I’ve been hearing for years just how bad Jersey Girl is. It’s the butt of jokes and the director Kevin Smith talks about how bad it is. I’m a huge fan of Smith’s other works (Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, etc.) so I really wanted to see this one to see if it was really as bad as everyone said it was. I’m happy to say that I disagree with most of what I’d heard before I saw the flick.
Ben Affleck plays Ollie, a single father who loses his wife (Jennifer Lopez) as she gives birth to their daughter. Ollie’s world is turned upside down and he not only needs to learn to cope with life on his own, but also as a new father. Luckily his father (played by George Carlin) is there to help him through some really rough times. Liv Tyler plays Ollie’s new love interest as a sexually aggressive college student / video clerk.
The dialogue here isn’t up to Smith’s standard but then again not much is. It’s still far and away better than most out there. I definitely wouldn’t call this a comedy due to the morbid nature of the story but there is definitely some funny stuff in there. I will say that we don’t get much of an “end” to the story and as I’ve said before I’m a big movie ending guy.
I’m guessing that this wouldn’t have been nearly as enjoyable if I wasn’t a father. The interplay between Ollie and his daughter is priceless and really did carry the movie for me. So… if you’re a parent and enjoy some of Kevin Smith’s less vulgar stuff that you’ll probably enjoy this. If you’re looking for a bunch of “snootchie bootchie” then you’re in for a big let down.
