Jersey Girl

With the death of his wife during the birth of their first child, Ollie finds it incredibly hard to balance his career with his responsibilities as a parent. A slip up leaves him jobless and his father refuses to bail him out again. Kevin Smith drops the Jay and Silent Bob act for this heart-warming tale of parenthood.

I'm not sure what it is about Jersey Girl that impresses me the most. Is it Ben Affleck proving that he actually can act? Is it Liv Tyler exhibiting the same? Could it be the ever wonderful George Carlin once again shining? Or young Raquel Castro proving that child actors need not be forgivably poor?

I'm not sure it's any of those things, although they all serve to warm the Jersey Girl experience and help transform it from an otherwise formulaic plot. The most impressive thing about Jersey Girl, for me, is that despite writer/director Kevin Smith deviating from his usual brand of toilet humour, none of the wit and originality of his ideas have been lost in the transfer.

Jersey Girl is filled with cliché and Hollywood faux-pas, but Smith injects the film with a trademark touch that makes it desperately engrossing and perfectly enjoyable. It's a fine example of the bad-guy makes good storyline that Hollywood loves so much fused with the Smith charm that'll have you laughing and crying, all the time begging for more.

The charged pop-culture commentary we've come to expect from Smith is all here, as are the ubiquitous Star Wars references and sexual situations. It's hard not to laugh with and love the characters Smith creates; his cast bringing them to life with career-best skill and enthusiasm.

As far as Ben Affleck is concerned, its his roles in Kevin Smith films that stand out from his traditional blockbuster fare (Gigli aside), and in Jersey Girl he utilises every bit of the skill he's got to deliver an hilarious and, at times, touching performance. It's difficult not to fall in love with Ollie, the loveable rogue who can never get it right, and Affleck cleverly balances the comedy with the drama to create a fantastic leading man.

Smith regular George Carlin makes another welcome appearance, providing some comic relief throughout. However, it's during his dramatic moments that Carlin really shines. As Ollie's dad, Carlin is infused with as much charm as his on-screen son and is at his best when playing off Affleck. It's great to see him tackling some more challenging material, and doing it so well.

As Ollie's daughter Gertie, and Ollie's second-half love interest Maya, Raquel Castro and Liv Tyler respectively hold their own in a largely male movie. Quite an achievement considering the first is only nine years old and the second starred in Armageddon.

As Kevin Smith's first deviation from the Askewniverse that has guaranteed him a place in the hearts of pop-culture fans everywhere, Jersey Girl has a lot on its shoulders. Fortunately, it's every bit as enjoyable as his previous attempts, but much more mature. Kevin Smith has grown up, and he's grown-up well.

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