Jersey Girl

Director Kevin Smith’s first non-View Askewniverse effort, Jersey Girl follows Ben Affleck’s Ollie Trinke as he attempts to raise his daughter (Raquel Castro’s Gertie) after his wife (Jennifer Lopez’s Gertrude) dies during childbirth. It’s clear immediately that Smith is looking to distance himself from his previous features, as Jersey Girl boasts a distinctly conventional feel that’s reflected in its shopworn storyline, polished visuals, and ongoing emphasis on sappy, saccharine elements (including a climactic race to a pivotal event). There’s little doubt, then, that the movie benefits substantially from its strong performances and smattering of compelling sequences, with, in terms of the former, Smith eliciting impressive work from Affleck and his various costars (including Liv Tyler, Jason Biggs, and, delivering what is perhaps a career-best turn, George Carlin) – which ultimately does ensure that the picture is at its best when focused on smaller, character-based interludes (ie Smith’s knack for believable, funny dialogue occasionally does shine through here). Such moments are all-too-often overshadowed by Smith’s predilection for cookie-cutter plot developments and extreme, aggressive instances of maudlin silliness, with the writer/director’s perpetually less-than-subtle sensibilities dulling the impact of several key moments and ensuring that the movie’s ending doesn’t pack the emotional, heartwrenching punch clearly intended – thus confirming Jersey Girl‘s place as a barely-passable drama from an otherwise underrated filmmaker.

**1/2 out of ****