Dead Man On Campus

(Alan Cohn; 1998)

Dead Man On Campus Poster

Starring:
Tom Everett Scott, Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Alyson Hannigan

"Roommate wanted. For a limited time only".

Tom Everett Scott and Mark-Paul Gosselaar play new roommates Josh and Cooper. Josh is the studious type, Cooper's the nothing-succeeds-like-excess guy - a lifestyle that rubs off on Josh and soon has both in danger of flunking out. But there's a catch: a clause in the school charter awards an A to students who suffer the trauma of a roommate's suicide.

So Josh and Cooper set out to find a suicidal roomie who is, uh, Most Likely To Succeed. There's no time to lose. It's a matter of life and death. And comedy.

This film is one of the funniest films I've seen for a long time! The satirical way they present university is spot on. From the woman giving out enrolement cards to the egotistical lecturer flaunting his own textbook. But that's only the beginning. After Josh and Cooper hatch their 'suicide plan' then the fun really begins as they try each depressed maniac they can find. With only three weeks till finals they have to rush and go for the real crazies. Then they have to push them over the edge. All this whilst Josh is trying to have a relationship and Cooper is trying to get very stoned. The Girls
The whole way through you are also trying to work out how it will all end. Most teen movies or just movies in general there is the obvious ending of the guy winning the girl which you know will happen before even watching. With this film you are more intrigued to see how it ends because for the guys to win, someone needs to die!

This film is slick, fast and funny. You feel sorry for Josh as his life slowly starts to fall apart as he succumbs to Cooper. (The problem is you can relate more to Cooper as we've all known/been someone like him - partying instead of working). But the real gem of the film comes in the form of the three "crazies". Most noteably the first potential suicide - Cliff O'Malley. This guy totally steals the show. He obviously came to Uni expecting it to be like Animal House but when it wasn't he tried to make it that way. Annoying his neighbours, getting arrested and being far too hyper-active and horny for his own good! The other two guys Buckley and Matt are good too. One is a computer nerd who is totally X-Files style paranoid. Thinking Bill Gates wants to steal his brain. The last is an English musician playing the part of the depressed rock star, although there is more to him than there seems...
The movie also features Alison Hannigan in a supporting role and cameos from Jason Segal and Linda Cardellini as Josh and Cooper's aggressive roommate and his girlfriend respectively.
All this plus this film features The Man - Zack - from Saved By The Bell. What more do you want? It has it all; Comedy, drugs, drink, cheating school, relationships and Zack! See this film!

The Girls Cooper & Josh The English Depressive
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"My name is Cliff,
Brother of Joe.
I got me some crack,
Now I want me some hoes!"

Cliff O'Malley