REVIEWS
Saving Silverman
January 26, 2001 http://www.etonline.com

The director of 'Big Daddy' and the star of 'American Pie' join comic forces for the new pic 'Saving Silverman,' opening February 16. 

Darren Silverman (JASON BIGGS) had a secret crush on Sandy ('Final Destination''s AMANDA DETMER) in high school. When she moved out of town to join the circus, he figured he'd lost his one shot at love. Then along came Judith (AMANDA PEET from TV's "Jack & Jill"), a gorgeous therapist who connives and convinces Silverman to marry her. 

His closest friends, Wayne (STEVE ZAHN) and J.D. (JACK BLACK) are appalled. They think Judith is Miss Wrong -- and they're prepared to stop at nothing short of kidnapping her to stop the wedding. Will they succeed in 'Saving Silverman'? Our lips are sealed! 

Inspired by the real-life experiences of screenwriters HANK NELKEN and GREG DePAUL, the film is packed with laugh-out-loud, yet believable situations. According to director DENNIS DUGAN ('Big Daddy,' 'Happy Gilmore'), "It's as nuts and twisted as you can get. But we worked really hard to make the characters real and make the plot a real plot. I didn't want funny cars, funny locations or funny props, I just wanted a completely real world so that these characters can be twisted and crazy within that world." 

Jason Biggs (most recently seen in 'Loser') adds, "It was probably the funniest script I've read since 'American Pie.'" Of his character, Biggs explains, "I meet this girl named Judith and I immediately fall for her. Actually, she makes me believe that I fall for her. She's kind of my puppet master ... she has me convinced that she's my one and only someone." 

Steve Zahn ('Happy, Texas') portrays Wayne, who was born during a NEIL DIAMOND concert and who formed a band with his buds that only performs Diamond covers. He describes Wayne as "the ringleader" and "control freak" of the three-dude friendship, while 'High Fidelity''s Jack Black terms his character "a low-maintenance dude." 

To the delight of the cast and crew, the legendary Neil Diamond agreed to appear in the flick, and perform in the picture's climactic concert scene. Recalls Diamond, "I did 'The Jazz Singer' years ago and realized that acting wasn't something that I really wanted to do ... But [the producers] said to me, you are a real part of the story. So I started reading the script and laughed until the end of it. It was just too funny not to be a part of it." 

Life and art imitated each other on the set, as far as director Dugan is concerned: "The movie orbits around the idea that there's a 'one and only someone' for everyone out there ... I had always hoped that someone spectacular was out there for me, and it turned out to be true. The exact second that I first saw my wife ... oh, man, that was it ...[and it] includes getting the real Neil Diamond, who was the 'one and only someone' to play the part."