Jersey Girl (2004)

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

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
Jason Biggs	...	Arthur Brickman
Jada Copeland Goodman	...	ER Nurse
Alice Schaerer	...	Nurse #1
Brian T. Delaney	...	Nurse #2
Carol Florence	...	Doctor #2
Matthew Maher	...	Delivery Guy (as Matt Maher)
Robert McKay	...	Press #1
Ernest O'Donnell	...	Press #2 (as Ernie O'Donnell)
Cymande Lewis	...	Press #3
Dan Etheridge	...	Press #4
Mark Jwayad	...	Press #5
Jason Lee	...	PR Exec #1
Matt Damon	...	PR Exec #2
Liv Tyler	...	Maya
Charles Gilbert	...	Sweeney Todd
Charles McCloskey	...	Sweeney Victim
Matthew Cloran	...	Anthony
Tom Cleary	...	Comptroller
John Willyung	...	Townie
Edward Janda	...	Town Clapper
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Anthony Bosco	...	Party Patron (uncredited)
Louis Centanni	...	Talent Show Patron (uncredited)
Patsy Dougherty	...	Video Store Patron (uncredited)
Meghan Elizabeth	...	Town girl (uncredited)
Keith Moyer	...	Video Cameraman at Hard Rock (uncredited)
Anthony Parrulli	...	Concerned parent (uncredited)
Christopher Pickhardt	...	Reporter (uncredited)
David C. Roehm Sr.	...	Paulboro 'guy' (uncredited)
Antonio Saillant	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Charley Scalies	...	Townie (uncredited)
Faith Shin	...	Twin 2 (uncredited)
Hope Shin	...	Twin 1 (uncredited)
Harley Quinn Smith	...	Tracy Colelli (uncredited)
Will Smith	...	Himself (uncredited)
Ron Suchoplas	...	News Reporter / School Audience (uncredited)

Directed by
Kevin Smith

Writing credits (WGA)
Kevin Smith		(written by)

Produced by
Phil Benson	....	associate producer
Jonathan Gordon	....	executive producer
Laura Greenlee	....	co-producer
Laura Greenlee	....	line producer
Scott Mosier	....	producer
Bob Weinstein	....	executive producer
Harvey Weinstein	....	executive producer

Original Music by
James L. Venable

Cinematography by
Vilmos Zsigmond

Film Editing by
Olof Källström
Scott Mosier
Kevin Smith

Casting by
Diane Heery

Production Design by
Robert Holtzman

Art Direction by
Gregory Van Horn
Elise G. Viola

Set Decoration by
Diane Lederman

Costume Design by
Juliet Polcsa

Makeup Department
Pierce Austin	....	hair stylist: Mr. Smith
Juanita Bennett	....	additional makeup artist
Margot Boccia	....	makeup artist: Jennifer Lopez
Roy Bryson	....	key hair stylist
Kymbra Callaghan	....	makeup artist: Liv Tyler
Ardis Cohen	....	assistant hair stylist (as Ardis F. Cohen)
Diane Heller	....	additional makeup artist
John E. Jackson	....	makeup artist: Ben Affleck (as John Jackson)
Jeannee Josefczyk	....	key makeup artist
Sandra Linn Koepper	....	additional makeup artist
Kim Meyer	....	key makeup artist: Los Angeles
Donna Moyer	....	additional makeup artist (as Donna L. Moyer)
Judy Murdock	....	makeup artist: Mr. Smith
Peggy Nicholson	....	additional hair stylist
Patrina O'Conner	....	key hair stylist: Los Angeles
Ken Paves	....	hair stylist: Jennifer Lopez
Aaron F. Quarles	....	hair stylist: Liv Tyler
Janine Rath	....	hairdresser: Ben Affleck (as Janine Rath-Thompson)

Production Management
Susan McNamara	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dan Brillman	....	second second assistant director
Alyson Latz	....	second assistant director
Michael Lerman	....	first assistant director
Sophia Lin	....	second assistant director: New York
Daniel Lowe	....	second second assistant director: second unit
Derrick Tseng	....	first assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Karen Agresti	....	set decorator: Los Angeles
Tanika D. Brown	....	art department support
Skip Crank	....	assistant property master: additional photography
Stacy M. Flowers	....	art department support
Edward R. Geller	....	construction grip
Frank Grasso	....	construction grip
Mary E. Gullickson	....	additional set decorator
Jessalyn Haefele	....	prop support
Alicia Jacobson	....	charge scenic
Marion Kolsby	....	assistant art director
Lori Marks	....	scenic artist
Christopher G. Markunas	....	shop craft
Nicole Marsella	....	art department assistant
Tim Okamura	....	artist: paintings
Jim Orr	....	set dresser
Randy L. Parisian	....	scenic artist
Buster Pile	....	construction coordinator
Sharon Potts	....	assistant props
Eric Reichardt	....	lead painter: Los Angeles
Matias Rivera	....	lead designer: titles
Mark Rodriguez	....	set dresser: additional photography
Charles J. Scott	....	set dresser
Joseph Siwinski	....	lead man
R. Vincent Smith	....	property master
Jake Stone	....	set dresser
Sameena Usmani	....	art department coordinator
Gary Wattson	....	set dresser: New York
Hilary Frisch	....	intern (uncredited)
Steven C. Voll	....	general foreman: re-shoot (uncredited)

Sound Department
David Acord	....	apprentice sound editor
Christopher Barrick	....	foley editor (as Christopher 'Bear' Barrick)
John Burton	....	sound recordist
Travis Crenshaw	....	foley recordist
Sean England	....	machine room operator
J.R. Grubbs	....	sound effects editor
Chris Kellet	....	additional sound
George Leong	....	boom operator
Brian Magerkurth	....	sound re-recordist
Marilyn McCoppen	....	adr editor
Frank 'Pepe' Merel	....	foley mixer
Richard Murphy	....	utility operator
Tom Myers	....	supervising sound editor
Tom Myers	....	supervising sound mixer
Chris Navarro	....	adr recordist
Jonathan Null	....	dialog editor
Juan Peralta	....	sound mix technician
Joe Privitelli	....	ProTools engineer
Gary Rizzo	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Gary A. Rizzo)
Daniel Sperry	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Erich Stratmann	....	co-supervising sound editor
Eric Thompson	....	adr mixer
Dennie Thorpe	....	foley artist
Glen Trew	....	production sound mixer
Jana Vance	....	foley artist

Visual Effects by
Francisco Chaigneau	....	digital effects artist
Renee Dunlop	....	lighting technical director
Ahdee Goldberg	....	digital effects producer
Stephen Sloan	....	digital effects artist

Stunts
Sandy Alexander	....	stunts
Roy Farfel	....	stunt coordinator
Tom McComas	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Katherine M. Butler	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Mark Catania	....	grip
Tim Davies	....	grip
Glenn Davis	....	lamp operator
Sean Devine	....	dolly grip
Thomas Devine	....	rigging electrician
Jennifer Ann Henry	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera, Los Angeles
Gregory F. Johnson	....	grip
Jeffrey A. Johnson	....	best boy grip
Michael Kleiman	....	camera loader
Jeremy Knaster	....	electrician
Jordan Lapsansky	....	best boy electric: Los Angeles
Rob Mabin	....	best boy rigging electric
Michael A. McFadden	....	best boy grip: New York
Christopher Murphy	....	video assist operator
Francine Natale	....	generator operator
Neal Norton	....	camera operator
Bill O'Leary	....	chief lighting technician
Kyle Rudolph	....	camera operator
Darren Ryan	....	24 frame video operator
Leon Sanginiti	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Dennis Seawright	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Michael M. Silver	....	rigging electric
Peter Sorel	....	still photographer
Dan Turek	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Joseph D. Urbanczyk	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Jarvis B. Wilsher	....	electrician

Casting Department
Jessica Daniels	....	casting assistant
Elizabeth Greenberg	....	casting associate
Avy Kaufman	....	casting
Mike Lemon	....	extras casting
Mike Lemon	....	local casting
Maribeth Rubenstein	....	extras casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Eden Daniels	....	costumer
Mitzi Haralson	....	costumer: Jennifer Lopez
Cheryl Kilbourne-Kimpton	....	wardrobe supervisor
Meg Matthews	....	costumer: Ben Affleck
Kara Morasco	....	seamstress
Kathie Pierson	....	costumer
Frankie Ritacco	....	assistant costume designer
Penelope Laughman	....	background costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Francisco Bello	....	post-production assistant
Steve Calalang	....	dailies colorist
Joey Figueroa	....	post-production assistant
Terry Haggar	....	color timer
Vivian Hengsteler	....	negative cutter
Zak Knutson	....	post-production coordinator
Denise Marquez	....	assistant editor
Andrea Wertheim	....	post-production executive

Music Department
Bill Abbott	....	music editor
Matt McKenna	....	musician
Joe Rangel	....	source music coordinator
Jennifer Kes Remington	....	music pre-mix
Dennis S. Sands	....	music scoring mixer
Randy Spendlove	....	executive in charge of music
Erich Stratmann	....	music editor
Mark Jan Wlodarkiewicz	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Richard A. Davis	....	driver: Ben Affleck
Michael Dawes	....	driver
William McCleery	....	van driver
Derek Raser	....	transportation coordinator: Los Angeles

Other crew
Mikayla Abromowitz	....	script supervisor
Sheila Allen	....	production accountant
Charles E. Alston	....	assistant: Mr. Smith, Los Angeles (as Charles Alston)
Sunny Antrim	....	production assistant
Carol Banker	....	script supervisor
Cassandra Barbour	....	rights and clearances
Nicholas R. Bell	....	production assistant: New York
Andre Blair	....	stand-in
Barbara Branch	....	first assistant accountant
Chay Carter	....	assistant: Ben Affleck
Kate Chase	....	location assistant
Andrew Cinquino	....	production assistant
Rashad Clinton	....	production assistant
Kyle Cookmeyer	....	production assistant
Anthony DeFrancesco	....	production assistant
Anna Dobkin	....	assistant production coordinator
Josh Dorn	....	production assistant
Tim Downs	....	location manager
Robb Earnest	....	production coordinator: additional photography
Donald Erfert	....	assistant: Scott Mosier
Mark Esposito	....	production supporter
Lindsay Feldman	....	office production assistant
Megan Fenerty	....	production office coordinator
Julie Funderburk	....	stand-in
Matthew Gordon	....	production assistant
Steven Holtzman	....	assistant accountant
Jesse Hove	....	location assistant: New York
Robert 'B.O.B.' Izzard	....	security: Jennifer Lopez
Judith Jennings	....	studio teacher
Mark Jwayad	....	assistant: Scott Mosier
Christopher Kahn	....	first assistant accountant: Los Angeles
Kathleen Kelly	....	key medic
Cara Leibovitz	....	unit publicist
H. Skye Leslie	....	assistant production coordinator
Ian MacGregor	....	location manager: New Jersey/New York
Michael Mallick	....	production supporter
Ralph B. Meyer	....	location manager
Joey Naber	....	adr voice
Stuart Nicolai	....	assistant location manager: New York
Kenyon Noble	....	production assistant
Taylor Norton	....	production assistant
Jason Pinardo	....	assistant location manager
Sharon Pinkenson	....	film commissioner
Thomas R. Polleri	....	location scout
Molly Proctor	....	payroll accountant
Tiana Rios	....	assistant: Jennifer Lopez
Eric Ian Robinson	....	assistant: Harvey Weinstein
Jon Rocks	....	production assistant
Ahmed Saker	....	key set medic
Brian Scheeler	....	production office intern
Laura Sevier	....	rights and clearances
Oren Sol	....	production assistant
Gail Stanley	....	assistant: Kevin Smith
Millie Taylor	....	production assistant
Antony Teofilo	....	on-set interviews
Chere Theriot	....	production secretary
Trisha Ward	....	assistant: Liv Tyler
Trisha Ward	....	talent liaison
Anne Wilson	....	location accountant
Dave Zarenkiewicz	....	production assistant
Lavinia Zetina	....	first assistant accountant: re-shoots

Production Companies

• Miramax Films
• View Askew Productions
• Beverly Detroit
• Close Call Films

Distributors

• Miramax Films (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2004) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2004) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2004) (Luxembourg) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2004) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• SPI International (2005) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• TFM Distribution (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• Toshiba Entertainment (2005) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Village Films (2004) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Compagnia Distribuzione Internazionale (CDI) (2004) (Italy) (all media)
• Gativideo (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Imagem Filmes (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Imagem Filmes (2005) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Miramax Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD) (VHS)
• Nordisk Film (2004) (Sweden) (all media)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Reality Check Studios (visual effects)
• Howard Anderson Company, The (opticals)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Entertainment Clearances  rights and clearances
• Mike Lemon Casting  extras and local casting
• NT Audio Visual  optical soundtrack negative (as NT Audio)
• NT Audio Visual  video dailies post-production (as NT Video)
• NT Video  video dailies post-production
• National Event Services  set security
• Paskal Lighting  lighting equipment
• Rockbottom Rentals  cell phone rentals
• Signet Sound Studio  music mixed at (as Signet Sound)
• Skylark Sound Studios  sound recording and editing (foreign dub: French)
• Skywalker Sound  post-production sound services
• Studio X  music scored at

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:

A copy of Scream 3 (2000) is visible in the background as Ollie talks to Maya about the town meeting. Kevin Smith had a small cameo in Scream 3 as Silent Bob.

Goofs:

Continuity: The neck on Will Smith's turtle neck when Ollie is talking to him at the office.

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 From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)

Soundtrack:

Parents Just Don't Understand

Review the movie for what it is, not for what Smith and Affleck have done previously.

Jersey Girl is an average, mildy entertaining romantic comedy. Ben Affleck's performance is just fine as both a slick record executive, and a sentimental single father. Jennifer Lopez is good as Affleck's wife. Her death is still emotional even though we all knew it was coming. Raquel Castro is remarkably unannoying as the daughter. Like many, I tend to find supposedly cute kids more annoying than cute. Raquel Castro manages to give a real performance even though some of her reactions are clearly forced.

Even though I found the acting okay overall, there was one scene I just could not stand. Does there have to be scene in every movie with kids where they tell a parent "I hate you?" As Roger Ebert pointed out, Jersey Girl includes a parent rushing to a school play, and a slow clap, but neither are as bad a movie cliche as a kid screaming "I hate you" while a bad 80's ballad begins to play.

That brings me to my next point about Jersey Girl. The songs just overtake the entire story. There's actually one point in the movie where a song is playing...the song stops...Affleck has an emotional moment with the kid...the same song starts over again. The dialogue gets in the way of the song. If Kevin Smith is such a great writer, then he needs to let his words explain the movie, not a group of bad songs.

That being said, I did enjoy this movie overall. Affleck and George Carlin have some funny moments with and without the daughter. The two guys who are not Gertie's uncles are funny. I particularly enjoyed the "cameo" from Will Smith. I hesitate to call it a cameo even though he is only in one scene. In this one scene, The Fresh Prince sets Affleck straight and basically sets up the resolution of the movie.

After seeing Jersey Girl, I tried to think of what this movie would have been without all the Bennifer hype. I think they would have marketed the movie completely differently, and it would have been downright shocking when J-Lo died and didn't appear again in the movie. Imagine the heads turning in the theater as people think "what, she's dead?" I'm sure this was Smith's intention when they started casting and shooting the movie. Seeing him on talk shows, you can see through his joking that he was upset about being forced to edit the movie based on the media blitz.