Review of Slacker (1990) by Joanna N — 31 Jan 2008

Great concept and a range of personalities are observed. Clearly it intends to portray the 'slacker' youth culture Linklater was immersed in at the time, however I would definitely like to see a film in the same style but including a wider range of people - old and young, independent and familial.

.. people with different values and priorities. Slacker shows a lot of people with the same outlook whereas I would like to see a film that shows a more diverse cross-section of society, where the dialogue doesn't all sound like it comes from the same conversation, and where one sub-culture isn't glorified.

Furthermore where the essence of Slacker is in the constant, rambling dialogue, I would like to see some interspersed moments of silence, even awkward silence, to add another dimension into the relationships between the cameos.

Not that this is a criticism of Slacker, just that it made me consider how many films there are aggrandizing teen subcultures; Slacker, Dazed & Confused, Kids and so forth. There are many entertaining and insightful observations to be made about people in general; kids playing on the street, elderly people in a home, family friends who meet up just a few times a year, et cetera ad infinitum.