Slackers come as they are: lazy, unmotivated, and listless. Their happy-go-lucky attitude allows them to slip through life almost without consequence. On their own, they are regular bums, but together, they convince you that sometimes nothing can be a real cool hand. Working hard or smarter isn’t part of their vocabulary.
Slackers appear less than a minimalist and talk bolder than a sidewalk philosopher. Freedom is a compound word in the mind of a slacker; they are free to be dumb. Life doesn’t happen to a slacker, but a slacker happens to life. Slackers are no one and everyone, nonconformists, and above all, individuals who take it easy.
10High Fidelity (2000) - Rob
Buena Vista Pictures
High Fidelityfollows Rob Gordon, a record store employee. His passion for music proceeds him, along with his coworkers. The trouble is, he doesn’t sell many records. Rob is more concerned about his past relationships and how they failed. The longest relationship he had was for two years with Laura.
His taste for music and lack of commitment never aligned. Rob’s thoughts about Laura make him realize that what they have is real. He also realizes he can pursue his music career and be in a relationship at the same time.
9Singles (1992) - Cliff Poncier
Singlestakes place in Seattle, Washington, duringthe 1990s grunge scene. The alternative youth that dominate the city live in an apartment complex where a sign advertises “Singles” or one-room apartments. Cliff Poncier is a grunge rock musician who is more or less distant with waitress Janet Livermore. He lives like a free bird, and his rock n' roll soul cannot be denied. The unrelenting Cliff struggles to balance love and success with his mind on the music.
8Pineapple Express (2008) - Dale and Saul
Pineapple Expresscenters on process server Dale and his marijuana dealer, Saul. They both smokethe rare Pineapple Expressstrain before going back to their lazy lives. After Saul witnesses a murder, Dale warns him that their leftover joint was found by a drug lord at the scene of the crime.
A manhunt ensues for the tokers as they try to bring the criminals to justice. When they run out of gas in their car and get stranded in the woods, they sell more Pineapple Express to ride the bus, only to get arrested, kidnapped, and some people killed.
7Dazed and Confused (1993) - David Wooderson
Dazed and Confusedtakes place in 1976 Austin, Texas. It’s the last day of school, and David Wooderson is there to live it up. The seniors are hazing the freshmen, while the 20-something Wooderson is hanging with high school students. He loathes rules and argues the older you get, the more rules you get. He gets high, starts parties, and cruises wherever he wants to go in his souped up beater.
Related:Dazed and Confused at 30: A Look Back at Richard Linkater’s Inspirational Comedy
6Wayne’s World (1992) - Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar
Wayne’s Worldfollows the rock escapades of Illinois' Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar. They are the hosts of the public-access television showWayne’s World, shot in Wayne’s parents' basement. Passionate rockers, Wayne and Garth drive around their hometown of Aurora, cranking tunes, shredding axes, and playing hockey on their childhood street.
Related:Dana Carvey’s Latest Instagram Post Ignites Wayne’s World 3 Hopes
5Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989) - Bill and Ted
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventurerevolves around two failing high school students, William “Bill” S. Preston, Esq., and Ted “Theodore” Logan. The best friends don’t know it, but the future depends on them passing their history class. In the 27th century, society functions on themusic and philosophyof Bill and Ted, AKA The Great Ones, and their band Wyld Stallyns. To think that slack would evolve into a paradigm shift makes Bill and Ted the ultimate slackers.
4Clerks (1994) - Randal Graves
Clerksfollows the sedentary existence of store clerks. Randal Graves (is supposed to) work at RST Video, but blows off his responsibilities to visit his best friend Dante Hicks at Quick Stop Groceries. Randal is a slacker with anti-establishment leanings. He doesn’t become his job like the rest of his employers. Randal goes so far as to provoke Dante’s customers and lose business for him.
3Mallrats (1995) - Jay and Silent Bob
Mallratstakes place in a mall where two friends bond over their recent breakups with their girlfriends. Brandi volunteers to be a contestant on a dating game show after T.S. caused the original girl to work out until she dies from a blood clot due to a comment he made about her weight. They haveJay and Silent Bob(who have nothing better to do) try to sabotage the show with Rube Goldberg machine logic.
2Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) - Jeff Spicoli
Fast Times at Ridgemont Highhas one of the most lax slackers, Jeff Spicoli.The stoner surferis a fun-loving cutup in his history class, ordering pizza during a lecture. He trashes a football player’s car during a joyride and sports a No Shirts policy when dining at All-American Burger. Spicoli means no harm, he just wants to hang loose.
1The Big Lebowski (1998) - Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski
The Big Lebowskipresents the laziest slacker,Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski. The Dude transcends reality and expectations. His love of bowling reminds players that the pins of perception will be knocked down by the ball of enlightenment. The Dude seeks no glory or fame for his inadvertent creation of a religion known as Dudeism. The high philosophies of The Dude cost nothing and mean everything, man.
