- Alright, let’s not delay with any chit-chat here, let’s get some more of these Jersey Girl reviews up for ya’ll to check out (namely ‘cuz it’s Friday night, and that means party time…after taking in Jersey Girl, of course!) Heeeere we go:
…If Jersey Girl is soft, by Smith’s standards, it is not just a string of cliches. Even when following a story arc that could just as well be found in a conventional Hollywood movie, Smith twists things just enough to make the experience seem unique and new. That is a nice trick in an almost-mainstream movie — yet Smith can still maintain he did not sell out.
The challenge, however, is getting the public to believe that Jersey Girl stands on its own, separate from the Razzie-winning Gigli, free from the legacy that is Bennifer. Give the girl a break.
CINEMA CONFIDENTIAL (Thomas Chau) (***)
…Some of the scenes were so witty and you could see Smith’s mark on the script. Not only does Gertie’s school performance include a scene from “Sweeney Todd” but there is a scene in which Affleck attempts to get a job in the city only to bump heads with PR execs (Matt Damon and Jason Lee) interviewing him solely on a bet with no intent on hiring him. All of these humorous situations along with wonderfully suggestive banter between Tyler and Affleck in a diner make this film unlike any other cheesy romantic film out there.
105.9 THE X (PITTSBURGH) (*****) “Ben Affleck Shines in ‘Jersey Girl'”
The writer-director avoids falling into the over-sentimentality trap by populating his film with refreshing and often eccentric characters. As tough but tender Bart, Carlin shows he really can act. Tyler shakes up her image as the earthy Maya. Lopez is luminous in her few scenes.
Mike Starr’s Block and Stephen Root’s Greenie are perfect as sidekicks and sight gags. And newcomer Castro is what’s often referred to as a pistol. Or a firecracker. Either way, she’s an explosive little talent.
“Jersey Girl” is even better than the sum of its parts, and its parts are marvelous. (It even gets a musical seal of approval from the Garden State’s favorite rocker son.) Anyone who’s dreamed, anyone who’s loved, will fall in love with “Jersey Girl.”
CINEMAZING (*****) “Ben Affleck Shines in ‘Jersey Girl'”
The writer-director avoids falling into the over-sentimentality trap by populating his film with refreshing and often eccentric characters. As tough but tender Bart, Carlin shows he really can act. Tyler shakes up her image as the earthy Maya. Lopez is luminous in her few scenes.
Mike Starr’s Block and Stephen Root’s Greenie are perfect as sidekicks and sight gags. And newcomer Castro is what’s often referred to as a pistol. Or a firecracker. Either way, she’s an explosive little talent.
“Jersey Girl” is even better than the sum of its parts, and its parts are marvelous. (It even gets a musical seal of approval from the Garden State’s favorite rocker son.) Anyone who’s dreamed, anyone who’s loved, will fall in love with “Jersey Girl.”
IGN FILMFORCE (Steve Schneider) (****) “The softer, gentler side of Kevin Smith”
In the end, Jersey Girl ain’t a bad picture, it just reveals a warmer, softer side of everybody’s favorite indie filmmaker from Jersey. It also has the distinction of being the first Kevin Smith film that you could actually take your parents to and not only would they get it, but they’d probably like it a lot, too. And that’s not a bad thing, particularly, just a different thing, if you know what I mean.
ORLANDO WEEKLY (Steve Schneider) (****) “From here to paternity”
Smith has said that the movie is a valentine to his wife, but I took it more as an admission of new-parent anxieties: What if I had to do this on my own? Am I really good enough to be a dad? And if I am, does that mean that I’m finally, you know, an adult? With “Jersey Girl,” the former Silent Bob becomes just that. While lesser artists focus on growing old gracefully, he’s figured out that real maturity means being grateful you’re getting to grow old at all.
ST. LOUIS POST DISPATCH (Calvin Wilson) (*** 1/2)
As for the Bennifer factor, it’s surprisingly irrelevant to this film. In their scenes together, Affleck and Lopez play off each other beautifully. We see not Ben and Jennifer, but Ollie and Gertrude. “Gigli” must have been an aberration.
“Jersey Girl” is definitely something different from Smith, whose previous films have only hinted at his potential. Although “Chasing Amy” came close, it was ultimately mired in a sort of postadolescent romanticism. This time, he really gets to the heart of things.
MONTREAL GAZETTE (John Griffin) (***) – “Cuddly romance is signature Smith”
…The romantic drama isn’t cheesy, the comedy’s funny, the music’s cool.
YOUBORED NORTHWEST (Jedediah Gilchrist) (B ) – “Cuddly romance is signature Smith”
…Jersey Girl demonstrates that Kevin himself is capable of growing up and producing something both moving and funny without serving as a mouthpiece for his usual pretentious diatribes.
More later, gotta take a break!!!
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