The University Daily Kansan
Etc.
Section B • Page 6
Saving Silverman's humor lacks originality
By Rob Pazell
jayplay@kansan.com
Jayplay movie critic
It has happened to many of us. John Friend starts seeing more and more of Jane Girlfriend, and you and the rowdy old-school crew aren't seeing any more of old John.
The situation worsens when it's control freak Jane Girlfriend cracking the whip.
The all-too-common scenario is featured in an off-beat comical tale, Saving Silverman, from writing tandem Hank Nelken and Greg DePaul, who observed their chum's harnessing by his fiancée.
Darren Silverman (Jason Biggs)
and his best prizes Wayne (Steve
Zahn) and J.D. (Jack Black) grew up spending their nights showing themselves in beer and playing music in their band, Diamonds in the Rough, a tribute to the one and only Neil Diamond, who makes his first movie appearance in 20 years. Enter antagonist Judith Snodgrass-Fessbeggle, a sexy psychologist who becomes Darren's love interest. But as the weeks pass, Judith takes control of every aspect of Darren's life, eventually making him quit the band and drop Wayne and J.D. forever.
But Wayne and J.D. aren't ready to give up Darren without a fight, so they set off with a silly, slapstick plot to break up Darren and Judith. They first attempt off-beat, juvenile male pranks, but eventually graduate to a kidnapping. You can't help but feel for these hopeless guys, especially when Judith opens a big ol' can of Bruce Lee on them.
My favorite character, though, has to be the coach, played by R. Lee Ermey, who was immortalized for his role as Gunnery Sgt. Hartman in Full Metal Jacket.
When Wayne and J.D. can't find a solution to their troubles, they visit their former high school football coach in jail. Ermey successfully keeps his drill sergeant personality, but manages to be crazy and humorous at the same time.
Saving Silverman will make you laugh, but the humor doesn't really go above and beyond the PG-13
realm, sticking to old-school, slapstick jokes and exaggerating the old ball-and-chain plot.
Dudes, be warned. Don't send the wrong message to your lady if you decide to make it date.
— Edited by Jacob Roddy
Movie info:
Check out a review of Head Over Heels at www.kansan.com.
KJHK's movie program *Reel Talk* will feature a discussion of the film Hannibal and the Academy Award nominations at 6 tonight on 90.7 FM.
Saving Silverman opens in theatres tomorrow. Contributed photo
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MOLLY IVINS
Molly Ivins, a columnist for the Fort Worth StarTelegram, and author of five books from "Molly Irvins Can't Say That Can She?" in 1991 to "Shrub: The Short But Happy Political Life of George W. Bush" in 2000, will speak at 1:30 p.m.Friday,Feb.9 in Woodruff Auditorium Kansas Union.
Ms. Irins, whose thrice-weekly column appears in almost 200 newspapers, will receive the William Allen White National Citation of Merit at this ceremony that is open to the public. She will be a guest of the KU school of Journalism and the William Allen White Foundation.
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