Saving Silverman (2001) Reviews

• Funniest movie since Dangerfield's 'Back to School'!

  emilysmom2003-04-09

  Reading the other review, I just had to post the opposing viewpoint. I am a 58-yr-old well-educated woman, so go figure...I just HOWLED at this movie, I had tears running down my face. Haven't laughed this much and so unexpectedly since Rodney Dangerfield's antics in 'Back to School'. The sight gags were dead on, the whole premise of the loser worshippers of N. Diamond was hysterical and milked to perfection, and the send-up of misogyny was perfectly done. Actually, these three hapless fools were just perfectly pathetic and loveable in their own ways. The acting was wonderful....Amanda Peet was wickedly funny, and all three male stars were equally crass and deliciously low-down. Jack Black as usual was unnervingly disgusting and real. Neal Diamond was a wonderful parody of himself, without being condescending...he fit the spirit of the movie to a 'T'. The ending was great, reminiscent of the 'feel good' ending of 'Back to School'. Whenever I feel blue, I watch this movie and just can't help laughing. Maybe it just wasn't British humor (referring to the previous review), but this is FUNNY stuff.

• hilarious (watch the "R" rated version)

  sweet_love2002-08-05

  I don't know why I expected so very little from this movie (probably that since "American Pie" we've been getting bombarded with really weak rip-offs of the "teen, gross-out" comedy), but I shouldn't have; it's actually a hilarious movie. Jack Black & Steve Zahn are two of the funniest actors working today (and, I guess, Jason Biggs isn't so bad), and they carry this movie. There are so many funny jokes and situations, this movie truly is one of my favorite "stupid" (as opposed to intelligent, I guess) comedies. But please, oh please, if you plan on seeing this, you MUST get the R-rated DVD version, not the PG-13 one that was released in theaters and on most VHS copies. There are so many funny jokes and moments cut out of the PG-13, you'd be doing yourself a disservice. It's still funny, but you miss some good stuff. "Comingtoyaaaahaaaa..."

• Sexy, seductive, deliciously diabolical, hilarious, and witty film

  Catherine_Grace_Zeh2005-11-17

  In my opinion, SAVING SILVERMAN is a sexy, seductive, deliciously diabolical, hilarious, and witty film. Even though I thought that Judith (Amanda Peet) was a beautiful lady, she was a b****! I laughed really hard when Wayne (Steve Zahn) gave Judith a shock in her buttocks. Another part I laughed at was when Wayne gave Darren (Jason Biggs) all those shocks. Those parts were laugh-out-loud funny! When I first saw SAVING SILVERMAN, I was with a friend of mine, and all throughout the movie, my friend and I were rolling. In conclusion, I highly recommend this smash hit to all you Jason Biggs, Steve Zahn, Jack Black, or Amanda Peet fans who have not seen it.

• pretty bad but a lot of fun

  jlittlej2002-01-29

  Granted, Saving Silverman is not good movie. Jason Biggs is only funny as the American Pie guy, and even that act got old by the sequel. But Steven Zahn and Jack Black are two very funny individuals. A Neil Diamond cover band called "Diamonds in the Rough." I could laugh about that for days. And the crazy, gay coach. I don't see how anyone with a sense of humor could walk out of this movie feeling bad.

• If You're Feeling Down and Depressed, try a Dose of "Saving Silverman".

  ConDeuce2013-06-06

  "Saving Silverman" is about as far away from, say, "Citizen Kane" for film greatness as any film could. But it's not a clunker either. For what it is, it's a very enjoyable, occasionally hilarious movie pretty much guaranteed to give anyone a good time. Movie history (especially in the 1930s) is littered with small comedy films that were never meant to be critical, award winning films but made for audiences that wanted to laugh like "We're Not Dressing" and any number of WC Fields' films (Fields' "Million Dollar Legs" seems very similar in tone to "Saving Silverman"). Unpretentious, funny and entertaining films and "Saving Silverman" falls squarely into that category. It's dopey but harmless and frequently charming. All of the actors are in-synch and none of them hold back especially Amanda Peet as the woman from hell. She's beautiful and you can completely understand why Darren would fall for her the way he does. Peet's willingness to give it her all (especially at the end) is key to the movie working as well as it does. Any vanity on her part would've sunk the already flimsy premise but she goes into it wholeheartedly. Peet's not given enough credit here. Yes, Black and Zahn are great. That pretty much goes without saying. Biggs is well cast but he's essentially playing a male victim. The role is largely just his puzzled reactions. Last but not least is Amanda Detmer as Sandy in a role straight out of 1930s comedy: the good, down to earth girl who ever so slightly off her rocker (but in a good appealing way). R. Lee Ermey rounds out the cast in a silly but memorable role. Who would've thunk that the uber-intimidating drill sergeant from "Full Metal Jacket" would turn out to be one of the most reliable character actors around? "Saving Silverman" is a simple, funny little film. Not great but it was not made to be.