Release Date: March 26, 2004
Starring: Ben Affleck, Raquel Castro, Liv Tyler, George Carlin, Jason Biggs, Jennifer Lopez
Directed by: Kevin Smith
Written by: Kevin Smith
Distributed by: Miramax Films
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (language, sexual content)
Prior to Jersey Girl’s theatrical release, writer-director Kevin Smith and distributor Miramax were understandably wary of the type of reaction the film would get after Gigli, the other Ben Affleck/Jennifer Lopez drama, quickly became known as one of the worst films in recent Hollywood history. Confident that it was a better film (which it is) but afraid that harsh prejudice would kill it, Miramax decided to put as much space between Gigli and Jersey Girl as possible by delaying the latter for several months. While this may have been the prudent move from a financial standpoint, it is entirely baseless from an artistic one because Jersey Girl is a film that benefits from its characters and stars, not one that should be ashamed of them.
The change of release will hopefully help prevent most of the close-minded criticism or other negative bias that will surely be leveled on it. It’s actually a sweet and well-meaning film, if one that labors under Kevin Smith’s inexperience with this kind of tamer, more endearing story, something he’s trying for the first time.
Jersey Girl is, in fact, the first PG-13-rated film by Smith, after a career of edgier, R-rated comedies like Mallrats, Chasing Amy, and Dogma. This story has a far different flavor and is actually based on Smith’s own experiences as a father to a young girl. In the film, Affleck plays Ollie Trinke, who is presumably Smith’s alter ego and a man who puts his work as a publicist before everything else, including his fiancée Gertrude (Lopez). However, when she dies giving birth to their daughter, Ollie finds himself the sole caretaker of the child and starts changing his life to better suit both of their needs.
They move out of New York City to New Jersey, to live with Ollie’s father, played by George Carlin, who just like Smith has toned down his vulgar persona. As a result, he turns in a loveable performance as a father and grandfather figure, and he does rather well giving Affleck’s character and his ever-maturing daughter a supportive hand. But in a charming way, Carlin maintains his otherwise grumpy identity and adds a comforting touch of humor. Specifically, his character is “One of those things people call an ‘alcoholic,’” as he explains with thick sarcasm. Early in the film, Affleck points out that both Carlin and the baby girl each get a bottle every evening at 8:00, except that hers is filled with baby formula, and his with 12 ounces of beer. Beyond this, though, he continues to point his son in the right direction, helping him to mature as a father and as a man.
The characters are the strongest element of Smith’s screenplay. As always, there’s plenty of wit to the dialogue, but it’s the personalities that make it and the rest of the story sturdy. Liv Tyler plays an attractive and straightforward video store clerk who unfortunately has little bearing on the course of events, but her brief moments have her stealing scenes, like when she discusses sexual habits with Affleck and convinces him to go out on a date with her. She appears to be a perfect fit for the mother figure of his daughter, played impressively by 7-year-old newcomer Raquel Castro, but the focus doesn’t remain on Tyler’s character long. It sticks to Affleck and his struggle to keep himself and his family happy at the same time.
It’s this part of the story that is the driest, and though it may have a personal meaning for Smith, he doesn’t sell the audience on it. His witty observational humor is strangely absent, and it’s disappointing to see him settle on telling the too-familiar story of a father wanting a life his daughter doesn’t. The main conflict comes when Affleck is offered a chance to return to his New York lifestyle, and he’s so happy he forgets that it’s not what his daughter hoped for them. Basically, it’s the same problem that arose in movies like Three Men and a Baby, The Family Man, Cheaper by the Dozen and most other films that center on the adult-child conflicts of parenting and family life.
Some parts do grab our hearts, though, and again, it’s all due to the characters and the actors who play them. Despite being unoriginal, seeing the young Castro’s face light up with joy in the end is believable and will melt a few hearts. She plays well off of Affleck, who has a solid performance, too. In fact, his best moments come as his character struggles the most, which is a promising sign to all those Gigli-haters that the man is at least a competent actor. In one scene early in the film, the camera is tight on his face, and the subtlety and presence of his emotions make it’s clear he’s better off in dramatic roles, not the less respectable, comic-bookish ones he had in movies like Daredevil and Paycheck.
Indeed, Jersey Girl is a shot in the arm for Affleck, and aside from its occasional dullness, it’s also good practice for Kevin Smith, especially if he wishes to further develop his dramatic filmmaking skills. The writer-director knows how to get his characters bring the story to life, and that was almost good enough to make this film enjoyable. Regardless of anything else people want to say about it, it has the potential to help moviegoers get over Gigli and any other qualms against its stars, which is worth some respect in itself.
-- Andy Zientek (zfilm@earthlink.net)