Review
JERSEY GIRL
Starring Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler and Racquel Castro
Directed by Kevin Smith
In Jersey Girl, Ollie Trinke (Ben Affleck) plays a New York music promoter, happy to be living in the lap of luxury far away from his cranky Jersey pop (George Carlin). He meets a book editor (ex-flame Jennifer Lopez), knocks her up, and then is forced to say goodbye when she dies of an aneurysm while giving birth.
Not to sound too insensitive, but Trinke’s loss is the audience’s gain. Together, Ben and Jen are a two-headed monster, begging to be hacked in half. The slaying happens mercifully early and Jersey Girl is all the better for it.
The film, still only a few minutes old at that point, then hits fast forward to about seven years later. Trinke, after giving up his fancy career (a decision that was pretty much confirmed when he pissed off a certain client named Will Smith), is now a blue-collar Ollie from the block living with his daughter Gert (Racquel Castro) under the same roof as grandpa Carlin.
Ollie meets a new love (Liv Tyler), but that isn’t really consequential to the storyline. No, what matters here is that little Gertie is planning a song for her upcoming school play. The event happens on the same day and time that Ollie has an interview with a major PR firm in hopes of getting back on the fast track in the Big Apple.
Will he give in to the lure of his old, superficial life or be there for his daughter? We’ve seen this kind of quandary before – it’s usually a play-or-interview circumstance or a chase to catch someone boarding a plane that defines such emotional goo.
That said, Kevin Smith somehow avoids many of the usual manipulative manoeuvres and delivers the goods with Jersey Girl. Oh, his fan base will probably hate him for it – this is a far cry from Smith’s typical unruly adventures. Yet, Jersey Girl is a remarkably poignant and mature take on a rather generic idea.
The last time the writer-director wanted to prove that he could do grown-up material, the surprisingly touching Chasing Amy, he enlisted Affleck. And even though the actor’s current popularity ranking sits about even with tainted beef, casting Affleck is a move that once again serves Smith well. True, given this concept, there’s always the danger of a precocious little shit acting all cutesy and ruining everything.
Thankfully, Ben doesn’t mug too much for the camera. And neither does the kid.
Hopefully, a parade of regulars (Jason Lee, Matt Damon, etc.) will be enough to give Smith devotees something to look forward to. I’d hate to think that the death of Bennifer is the one and only smile they get. |
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