Loser

Paul is accepted into NYU on a scholarship and tries to win friends by being polite. His Midwest background and careful demeanor mark him as different among his new roommates. Chris, Adam, and Noah label him a loser and conspire to keep him out, which leads to his eviction from the dorm and move to a veterinary hospital.

The roommates ban him from hosting dorm parties, so they persuade Paul to let them throw a party at the veterinary hospital where he works. He reluctantly goes along with the plan to help their social standing. The party becomes a flashpoint that deepens his isolation and complicates his life.

Paul becomes attracted to Dora Diamond, a classmate with a troubled past who works to pay tuition. Dora had been working as a waitress in a strip club before she was fired, and she is entangled in an affair with English professor Edward Alcott. She asks Alcott to temporarily live with him to save on commuting, but he declines.

Paul invites Dora to an Everclear concert, hoping for a real date. That same night, Adam convinces Dora to come to a party at the veterinary hospital, where Paul works, with the plan for her to stay late. During the party, two criminals roofie Dora and she collapses.

Paul rushes Dora to the hospital after finding her unresponsive. Learning that Dora's emergency contact is Edward Alcott, he informs Chris the next day. Alcott denies knowing Dora when contacted by authorities.

As Dora recovers, she and Paul begin to develop feelings for each other, though Dora remains infatuated with Alcott. Paul struggles with the tension between his growing love for Dora and Alcott's hold over her.

Dora finds a new job and celebrates with Paul, but Alcott reveals that Chris, Noah, and Adam are blackmailing him for better grades and suspects Paul is involved. Dora's confidence wavers as the drama intensifies.

Paul steals Noah's supply of roofies and replaces them with placebos, a risky move aimed at undermining the blackmailers. He jeopardizes his own scholarship in the process but solidifies his stand against the trio. The act marks a turning point in his nonconformist stand.

Paul visits Alcott's office to inquire about Dora and is given his final exam as a take-home test. He declines to take the exam, jeopardizing his scholarship and forcing him to choose between his future and his loyalty. The conflict intensifies around his NYU future.

Dora overhears Paul on the phone with his father about missing her, which reinforces her belief in his genuine love. Alcott admits he learned Paul had nothing to do with the blackmail but still intends to fail him. Dora ends her affair with Alcott and begins a relationship with Paul, who has dropped Alcott’s course and will take extra credit to maintain his average.

Adam, Noah, and Chris' behavior spirals downward as their lives plummet. At the same time, Alcott is exposed for having an affair with an underage student and is sent to prison. Paul and Dora remain happy together despite the campus chaos.

The film closes with Paul and Dora continuing their relationship, while the other characters face consequences and the campus drama fades. Alcott's imprisonment serves as a backdrop to their continuing happiness. The final image is their commitment to each other amid the fallout.