it has deep emotional resonance. It is not a documentary, although it captures the essence of a specific time and place in history. It is a film that exists somewhere in between all of these genres, and it occupies a unique place in cinema history.

In conclusion, Slacker is an original film that offers a raw and compelling portrait of a group of people who are struggling to find their place in the world. It is a film that celebrates the art of conversation, and it captures the spirit of the 1990s, a decade that was defined by its intellectual curiosity and its willingness to engage with big ideas. Slacker is a gem of independent cinema, and it is a film that has stood the test of time.

Slacker is a 1990 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 45 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.0 and a MetaScore of 69.