2/5 Painful to watch
  by Darrin D. Vernier (Centralia, WA USA)
My review is based on the first half of this movie because I was fortunate enough to fall asleep halfway through. In short this movie is a montage of people whom in real life I would either run away from or if it wasn't practical tell them to please shut up. I suppose people closer to the 'scene' would say I just don't get it and they're probably right but I don't want to. On the other hand if you like listening to people prattle on about Madonna's pap smear this may be your film.

5/5 Richard Linklater: Master of Inspired Aimlessness
  by Boy
SLACKER is a uniquely odd, funny, and thoughtful film, much like A WAKING LIFE, but with no absolutely no semblance of a main character or a unifying plot. If you loved WAKING LIFE, then I believe you will also love this film, which was Linklater's first feature.

The bonus disc is generous and interesting, and includes Linklater's first film, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO LEARN TO PLOW BY READING.

Anyways, the following is my favorite quote from this film which overflows with quotable moments. The scene concerns an elderly hipster (and self-styled anarchist) who offers words of wisdom to a young man who recently broke into his house and held him at gunpoint(!). The gun didn't work and the two men soon struck up an unlikely sort of friendship...or maybe kinship is a better word. Anyways:

"To those humans in whom I have faith, I wish suffering, being forsaken, sickness, maltreatment, humiliation.

I wish that they should not remain unfamiliar with profound self-contempt, the torture of self-mistrust, and the misery of the vanquished.

I have no pity for them, because I wish them the only thing that can prove today whether one is worth anything or not: that they endure."

I like that.

5/5 A Fan of Movie-Making is Rewarded with "Plow"
  by Rodrigo Umali (Arlington, MA USA)
This is a terrific Criterion DVD, and for the fan of Slacker, there is seemingly no shortage of resources. For fans of movie-making, though, I thoroughly recommend watching Linklater's "It's Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books", his first feature (in Super 8).

"Plow" is a meandering look at a meandering life, but when you watch it again with Linklater's commentary, you're treated to a great monologue about the formation of his career that is both inspiring and daunting.

In the "Plow" commentary, Linklater describes his obsession with film, and his initial forays into learning the technical aspects of film. He reminds the listener that he was no overnight success, that he had been "filming" things for nine years before Slacker came out. He says that no one wants to think about how they would have to alter their lives to put out something like Slacker. It's a humbling message!

As commentaries go, this is right up there with the DVD commentaries of Ridley Scott on Alien, Robert Rodriguez on "El Mariachi", and Paul Thomas Anderson on "Sydney" (released as "Hard Eight").

1/5 So, so bad
  by M. Behnke (Austin, TX USA)
Have you ever been accosted by a complete stranger and forced to listen to his pet theories on government coverups?
Have you ever been the only sober person in a room of stoners while they, ya know, wrestled with, like, life and $%#@?
Do you have a know it all friend, like Cliff Clavin from Cheers, who actually knows almost nothing, but doesn't let it stop him from talking non-stop?
Have you ever watched late night cable access shows?

Did you enjoy any or all of these? if so, Slacker is for you. If not, don't even think about it...or most any Linklater movie with the exception of Dazed And Confused.

5/5 PERFECT!
  by Rachel Ward
This movie is a must have. It makes you really think about what they are talking about in the movie. My boyfriend absolutely loves this movie along with another that is similar: Waking Life.