Dead Man on Campus
Two desperate college roommates gamble their futures on a grotesque loophole that turns academic pressure into suicidal dark comedy.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Mild
- irreverent
- dark
- anxious
- late night comedy viewing
- college movie marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly found the premise thin and the treatment of suicide and mental illness unsuccessfully comic, though Mark-Paul Gosselaar's performance drew some praise.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Josh and Cooper discover and attempt to exploit a bizarre college rule granting academic benefits after a roommate's suicide.
The plot turns suicidal ideation and mental illness into the basis for an escalating campus scheme.
Cooper's nightlife, recklessness, and financial crisis pull scholarship student Josh away from academic responsibility.
Fraternity-house partying, pot, alcohol, and rebellious late-1990s campus behavior shape the film's comic world.
Films like Dead Man on Campus, and why
National Lampoon's Van Wilder
shared college setting, irreverent buddy comedy, adolescent excess, and dark comic premise
Road Trip
shared college misbehavior, crude humor, fraternity culture, and ensemble teen comedy energy
Very Bad Things
shared dark comedy, youthful irresponsibility, morally reckless schemes, and strong buddy dynamic
The New Guy
shared college-age protagonists, drug-fueled antics, and uneasy dark humor beneath a conventional comedy structure
Movie Details
- Director
- Alan Cohn
- Release Date
- 1998-08-21
- Runtime
- 96 min
- Rating
- 5.5 / 10 (168)
Cast
- Tom Everett Scott
- Mark-Paul Gosselaar
- Poppy Montgomery
- Lochlyn Munro
- Randy Pearlstein
- Corey Page
- Alyson Hannigan
- Mari Morrow
- Dave Ruby
- Mark Carapezza
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Dead Man on Campus about?
- Two desperate college roommates gamble their futures on a grotesque loophole that turns academic pressure into suicidal dark comedy.
- What is Dead Man on Campus like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Dead Man on Campus as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Dead Man on Campus violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Dead Man on Campus as mild.
- What did critics think of Dead Man on Campus?
- Critics broadly found the premise thin and the treatment of suicide and mental illness unsuccessfully comic, though Mark-Paul Gosselaar's performance drew some praise.
- Which films are like Dead Man on Campus?
- Films with a similar feel include National Lampoon's Van Wilder, Road Trip, Very Bad Things, and The New Guy.
- How long is Dead Man on Campus?
- Dead Man on Campus runs 96 minutes.
- Where can I watch Dead Man on Campus?
- In United States, Dead Man on Campus is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
