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Movie Review - Jersey Girl
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(What this rating means)
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| Director: |
Kevin Smith |
| Starring: |
Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler, Raquel Castro, George Carlin, and Jennifer Lopez |
| Rated: |
PG-13 (language and sexual content) |
| Length: |
102 minutes |
| Genre: |
Romantic Comedy |
| Website: |
Jersey Girl |
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PLOT
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Ollie (Affleck) is a hotshot publicist with a hot wife (Lopez) and a baby on the way. Life is good.
However, Ollie's life is completely turned upside down when his wife dies during childbirth. Ollie
soon finds out that being a single father isn't easy, and when a lapse in judgment causes him to lose
his job, welp, all bets are off. Ben Affleck's crying and Raquel Castro's cuteness ensue.
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JOHNNY'S TAKE
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Note: I saw a screening of this over three weeks ago, so I don't know what, if
anything, has changed since then.
Just when you're having fun kicking ol' Ben Affleck when he's down, he has to go and release a movie that's
actually pretty good. JERK! Why must you keep salvaging your career like this?!?! Ah well, I'm man
enough to give the guy his props.
"Jersey Girl" is basically a father/daughter story. As you know by now (assuming you read my
wonderful and detailed plot description), Affleck has to learn how to be a single father. At first, this
consists of him forcing his dad (Carlin) to take care of his daughter. Dad eventually puts a stop to
this little bit of bad parenting, and Affleck is finally forced to assume responsibility. He becomes
even more involved once he loses his job. And that's where the heart of the story lies.
Critics aren't being very kind to the movie, and I know I shouldn't be, but I'm surprised. Oh well, I
liked it, and I know more than the critics, so take that to heart. Should *you* see the movie? Well,
I'll give you 10 reasons why you might want to consider it. Drum roll please!
*drum roll*
10. Unlike "Daredevil," "Jersey Girl" won't cause you to slip into a comatose state.
9. This isn't "Gigli 2." Yes, Jennifer Lopez is in the movie. But she's only in it for about 10 to 15 minutes,
and she DOESN'T DO A BAD JOB! So quit worrying.
8. Affleck does a good job as the emotionally confused father. He was particularly convincing in one scene
where he breaks down while talking to his sleeping daughter about his feelings for her and her mother. I was
completely ready to rip on the guy, but he made it hard to do.
7. His relationship with Liv Tyler is actually believable. It's not forced on us, and thankfully it isn't your
typical by-the-book, everything-is-hunky-dory fairy tale romance.
6. This isn't a typical Kevin Smith movie. A lot of fanboys are complaining about that, but I think it's a good
thing. Is Smith not allowed to mature and experiment? Does everything he create have to be crude and revolve
around stoners?
5. It's a good one for the fellas to take the ladies to. There's a good chance the gals may be reaching for
tissue at some point, and guys, that's the perfect opportunity to give them a shoulder to lean on.
4. Good mix of comedy and drama. Yeah, it'll play a little harp on ye olde heartstrings, but there's a good
deal of humor here.
3. The scenes where Affleck has to handle uncomfortable situations (such as when he catches his daughter and
her "boyfriend" being curious) are priceless. The scenes will make you laugh, and maybe uncomfortably
so, but that serves to get the point across more strongly.
2. 7 year old Raquel Castro. She's the real star of the show, and I think she's possibly the best child actor
I've ever seen. Very convincing. One minute she'll charm you with her cute little smile, and the next she'll
do her best to tug a tear or two out of your eye. Please note, I said *your* eye, not mine. *ahem*
1. The big cameo near the end. I won't spoil anything, but for me, it's the highlight, and it's
a great way to finish off a joke that runs throughout the movie. It's one of the more effectively designed
cameos I've seen in a while.
The movie is by no means perfect, and I can't recommend it to everybody. There are moments (including
some of the sexual dialogue and the pornography discussion) that will make some people uncomfortable. Parents,
keep this in mind before letting your kids see it. And sometimes things do get a little sappy, particularly at
the end. But overall, assuming you're not a movie snob and can ignore the "Gigli" fears, then you might just get
more than you bargain for.
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MAMA'S APPROVAL
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Chances are I won't be talking my mom into seeing this at the theater. It's PG-13, but it was pretty close to an
R at one time. There's quite a bit of profanity (mainly "s" words), and there's a good deal of sexual conversation
that you probably don't wanna listen to with your mom or a young child sitting next to you.
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TRAILER COMPARISON
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The trailer does a great job of letting you know what to expect. Check it out and feel confident that the trailer
and this review should let you know whether or not to see the movie.
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THE GIST
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"Jersey Girl" should be viewed on its own merits, not on what you expect from a "Kevin Smith movie." And its own
merits are pretty darn good. It's an enjoyable movie that has the ability to touch more than one emotion, and
if you're looking for something that isn't a factory-produced, cookie-cutter romantic comedy then you may just find
what you're looking for.
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