Two guys and a movie, Part 2

Travis Call

Sooner or later every group of bachelors is forced to contend with the fact that a woman has come between them. It only takes one to completely derail the synergy that exists when single men band together, buy a big-screen TV and spend their free time doing nothing.

I always found it amusing when a roommate, blinded silly by love, made the misguided decision to bring his girl-du-jour home to hang out with the old gang. It never went well.

Trust me when I say this, Casanova – your friends don’t want your girlfriend around. It’s impossible for them to enjoy reruns of Silk Stalkings when both of you are awkwardly wedged into the La-Z-Boy next to them whispering kissy-secrets in each other’s ears. Of course, given time, love’s flame dies and the friend will return to the fold seeking comfort. That’s when the hazing begins – followed by a bout of intense womanizing. This is the only part of a guy’s relationship that benefits his friends. So it is naturally in their best interest to help the breakup process along.

This is the premise behind “Saving Silverman.” Before I saw it, I thought it would be a sure thing – silly, but still worth the money. I was wrong. This movie was the biggest waste of talent I have seen in a long time. The cast boasted some of the most colorful young actors around, but the story gave them little to work with.

Jason Biggs, famous for his romantic encounter with an apple pie in “American Pie” could easily have been replaced by a cardboard cutout. Biggs isn’t to blame. It was obvious the film’s creators used him only as an excuse for his friends, played by Steve Zahn and Jack Black, to act silly.

The story lacked the edginess required to make these kind of movies interesting. Unlike “American Pie,” it had no defining moments that make good films memorable. Every good comedy should give the viewer something they haven’t seen before – something they joke about for the next few days. “Silverman” had nothing.

The film’s only hope was yet another enjoyable performance by Amanda Peet. There’s something about her acting that makes her fun to watch. I always get the sense she really loves what she does. This, coupled with the fact that she is really hot, is likely to make her one of the most popular young actresses of this decade. Unfortunately, her radiance alone was not enough to save “Silverman” from being just another mediocre waste of time.