Saving Silverman (2001)

 
SAVING SILVERMAN, and how's that for a dreadful title?, is a raunchy, 
erratic, anything-for-a-laugh kidnapping comedy starring Amanda Peet 
and her breasts as the super-bitch girlfriend of Jason Biggs' super-
whipped nice guy, whose abducted and pretended-for-dead by her beau's 
ex-communicated buds (her orders), Slackers Extraordinaire Steve Zahn 
and Jack Black, in a slapstick attempt to restore harmony both to 
their lifelong friendship and current Neil Diamond cover band.  (The 
latter-accompanied sight of the Three Caballeros in glitter and big-
wigs is near-priceless.)  Director and known hack Dennis Dugan (BIG 
DADDY, BEVERLY HILLS NINJA, PROBLEM CHILD, etc.) opts for a kitchen-
sink approach here, with sight gags, sex jokes, wild-animal attacks, 
pratfalls 'n' punching a-plenty, and what must be the greatest number 
of scrotal gags depicted in a single film.  (They... come in pairs.)  
Plus one romantic subplot, yawn, and several laugh-less-and-intended-
to-be extraneous flashbacks.  Scattershot to be sure and directed so 
loosely that the actors are occasionally caught cracking-up on-camera.  
But with the relentless enthusiasm of the leads, notably Zahn and 
Black, you're guaranteed at least a couple guffaws-- be it the simple 
silliness of Biggs' wearing Adam Sandler's WEDDING SINGER 'do, to the 
sublimely surreal sight of lunatic tough-guy R. Lee Ermry (the boy's 
former football coach) "doing his business" in the yard *and* reaching 
into the mailbox to complete the necessary "paperwork!"  (Love his 
earlier flashback speech, too, raving to "the troops" about women and 
their designs on stealing "man juice.")  Oh, and those with weak stom-
achs should beware a brief but gloriously graphic bit involving butt-
cheek implants.  And, for that matter, a later shot of Jack Black with 
his pants a little low.  Eek!  (Rated "R"/100 min.)
 
Grade: C

Copyright 2000 by Michael J. Legeros
Movie Hell is a trademark of Michael J. Legeros