DANCES WITH FILM NEW YORK 2026 REVIEW! The vibes are wholesome and the masculinity non-toxic in writer-director-star Zach Schnitzer’s Loafers, an ensemble dramedy wherein 20-somethings navigate early adulthood and the changes it brings. The characters are fun and relatable. What sparkles in this comedy-drama is how refreshing it is to see a movie full of bros who buck the stereotype and possess the emotional intelligence to admit fault, communicate their feelings, and resolve to be better. All this in between bong rips and going on about how the mass media manufactures consent
Isaac (Schnitzer) and Cameron (Dan Haller) are roommates, but more importantly, they’re bros. They exchange “I love you” when one leaves, and a hug is always within easy reach. The good times don’t cease when Isaac’s high school pal Cyrus (Olemich Tugas) stays on their couch while apartment hunting, the duo now a trio of effusive camaraderie. This shared harmony belies what Isaac, Cameron, and Cyrus grapple with individually in the guardrail-less existence that is post-grad life: breakups, substance abuse, long-distance relationships, petty grievances, estranged parents, exes, and budding love. Can friendship survive all that?
“…shared harmony belies what Isaac, Cameron, and Cyrus grapple with individually in the guardrail-less existence that is post-grad…”
Loafers is a laid-back affair that jaunts along on the chemistry of its cast and the lived-in atmosphere that Schnitzer conjures. It captures those golden years where responsibilities are few and formative experiences many, offering 90 minutes in the company of good-natured friends who party, hang out, chill, mess up from time to time, but ultimately have their hearts in the right place. But it touches on some heavy subjects, meaning it falls somewhere between Richard Linklater’s talky hangout flicks and Kelly Reichardt’s quiet studies of life’s small conflicts. The dilemmas here are still those of people not long removed from adolescence, so don’t expect a grappling with life’s great questions or truly heartwrenching drama.
Not all characters are equally defined, but the constellations they’re arranged and rearranged into do enough to give them all purpose. Alongside Isaac, Cameron, and Cyrus, there’s also Cameron’s ex Molly (Marissa Marie) and her roommate Q (Ruby Sevcik), who gets sweet on Isaac to add layers to this criss-cross social circle. The true standouts are Schnitzer and Cevcik, who capture the giddy excitement of clicking with someone new. It’s tender and authentic.
Loafers marks a generational shift in the depiction of 20-something males as something more than emotionally stunted party animals, and for that reason alone, it’s worth a watch. This is the true bonhomie of bong homies with emotional maturity added in.
Loafers screened at the 2026 Dances With Films NY Festival.
"…worth a watch."
