Jersey Girl (2004)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Kevin Smith

Writer (WGA):

Kevin Smith (written by)

Release Date:

26 March 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Forget about who you thought you were, and just accept who you are.

Plot:

After his career is sidelined from an unexpected tragedy and a personal blowup, a single man must take care of his precocious daughter.

Plot Keywords:

Baby | Publicist | New Jersey | Video Store Clerk | Public Relations

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Mon. Nov. 9	8:00 PM	AMC
Mon. Nov. 9	11:17 PM	AMC
Tue. Nov. 10	7:30 AM	AMC

Cast

Betty Aberlin	...	Teacher
Matt McFarland	...	Boy #1
Sarah Stafford	...	Girl #1
Paulie Litt	...	Bryan (as Paulie Litowsky)
Christian Fan	...	Boy #3
Victor Chavez	...	Boy #4
William Mace	...	Boy #5
Raquel Castro	...	Gertie Trinke
Ben Affleck	...	Ollie Trinke
Jennifer Schwalbach Smith	...	Susan (as Jennifer Schwalbach)
Jennifer Lopez	...	Gertrude Steiney
George Carlin	...	Bart Trinke
Stephen Root	...	Greenie
Mike Starr	...	Block
S. Epatha Merkerson	...	Doctor #1

Also Known As:

Fatherhood Project (USA) (working title)
Untitled Kevin Smith Project (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 on appeal for language and sexual content including frank dialogue.

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:L | Malaysia:U | Netherlands:6 | Portugal:M/12 | Germany:6 | South Korea:12 | Sweden:Btl | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:PG | Finland:K-11 | Hong Kong:IIA | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:NC-16 (DVD rating) | Singapore:PG (original rating) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12A | USA:PG-13 (re-rating on appeal) (certificate #39360) | USA:R (original rating) | Brazil:Livre

Filming Locations:

New Jersey, USA

Company:

Miramax Films

Trivia:

While generally not considered part of Kevin Smith's so-called "Askewniverse" series, the film does have one potential tie-in character/actor: Betty Aberlin portrays an unnamed nun in both this film and Dogma (1999), her role being substantially larger in this film.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Ollie Trinke exits the Holland Tunnel circa 1995, three American flags are suspended over the tunnel entrance. These flags were not put up until after 11 September 2001.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Teacher: Everyone, please take your seats. You heard the bell. You know what it means. Last week, the assignment was to write an essay about your family. Who they...
Teacher: [class: "Are!"] And what they...
Teacher: [class: "Mean to us!"] Excellent droning.

Movie Connections:

References "Great Performances: Cats" (1998)

Soundtrack:

Johanna

A new direction for Smith.

Overall this was a good, heartwarming and funny film from Kevin Smith, much different than his previous Jersey flicks. In typical Smith fashion, Affleck stars with cameos by Jason Lee and Matt Damon, and when Affleck's daughter wants to do a musical for her school talent show, she doesn't choose something sweet and simple, but a song from Sweeney Todd.

There are some cliched moments, such as Affleck being torn between a job interview and going to his daughter's talent show, and of course choosing the talent show and staying in NJ, but this was a pretty good film. Don't expect Jason Mewes and his homously foul mouth to be popping up anywhere, just expect to be pleased with Smith's ability to embrace the mainstream while playing fast and loose with the rules.