Jersey Girl Review
by Joe Lopez (Joemovie AT aol DOT com)March 22nd, 2004
Jersey Girl
***1/2 (out of four)
Review written by Joseph Lopez
Let's get some of the facts about the new Kevin Smith film "Jersey Girl" out of the way. Yes, this is Smith's most mainstream film, a slight step away from his Independent roots in films like "Clerks" and "Chasing Amy". And yes, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, the on-again off-again Hollywood mega-couple we're all sick of seeing, star in the film. Those two facts alone will likely stop many viewers from plopping down their ten bucks for a ticket to Jersey Girl. Long time Smith fans, cringing at the idea of their beloved Indy filmmaker manufacturing this piece of disposable pop, will surely steer clear of the film. The rest of the multiplex going public will likely shun Jersey Girl because of Affleck and Lopez. Who can blame them? The last time we saw the two on film together was in last year's "Gigli", the biggest American-made bomb drop since Hiroshima. To both audiences, the Smith enthusiasts and the Gigli-scarred general public, I beg of you, avoid your assumptions and give Jersey Girl a try. Otherwise, you will miss a truly great movie.
Affleck stars as Ollie Trinkie, a brass young Public Relations executive who finds his life turned upside down when his wife dies during childbirth. Ollie is left alone with his newborn daughter, stressing over trying to figure out how he can add the tiny diaper-clad kid to his high-speed life. The solution presents itself when Ollie, in a moment most PR people only dream of, insults a high profile celebrity client to the press, resulting in his termination and addition to the black ball list of the Public Relations world. Fast forward a few years, Ollie is living in New Jersey, with his father, fully enthralled with raising his daughter. When the opportunity to break back into the PR business presents itself, Ollie finds himself torn between returning to the life he once knew, or keeping things as they are.
The Smith penned screenplay is a stroke of perfection, delivering great dialogue and a number of really well set-up situations. Smith's directing is basically good as well, at the least it's up to par with his past work. Really Smith has never tried to show a unique eye or visual style in his films, he has that basic sense of standard screenshots, the sort of thing everybody from Ron Howard to Norah Ephron utilizes. If Kevin Smith will be remembered for anything, it is his ingenious creativity as a writer. The former comic book author definitely has the Midas touch when it comes to crafting screenplays. If the plot for Jersey Girl sounds a little too cliché, well it is. But that's half the magic of the movie. Smith takes the chestnut formula into his hands and molds it his own distinctive way. Watching Jersey Girl, you simply see Kevin Smith's fingerprints right up on the silver screen. This may be a mainstream movie, but Smith pulls no punches.
Here's a surprise, Ben Affleck actually shines in his role as a father who has as much growing to do as his daughter. This is easily one of Affleck's best performances, a true bright spot in his career. Especially after Ben's recent string of horrible turns in such rubbish as "Daredevil" and the aforementioned Gigli. The rest of the cast, including Liv Tyler, George Carlin, Jason Biggs, and Raquel Castro all add to the overall enjoyment of this film. One especially has to admire young Castro, who holds her own on screen against all of these well-established older stars. And yes, even Jennifer Lopez is good in her role as Ollie's eventually deceased wife. There's some actual chemistry between Affleck and Lopez here, shocking since they mixed like water and oil while on screen in Gigli.
Jersey Girl isn't the type of film that changes your look on the world, it simply looks to entertain for two hours. And it delivers. If I were a betting man, and ten bucks says I'm not, I'd assume Jersey Girl has little chance of being a box office hit. Between the turned away Smith supporters and the general public with Gigli still on the brain, it will truly be an uphill battle for this film to do well in theaters. And that disappoints me. Jersey Girl is a really enjoyable, dare I say "feel-good" film. If nothing else, it will make you laugh. That's good enough for me.
-Joe Lopez
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Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
