Post by StevePulaski on Aug 24, 2010 21:01:31 GMT -5
Ben Affleck with his daughter in Jersey Girl
Rating: ★★★½
After being known for ten years as the guy who was behind Jay and Silent Bob, Dante, Randal, and a number of other very memorable, highly developed characters, I see why Kevin Smith wanted to take a break from the View Askewniverse library of characters and wanting to take a different direction in film. We now see that he has the capabilities to write a Romantic Drama and have well established, loyal characters who succeed in the level of emotional value they are trying to achieve. Every character has a prime purpose, everybody in this movie knows how to act, not one person here is doing a below average job.
After watching films like Mallrats and Clerks you think Kevin Smith can only do Comedy, boom, he does a nice romantic movie about a man falling in love with a lesbian called Chasing Amy. Oh yeah, big deal, he can do two kinds of genres that sort of fit together, boom, he does a religious satire film and ignores the hate brought on it which we know as Dogma. Then he comes along with enough courage and hope and takes a complete detour from the characters we know and comes up with Jersey Girl a drama about a struggling Joe who cant make a decent, impressing move with whatever option he chooses. One person is always unhappy. Jersey Girl succeeds in it's goal of being a heartfelt, while having an Epiphany like effect on the viewer simultaneously.
Jersey Girl is about Ollie Trinke (Affleck) who is an average, loyal worker who's wife Gertrude (Jennifer Lopez) is pregnant with their child. She dies seconds after giving birth to their child. Ollie is consumed with grief he takes his child (also named Gertrude) to live with his Bart (George Carlin), his father. Ollie's father takes thirty days sick off of work to care for Gertrude and troubled Ollie After losing his job after an accidental outburst, Bart tells Ollie he needs to man up and be a father rather than neglecting responsibilities as a parent. Along the road of recovery and seven years later Gertrude is now grown and Ollie meets a girl named Maya (Liv Tyler) who works at a rental store Ollie and Gertrude often visit. Ollie and Maya have a connection and they start developing feelings for each other, putting continuous stress on Ollie trying to hold down a kid while managing a relationship, a job, and a family.
Jersey Girl puts you in the shoes of a man who is trying aiming for one thing, happiness, but continuing losing hope in that goal because of obstacles and things he cant get to without making a move first. Whatever mood he makes either causes a flaw and/or a contradiction by a family member, mainly Gertrude. Its a very sad movie, but is becomes illuminated by the fabulous George Carlin who serves as the film's comic relief in many places. Carlin gives an excellent performance in this and really seems to know what he's doing. He doesnt go all out with his dirty comedy, but really does provide some laughs and some loyal remarks to Ollie along the way of Ollie's recovery.
Kevin Smith has my sympathy sometimes. It seems whenever he wants to do a movie that stands alone and out of the View Askewniverse world he always gets flooded with panned reviews and rants and raves on why the film doesn't succeed in the genre of "a good film". This was his first film to not be connected with previous characters so I could see how people didnt respond well to it because they knew him from just the View Askew world. But when a guy wants to try a different style for the first time dont compare this to his previous films. This is a stand alone, beauty film. Dont compare it to anything of previous works. Zack and Miri Make a Porno was a fine, decent step away, and I have yet to see his latest work Cop Out which too takes place outside of the View Askew world.
Dont go into this expecting an all out, non stop laugh, crude joke, raunchy explicit dialog infested movie because you will be let down. The movie doesnt have many long dialog scenes but when Affleck and Taylor are on screen they make chemistry thats definitely noteworthy. The little girl in the film (played by Raquel Castro) gives a dazzling performance and for her being young in this she does a wonderful job and should have a bright future ahead. Her scenes with Affleck arent only well acted, but astonishing too which is the beauty of it all.
Jersey Girl has some minor cliches and little recycled items seen in every Romantic Comedy out there, but once more, its a highly enjoyable work of art. It maybe different from works of Kevin Smith in the nineties. But this is without a doubt a beautiful, inspiring Kevin Smith film which is highly underrated and absolutely wonderful. Not one of his bests, but as a Romance movie, a charm and a movie with a tender soul.
Starring: Ben Affleck, Liv Taylor, George Carlin, Jason Biggs, Raquel Castro, George Carlin, and Will Smith. Directed by: Kevin Smith.
