They swore nothing could come between them. Then she came along.

Some films have experience success by shooting for their own niche, novelty or uniqueness. This isn't a film that should be considered great, by any means. Yet, I found myself entertained throughout the film and enjoying the characters largely due to the performances of the cast.

Jason Biggs brings a large part of his "American Pie" persona to this role. In other words, he's a "likeable loser" who's destined to fall in love. As his friends, Jack Black and Steve Zahn are a joy to watch...though Black is a bit restrained here. I would have preferred to see the Zahn/Black roles reversed...which would have been even more unique considering the ending.

Zahn always brings enthusiasm and energy to his roles, and this role is no exception. He largely sells a character that could have easily been a caricature. An appearance by R. Lee Ermey is wonderful here, along with a cameo by Neil Diamond. This is one of very few films I've seen where Amanda Peet seems perfectly cast...it makes me more intrigued by her as an actress.

Finally, Amanda Detmer does a nice job as Sandy Perkus...Jason Bigg's "one true love" and "almost nun." She does a nice job of conveying the aspects of her character without losing sight that this is a light comedy. Dennis Dugan, who has previously directed a couple of Adam Sandler's movies, seems able to add a sensitive touch to this film without losing the comedy flavor.

© Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic