Dead Man on Campus 1998

Monica Eng, Chicago Tribune: The material is mostly predictable, moronic and deadly dull. Read more

Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times: The trouble is that it's not remotely funny enough not to seem merely strained, silly and even disgusting in its ultimate endorsement of conning your way into academic survival. Read more

Susan Stark, Detroit News: Read more

Anita Gates, New York Times: All three would-be suicides are over the top and fun to watch. Too bad the film they're in seems to have been at least partly written and directed by Beavis and Butt-head. Read more

Lisa Alspector, Chicago Reader: This limp 1998 comedy tries hard to be both irreverent and ethical by suggesting that deceit motivated by self-interest is OK as long as no one gets hurt. Read more

Keith Phipps, AV Club: It's all handled so poorly that it comes off as more ghoulish than anything else, although those who find the word "bong" instantly entertaining and are easily distracted by the presence of flickering images may be amused. Read more

Paul Tatara, CNN.com: Dead Man on Campus, as you may have already wagered, is the kind of movie that's no good. Read more

Steve Murray, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Since we suspect that the premise will wimp out on any real follow-through, there's no one to care for, nothing to worry about. Read more

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: As a satire of new-style collegiate types, this MTV production actually evinces a few germs of rancid wit. If only the laborious high-concept plot had been deep-sixed -- and, along with it, the cynically blah heroes. Read more

Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail: If you have a roommate you really want to see suffer, here's a suggestion: Buy him or her a ticket to Dead Man on Campus. Read more

Dave Kehr, New York Daily News: Oddly, the troubled Cliff is more sympathetic than the two self-involved protagonists. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: It represents yet another reason to avoid the multiplexes until the late-year Oscar contenders start arriving. Read more

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: The overall premise, involving mental illness and suicide, isn't all that funny, at least not in practice, and the picture begins to seem labored and long. Read more

Joe Leydon, Variety: Dead Man on Campus is a modestly amusing trifle that merits a passing grade as lightweight entertainment. Read more

Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post: It is a movie whose appeal will diminish in direct proportion to the number of years it has been since you were a sexually-frustrated, pimply-faced undergrad. Read more