Joel Silverman Movies

The familiar Cinderella concept gets a sun-splashed makeover in Death to the Supermodels director Joel Silverman's wave-riding teen comedy. The misfits of Laguna Beach high school have suffered more abuse than they're willing to take at the hands of in-crowd bully Tyler Masters (Ryan Carnes), and as the senior trip draws ever closer their hunger to seek revenge for years of humiliation grows too powerful to resist. Enter newly arrived high school student Jordan (Corey Sevier), a former east-coaster who seems to be having a hard time fitting in at Laguna Beach. When Jordan learns that the highlight of the senior year is the annual surfing contest in Costa Rica, he soon hatches a plan that will give the downtrodden outcasts a much-needed ego boost while simultaneously serving Tyler with a well-deserved comeuppance. In order to do it right, though, Jordan will have to convince outcast hip-hopper Mo (Sisqo), morose Doris (Laura Bell Bundy), skate-punk Taz (Miko Hughes), and virginal Larry (Lee Norris) to break for Costa Rica a week early and train for the competition under the tutelage of loopy former surf pro Rip (Harland Williams). It's not going to be easy, but if Jordan can pull the troops together and make this wild plan work, he just might manage to leave his mark on Laguna Beach High after all. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A man struggling to do the right thing for his child finds himself at odds with his family in this emotional drama. Tony Romano (Harvey Keitel) runs a successful clothing company in New York City; eager to share his good fortune with his family, Tony's daughter and younger son both have important positions in the firm, while his wife Fern (Mary Kay Place) has a solid business of her own running a flower shop. Tony's oldest son Jeff (Brad Rowe), however, lives in Los Angeles and is trying to get a career as a screenwriter off the ground. Jeff is already a father as the result of a short and ill-advised romance with a woman with poor self-esteem, and when he finds himself falling for Kelly (Rachel Blanchard), who works at a plasma center where Jeff sells his blood, history repeats itself and Kelly finds herself pregnant. Jeff and Kelly initially decide that an abortion would be the logical answer, but in time Kelly changes her mind, and Jeff feels he must handle his share of the responsibilities. Tony is convinced Jeff will be throwing his life away if he stays with Kelly to raise the baby (especially since Jeff admits he doesn't love her); while Jeff is determined to do the right thing for his child, he is torn between his need to face up to his responsibilities and his love for his father. Nailed was the first feature film from writer and director Joel Silverman. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi