Jersey Girl: Drama/Comedy. Starring Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler, Raquel Castro. Directed by Kevin Smith. (PG-13. 103 minutes. Opens March 26th, nationwide.)

While this particular film would appear to have fairly little in common, thematically, with earlier films by director Kevin Smith (Clerks, Chasing Amy,

Dogma, Hercules and Xena), the currents that run (not silent, but deep) beneath should be more than obvious to any maturing fan of the auteur’s work.

Smith’s signature style, which many believe came to its fruition in Dogma, is the subtle, yet ofttimes brash manner in which he has captured the male/male and male/female dynamic. In his earlier films, he completely obliterates the staid conventions of stunted and faux interactions between friends, lovers, and competitors, and offers the viewer a raw portal into the way real people interact in real life situations. Granted, not many of us have to oversee a much-pined over ex-girlfriend hauled away mentally shaken after having sex with a cadaver, but Smith attempts, admirably I might add, to show you how you probably would react. Moving forward to Jersey Girl, Smith has turned his piercing gaze and penchant for sharp, insightful dialogue onto the father/daughter dynamic, with uncannily accurate and invariably joyous results.

Although many of the negatives associated with this movie revolved solely around casting (in case you currently inhabit a charming studio flat underneath a sedimentary or limestone rock, this movie features Wonder Twins “Bennifer”), immediately branding this movie “Gigli 2: Fail Harder” would serve as both a disservice to the cast, as well as to the 47 people who actually saw the ill-fated first cinematic outing of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez. This cast shines from the opening bell (shortly after the Pixar-inspired animation featuring Greek chorusesque Jay and Silent Bob from previous Smith films) to emotion-soaked finish.

Oft-maligned yet charmingly, and oddly veteran Ben Affleck (Paycheck, Changing Lanes, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)) opts to do more than just show up on the set, churning out what can only be described as Kevin Smith inspired acting gold. It’s hard to put one’s finger on it, and define it as a tangbile thing, but Affleck shines when under Smith’s tutelage in such a way as to forget such painfully maladroit performances as “Reindeer Games” and “Pearl Harbor.” Perhaps its the deceptively intelligent dialogue, perhaps its the trust he’s shown, perhaps its pixie dust secreted away in one of Smith’s frequently worn custom baseball jerseys, but when Affleck acts for Smith, he is transformed into a completely different person.

Always lovely, almost to the point of distraction, Liv Tyler (The Lord of the Rings, Aerosmith: The Reckoning) turns in one of the most disarmingly earnest performances of her young career. Although most viewers will recognize her most clearly as the Elven cardboard stand-up “Arwen” from the LOTR trilogy, Tyler definitely shows a more human side in this outing. Her delivery of verbal barbs, cockney rhymes, and most of all, incredibly gut-wrenching brave lies keeps your eyes and ears glued to her whenever she graces the screen. Her acting was effortless and her demeanor charming throughout, defying viewers not to fall in love with her goofily sultry charms.

Vanimle sila tiri, Liv…Amin naa lle nai.

The real find in this cinematic haystack is newcomer Raquel Castro (Third Watch, 2nd grade). She has an innate ability to communicate more with a glance than a dumpster full of semaphores. Most child actors come to the plate with that doe-eyed precociousness that makes you want to pinch their cheeks until acidic regurgitation ensues; and while Raquel does indeed have both aforementioned arrows in her quiver, she only uses them when necessary, and never in lieu of more accomplished and appropriate skills. When she rages, she rages, when she loves, she loves, and when she whines, she whines…she is exactly what a girl at that age, in that situation would be. When she smiles, you smile, until your cheeks hurt, and you feel good for having done it.

Any discussion of the cast would be remiss if it failed to include acerbic comedy legend turned cuddly yet bristly, George Carlin. Cast as Affleck’s character’s father, Carlin ably shows previously untapped reserves of pathos, yearning, and tough love, as he helps his wayward son realize that its time become who he is, not who he used to be. Unless previously overlooked, this might be Smith’s first foray into the father/son dynamic, and, true to form, he doesn’t fail to squarely nail it. As much as this movie seems to serve as a love letter to Smith’s daughter, I think it clearly tacks a “P.S.” ‘I love and miss you, Dad.’ to Smith’s recently passed away father. Both messages are delivered clearly, and poignantly.

Rounding out the cast is American Pie’s amiable Jason Biggs, NewsRadio’s irascible Stephen Root, Ed’s curmudgeonly Mike Starr, and the previously hinted at Jennifer Lopez. While the former performers are all admirable in supporting roles (please stop trying to suss out whether Root and Star are meant to be a kinder, more gentler Jay and Silent Bob), Jennifer Lopez steps up to the plate and delivers a fantastic, yet sadly aphoristic performance. Lopez (Anaconda, In Living Color) has little time to shine, but shine she surely does, most often as playful foil to career-obsessed Affleck. Its not the intent of this article to reveal why Lopez’ role is truncated in this film, regardless of what you may have read about ‘cutting room floor’ and the break up of the once tabloid-friendly couple, but suffice it to say that the chemistry between these two stars could have easily filled an entire movie; and perhaps should have, had their first outing been helmed by a superior director.

My prediction, about this film, is that if it is able to avoid the bulk of the pre-hype Bennifer fallout spin, it has a very good chance of not only breaking, but obliterating the 30 million glass ceiling Mr. Smith’s movies seem to have run up against.

Advisory: This film contains partial nudity, bear baiting, sex jokes and drug references.