CATRIONA PAUL at the movies.

Ben (Affleck) and Jen (Lopez) are like, so over, that she totally married another guy last week. In movieworld, however, the couple can still be seen together – albeit briefly- in Jersey Girl. But if you’ve had enough of “Bennifer” to last a lifetime, don’t rule this film out, because the main romance involves elfin beauty Liv Tyler who steals the show with a winning performance to melt the coldest of hearts.
  
Ollie Trinke (Affleck) is a New York hotshot, making a fortune in the world of music PR and just about finding time for his pregnant wife (Lopez). When she dies in childbirth, Ollie’s world falls apart. His job is lost in a memorable media blow out. He finally pauses to grieve and acknowledge his new baby daughter when he returns to the New Jersey suburb in which he grew up. Fast-forward 7 years, and Ollie is still living with his pop, (George Carlin), stuck working as a street sweeper, but enjoying being a father.
  
Enter cute video store assistant Maya (Tyler) who takes an interest in Ollie and his porn-renting habits, (she’s studying porn post grad), and suddenly things are looking up. But then the city comes calling with one last chance at a job which would take Ollie back to the top. The scene is set for a big decision, NJ versus NY, family versus career.
 
So far, so predictable, but what makes this slice of family values digestible is the dialogue. Tyler gets the best lines as she makes a move on Affleck in a refreshingly forthright fashion. The banter between father and son allows Affleck room to show a caring side opening up. The quality writing should come as no surprise because the writer-director is Kevin Smith of Clerks and Chasing Amy fame, but it is unusual to find a film-maker championing the suburbs.

A gentle, humorous romance, finely written and well-acted. Certainly, worth a squint.
 
JERSEY GIRL
General release

Director: Kevin Smith
Writing: Kevin Smith
Stars: Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, Liv Tyler, George Carlin, Raquel Castro,
Certificate: 12A
Running Time: 102
Country: USA
Year: 2004
 

© Catriona Paul