Kevin Smith's sixth film, Jersey Girl, is actually his first outside of the New Jersey Chronicles. For those not in the know and their fingers far from the pulse, the New Jersey Trilogy are 5 films featuring Jay and Silent Bob. This film far from his normal rep of juvenile humor this film is a heartwarming tale of a man whose wife dies giving birth to a daughter, Gertie. The lead Oliver Trinke, played by Ben Affleck, an advertising agent to the stars, realizes he cannot continue his career and raise a daughter. So he tries to have his own father played by George Carlin raise the child. Things don't go that well from there and Trinke loses his job and must move into his father's house back in Jersey, and become a street sweeper with his dad. The movie then fast forwards to Gertie at 8 years old, and Oliver is now a much more loving father. Oliver is a loving father now, but he is extremely lonely, not being able to be with anyone after his wife. This leads to Liv Tyler's introduction, as the clerk of a local video store. This leads to Oliver opening up, and becoming an overall better person. My goodness that's a lot of plot, far from Kevin Smith's usual though great jokes. An enjoyable film, especially since it's dedicated at the end to Kevin's own Father who passed shortly after he completed the film.
A flawless transfer must have been all those Panasonic DVD players technology Smith was advertising for a while. Relatively no grain and little haloing. This is where it gets hard, since this is entirely dialogue driven all of the sound comes from the center with only music interludes going to the rear speakers. Overall it is a clear track.
Here's where things get good, as usual with Kevin Smith DVDs the commentary tracks are highly entertaining in themselves. 1st is a track with Smith and Affleck talking mainly about the tabloid press surrounding Bennifer, and Smith talks about the 3am girls the called him "Hobbit" like. 2nd is a track with Kevin Smith, (Uber-Producer) Scott Mosier, and (now-cleaned up) Jason Mewes. On this track they talk a lot about the film and their lives during the making of it, especially Jay who talks about his rehab and Mosier commenting on Smith and Mewes, Father Daughter relationship. On the disc is a 30-minute interview session with Kevin and Affleck, one of those 14-minute featurette where all they do is say how great the film is. And the best part the DVD is Kevin's Roadside Attraction sketches he had done on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Lastly are some text interviews for the film.
"Jersey Girl" opens March 26, 2004 and is rated PG13. Comedy, Drama. Written and directed by Kevin Smith. Starring Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Will Smith, Liv Tyler, Geore Carlin, Jason Biggs, Jennifer Lopez, Jason Lee.
