…Apparently Kevin Smith has sold out though, claims the chorus, for producing a film which does not refer to oral sex. The movie may be bad for any number of reasons, I honestly don’t know – like many other people I have not seen it. I don’t know that I ever need to. However, I’m not sure what selling out has to do with anything. I have a feeling that Kevin Smith pretty much does whatever the fuck Kevin Smith wants to do. Maybe you haven’t seen Jay And Silent Fucking Bob Strike Back, where he and his friends just kind of fucked around while the cameras rolled. Oh yeah, he’s a part of the fucking machine.

I have a feeling he’s getting older and that he would like to make a different kind of movie than he has typically done. Yet it falls upon people who don’t know the man to determine his secret heart via their infallible methods of detection and find him wanting.

FILMJERK.COM

…For those that have written Affleck off after his “Gigli” debacle last summer (a film that isn’t that bad, but it made excellent copy), I beg you to see “Jersey Girl” and tell me that this misunderstood actor isn’t excellent. Ollie is a thorny role, balancing volatile selfish needs with sitcomy new dad material (there is the requisite dirty diaper scene), and Affleck completely inhabits his character from the get go. You believe him in this painful situation, and in this, his fifth collaboration with Smith, the actor is as loose and appealing as ever. As a vengeful angel in Smith’s brilliant “Dogma,” Affleck really opened up as an actor, and performed at a career best. “Jersey Girl” represents another stellar collaboration with Smith; the two perfectly in tune the entire run of the show.

Supporting turns by young Raquel Castro (who has got Lopez’s mannerisms down pat), a cantankerous and delightful George Carlin, and a lovable Liv Tyler add to the experience. Reteaming for the first time since 1998’s “Armageddon,” Tyler and Affleck make a serene on-screen couple, and their flirtatious interplay in “Jersey Girl” does wonders to erase memories of the unappetizing animal crackers sequence in the Michael Bay blockbuster asteroid film. All is forgiven, you two.

Normally when a director veers off course this severely (I mean, come on, this film is PG-13 for heavens sake!), it’s a train wreck. But Smith is a fantastic filmmaker, and even without The Cocknocker, he’s a talent that could pretty much cover any genre without getting in over his head. If the solid “Jersey Girl” is any indication, his future looks very bright.

[FULL REVIEW]

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THE ONION

…Though Smith loses many of his past efforts’ familiar trappings—Jay and Silent Bob are now confined to the production-company logo—Jersey Girl plays to Smith’s strengths like no film since Clerks. It’s never better than when the plot gets discarded and the cast (which also includes Liv Tyler as a fetching video-store clerk) simply hangs out, trades dialogue, and prepares for an age-inappropriate school performance from Sweeney Todd. When the plot gets picked up, it moves to the beat of just about every other fatherhood comedy of the last 20 years. But even when Smith pulls out the clichés, they’re clearly clichés he believes. Jersey Girl’s sincerity and low-key charm steer it through the awkward patches, although it’s hard not to wince when a conflicted Affleck tucks his daughter into bed to the accompaniment of Bruce Springsteen’s “My City Of Ruins.” Smith has been caught in a shitstorm he didn’t create, and it’s a shame he has to fight so vigorously for a film that, judged on its own merits, easily ranks among his best. —Keith Phipps

[FULL REVIEW]

IGM FILMFORCE – “IGN Interviews Kevin Smith”

…IGN: So, another Jersey film, eh? You’re gettin’ to be almost as bad as Woody Allen (and Ed Burns) [laughs].

SMITH: I know, I know [smiles]. At least I know that this is it for a little while. Green Hornet won’t be set in Jersey…or will it? Yeah, it was nice though to make a Jersey film that’s not like tied-into the other Jersey films. You know, all those were kind of interconnected. And this one’s set in Jersey, but not the same world of New Jersey. So this was the one that I actually felt was kind of the nod to the hometown, ’cause I grew up in that town, Highlands. Oddly enough, when we made Clerks through Jay and Bob we rarely referenced the town I actually grew up in. We referenced Leonardo, which is where the Quick Stop is and Red Bank, which is where I lived after Clerks got sold. But I never really gave my props to my hometown. So Jersey Girl, for me, was kind of about doin’ that – it’s not the sole reason to do it, but it was one of the benefits to doin’ that movie, was bein’ able to give a shout-out to the town I grew up in, kind of show it off.

[FULL STORY]

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TIME ONLINE – “Ben and Ben”

“Ben Affleck flashes his forgive-me smile and says, “I’m not really a whoremonger.” This plangent one-liner is from his new movie “Jersey Girl,” but the gaga-for-gossip public would not have been surprised if it had come from Affleck’s recent chats with Jay Leno and Larry King, or from a “Saturday Night Live” skit the other week when he guest-hosted. And no, Jennifer Lopez didn’t pop in, the way Affleck’s ex-ex-girlfriend Gwyneth Paltrow did the last time he hosted “SNL.” …

[FULL STORY]

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BOSTON HERALD – “After Bennifer: Ben Affleck picks up the pieces of his life, much like his `Jersey Girl’ character”

…”Though Affleck can pen letters, he and Damon have yet to script films since winning the Oscar for “Good Will Hunting.” He does favor writer-directors such as Smith, however, and praises this departure from Smith’s usual gross-out teen comedies. Affleck also thinks “Jersey Girl” contains his best performance yet.

“It’s really a sweet movie,” he said. “I realize that if there’s a Frank Capra working movies today, it’s actually Kevin Smith. Who would’ve thought?”

Is he worried that Smith’s loyal following will be turned off by this departure into sweetness and light?

“It’s interesting because I was reading some reactions where people were saying, `Well, I don’t think that this is as angry as Kevin’s other movies.’ I don’t know if Kevin’s other movies are angry. If you look at `Dogma’ or `Chasing Amy,’ they’re actually sort of really sweet movies, and `Jay and Silent Bob’ is extremely hilarious because people say (expletive) a lot. This is sort of the same thing without saying the F word. It even includes the frank discussion of sexuality.”

[FULL STORY]

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DETROIT FREE PRESS – “‘Jersey Girl’ has director on edge”

…”When people see Ben and Liv together, they’ll forget all that other stuff. She was my favorite character in the script, and she really did her justice. The thing I’m proudest of maybe is that fact that you take these two actors, who had like zero chemistry in ‘Armageddon’ and you really believe they’re made for each other in this.”

Affleck says he can only hope people judge the movie on what it is — meaning sincere. “No matter what he says, it has a lot of Kevin Smith stuff in it. You’ll know it’s the same guy who made ‘Chasing Amy,’ ” he says.

Smith, whose next movie is an $80-million action-adventure based on radio and TV crime-fighter “The Green Hornet,” recalls that he first tried to go straight with “Chasing Amy,” a film that starred Affleck as a guy who fell in love with a lesbian.

“But then I got nervous and stuck the Jay and Silent Bob characters in there for insurance. And I’ve always regretted that, you know. Yet it brought the fans, and I’m always worried about that because they pay the rent.

“Every time we have one of these test screenings, and Harvey packs the audience with all these Kevin Smith fans to see how they react, I’m like, ‘Dude, don’t do that.’

“This is it, my entire audience. If you let them in free, you ruin the whole first weekend opening gross. It’s like I know them, every one one of them.”

[FULL STORY]

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ASSOCIATE DPRESS – “First sweetheart: Indie director steps out of character with ‘Jersey Girl'”

…”It comes at a really good time for him,” Smith says. “People certainly teed off on him with ‘Gigli,’ and ‘Paycheck’ didn’t help matters.”

Smith says Affleck relished the opportunity to play a dad.

“I think he’s a frustrated family man, and it fit him well. He’s really great with kids,” Smith says.

Castro, now 9, said in a phone call from New York, “I think Ben would make a good dad, because he’s like a big kid. He’s funny.”

[FULL STORY]

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CHICAGO TRIBUNE – “`Silent Bob’ takes a risk”

…. You regularly keep in touch with your fan base via your Web site (www.viewaskew.com).

A. When I first found out about the Internet I was like, “Wait a minute — you can get instant reaction about your films?” Being able to get instant feedback from people who are actually buying tickets, that to me was like, “I want to be in on that.” We opened up our Web site, put up a message board and started interacting with the fans. Let me tell you, these people keep you honest.

Q. They must have some interesting things to say about “Jersey Girl.”

A. People who are big fans of “Jay and Silent Bob,” I don’t know if they can dig on this movie at all. Once I started writing it, I knew I was going to lose a certain percentage of fans. Those people, I’m sure, are going to turn around and say, “Oh, he’s sold out,” as if not selling out means you make the same movie every time. But I’m curious as a filmmaker to see if I can make something that stands by itself, that doesn’t have a safety net.

Q. You could make the argument that you’re broadening your audience.

A. I probably would have had a better chance of that happening had “Gigli” not happened [laughs]. Right now I’m in this world of, “Well, will people care about this movie on its own?” I’m pretty confident that word of mouth will get out there that the movie is what it is — it’s about a guy and his relationship with his daughter and his relationship with his father much more than it is about his relationship with the character that Jennifer plays.

[FULL STORY]

“‘Jersey Girl’ – jerseygirl-movie.com

There’s plenty of Ben Affleck-Jennifer Lopez stuff on the site for this comic look at fatherhood. The highlight, however, is the city of Highlands on the Jersey shore, hometown of director Kevin Smith (Chasing Amy, Dogma). See the manhole cover at Bay and Miller. Marvel at the blue “Gateway to Sandy Hook” sign. Enjoy the picturesque Sand Dollar Gift Shop, not far from the aforementioned manhole cover. If you’ve never had the desire to visit Highlands, your instincts will be borne out by this site. There’s also a link to Smith’s diary, but know that the language is a bit salty. Jersey Girl opens on Friday.”

Just because Republic/Universal recording artist Waylon Payne’s dad Jody Payne has been Willie Nelson’s guitarist for 31 years and his mom Sammi Smith is a country hitmaker (“Help Me Make It Through The Night”) doesn’t mean he’s always had it easy. Payne was a virtual unknown until 2002 when he became a central part of an emerging country rock scene in Los Angeles. It all started when actress Joey Lauren Adams (Chasing Amy) and her friend Victoria Vaughn (sister of actor Vince Vaughn) decided to start a country music night at the celebrated Hollywood music club King King. Along with his cohorts – Keith Gattis (producer of Payne’s major label debut ‘The Drifter’ and guitarist for Dwight Yoakam), Travis Howard (Nashville Star), Mitch Marine (Tripping Daisy, Smash Mouth, Dwight Yoakam), Lucas Cheadle, and Chris Lawrence – Payne became a member of Eastbound and Down, the de facto houseband for the club.

Harry says JERSEY GIRL is Kevin Smith at his best!

Undoubtedly JERSEY GIRL will have its detractors… Kevin Smith has apparently sold out. His latest film looks fantastic, beautifully lit and photographed by Vilmos Zsigmond giving majesty to a view regularly askewed by clunky camera movement and flat lighting. The film also is lacking in tops to tails Star Wars references and Dick-n-Fart jokes. Also missing is great gobs of cynicism which seems to fester on the internet like the acne of those that seek a new type of porn in their seemingly endless hours clicking and whacking away. No… This Kevin Smith film is emotional, sweet and filled with love for families.

The lead character played by Ben Affleck doesn’t have buddies to pal around with. He’s not wearing comic character shirts and I don’t believe he ever once reads a comic in the movie. He isn’t a geek, he doesn’t want to be a geek and in actuality he’s a professional. One of those people that has a job, albeit it is a job doing publicity for celebrities, but even that isn’t for long. Soon he’s just a blue collar kind of guy doing street work, driving a street cleaner and climbing in and out of manholes in streets in the suburbs. He doesn’t hang in a bar picking up chicks, or drink brews with his friends while spilling his soul about his intact virginity. This guy is so “normal” he even has a kid and a wife that’s… well not around anymore.

He’s raising a kid as a single father, living with his crotchety old pops somewhere in New Jersey. His dad is George Carlin and his little girl is adorable. This is a film made about sons and fathers about what it is to become a dad. This is a film about letting go of lofty ambitions and being there for your kids. It is a movie about GROWING UP, something that too many of Kevin’s snootchie bootchie followers will freak out like they were chained to a seat at an Oakridge Boys concert. For most geeks out there, there is that point in life where that dream to be a filmmaker… has to go away. Where that comic book goes undrawn, and a diaper cries to be changed. When suddenly that racket with the electric guitar ceases to feel cool and bills need to be paid. This isn’t a reality for all, but unfortunately… it is the reality for most. After all, there’s only so many astronauts, presidents and porn stars… and most of us don’t have the dicks for all three.

This doesn’t mean you become a loser, Ben Affleck doesn’t become a loser, he becomes a father, like his father before him… and with that comes it’s own rewards. Looking into that daughter’s eyes and seeing him as she does… Creating a world of dreams for her to grow in. Being there for his father as he faces that decaying future of old age alone. It is also about recognizing the time to move on past romances and loves lost and finding that person to spend your life with, the one that you find yourself living, not the one you imagined.

JERSEY GIRL is incredibly alive and filled with wonderful moments. The fight between Affleck and his daughter is brutal, the interview between Liv and Ben is magically frank, and that musical number… hilarious. I found Kevin’s wit stamped on every scene, the dialogue pops and Ben is never better than when Kevin is filling his mouth. Um… With words.

I’m not sure how many of you will take to this film, many of my friends hated it. But then, I do live with a father who often talks about growing old and getting sick… All around the time I saw JERSEY GIRL and the time that I find myself writing this review, I have found myself dealing with the reality of moving my grandmother to Austin so that my family here can care for her. And every single day I see my 3 1/2 year old nephew’s eyes light up big and ask questions about zombies and the alphabet. My twenty-something friends are becoming 30… some are buying homes like me, others are moving away. Some have given up their dreams, while I find myself living them everyday waiting for them disappear as most do each morning as your eyes first part.

I find the film to be a mature geek film about falling in love with a video store clerk that married Aragorn, while becoming infamous for talking shit about Will Smith. I love the movie, for me, it is right there with CHASING AMY as one of my faves from the brain of Kevin Smith. It isn’t the juvenile delight of JAY & SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK, but then… well, this one is about growing up as a man, a father and a son.

And by the way… Liv Tyler is so yummy in this movie. I mean absolutely adorably wonderful. I don’t believe I’ve ever loved her more in a film. She is such the dream of a video store clerk girl. And George Carlin is absolutely fantastic in this. Just absolutely great.

Remember, this isn’t supposed to be part of the Jersey series that Kevin has been filming since CLERKS. That’s why Jay & Silent Bob are not in this film. Instead this is his first film outside of that universe… it just so happens that a big chunk of it takes place in… Jersey. Give it a chance, go with an open mind and realize this is about growing up, this isn’t an adolescent fantasy… except for the whole getting to have sex with J. Lo and Liv Tyler part… that’s kinda like… a fantasy I had once… every night for like a year… or two… or three… Butt that’s beside the point. This is a truly wonderful film. I hope Kevin keeps Vilmos for GREEN HORNET… I’d love to see Vilmos getting to shoot cool films with cool directors again.

I know it’s the right of all ‘net surfers to be far more outspoken and negative than they’ve dare be in real life, but can some of you reign it in this week?

I like reading this board. I don’t necessarily read it just to see positive stuff, but I damn skippy don’t read it to come across the “I’m entitled to my opinion” crap some folks feel the need to splooge. You didn’t like “Yes, Dear”? Keep it to yourself for the next few days, wouldja? You hate Kilborn? Save your bile ’til Saturday. And for the love of Christ, let’s leave any info about Rotten Tomatoes off the board ’til Monday. I’ve still got four more days of hardcore press to get through, and while I’m all for both sides of an issue, I’d rather wait to read the boo-hoo bullshit ’til after we open.

In an effort to help this along, here’s some “Jersey Girl” perspective for ya’ll…

1) The film’s not gonna be a critical hit. It’s an extremely sentimental film, and most critics don’t like sentiment. Don’t expect big, critical kudos this time around (in fact, we may be less well-reviewed than we were on “Strike Back”). The NY Times is gonna shred the flick. LA Times too, I’ll bet. EW probably ain’t gonna be onboard.

2) These are the movies that are DEFINITELY going to make more than us at the box office this weekend: Dawn of the Dead, The Passion of the Christ, Scooby Doo 2, The Ladykillers, Starsky and Hutch. These are the movies that are PROBABLY gonna make more than us at the box office this weekend: Taking Lives, Secret Window, Hidalgo, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Acccept it.

3) A killer opening number would be nice, but isn’t necessary. We’re only opening on 1600 screens this weekend, then going 2000 the weekend after. What we’re looking for is longevity: audience word-of-mouth and solid numbers for a few weeks in a row. We’ve gotten shit-loads of press hits in advance of Friday, and the TV spots are all over the place. And while we won’t have many of the critics on our side, if the movie plays as well with audiences as it has been playing in test, marketing, and awareness screenings over the course of the last year, we should glide along nicely on strong word-of-mouth. There’s nothing else like it at the box office for the next few weeks, so that’s good too.

4) Being contrary for the sake of being contrary (or “honest”) is something I’ll normally indulge, but this week, give me a break, alright? I mean, shit – we’ve gotten this board down to an asshole-free zone, thanks to all the protocols we’ve put in place this last year. Don’t be the worst kind of asshole: the fan who’s “keeping it real”. If you’re a fan, do me a favor and hold off on the “Why’s Kevin doing all these shitty shows?” and “I’m really disappointed in this or that appearance” ’til after I get through this already intimidating uphill battle of trying to open this movie in the wake of “Gigli” and “Hurricane Bennifer”. We’ve really been able to turn shit around for the last month, and my fingers are crossed for our theatrical life, so it sucks to come here – my home – and find T.P.’s* spouting off. I’m certainly not asking for you folks to blow sunshine up my ass; not at all. All I’m asking for is a little common courtesy: if you’re not gonna say something nice, don’t say anything at all… ‘less you’re looking to get banned.

* T.P. is the brother of Rod Tidwell, Cuba Gooding’s character in “Jerry Maguire.” T.P. was the constant voice of dissension, who liked to “Keep it real.”

“I’m definitely thinking about doing another “Jay and Bob” movie after “Fletch.” There’s this other thing I’m supposed to do called “Ranger Danger,” but I might stall it if Mewes can stay clean. That’s easily two or three more years, but then I’d really be up for it. If he can stay clean for that long, he deserves it.”