My Review of Jersey Girl! VERY long!
This is my review of Jersey Girl, reposted from my Weblog. Be forewarned, however, Kevin Smith, the writer/director, is my FAVORITE filmmaker, so I'm biased. But FH loved it too. If anyone needs to see it, and has no one to go with, let me know because I'm there.
JERSEY GIRL. GOOD MOVIE. LOVE KEVIN. LOTS. I'm so impressed with this movie. Kevin's really growing as a filmmaker and writer, but all the usual witty, quotable dialogue is still there. Adam and I kept saying 'Take her to see the cats' (one of Carlin's lines) all night after we left. Only one problem, really. Now that he's making movies with wider appeal (I'm even suggesting this movie to my parents), the movie theater was FULL OF CHILDREN last night. I'm talking 16 year olds. LOUD, OBNOXIOUS 16 year olds, who can't stop talking during a movie if their life depends on it. I even saw some kids who couldn't have even been in double digits there. What's that all about? HELLO?! Don't take your kids to see this movie, it's not a kid movie! But maybe after they all saw the Passion, this is nothing. Then again, Affleck said 'F***' and I heard this loud Gasp. ::shakes head:: Oh well, onto actual details of the movie, which probably contains a few spoilers, but nothing you haven't already heard/read about.
J-Lo is in the movie for a total of 10 minutes, which is both good and bad. The funny thing is that as much as I knew about the movie, and as much as I've been following this movie since it was first being written, it only really JUST hit me that J-Lo was in the movie. Like, I knew, but it was very strange to see her. I got over it quick though. Adam didn't like her. I thought she did a good job. But she's gone as quickly as she's there. I feel bad for Kevin though - all the bad press he got for casting her in the first place, all the money he had to pay her for those ten minutes. Whatever, she was always supposed to die, but it would've been better if they'd been able to go with the original marketing plan. We'd all be SHOCKED about her dying, you know?
Affleck. Those who have known me for a long time know that I've never been a huge Affleck fan - I kinda put up with him to see Kevin's movies. However, this is the most convincing performance I've ever seen from him. Granted, that's not saying much, but it's an improvement. I love him most of all in the school play scene - that's really where he shines, IMO.
Liv Tyler - Holy cr@p. Man, she's just amazing. I liked her before, I love her now. Please, dear Lord, let me someday be as talented as Liv Tyler, or at least have an opportunity to display that talent. DEAD ON Casting choice here. She is also surprisingly good in the School Play scene, that just blew me away. And her ability with Subtext is also A++++++++. There are moments when she's saying one thing, and thinking/feeling another, but you REALLY have to look at her to get it, because she's just playing it SO cool.
George Carlin - Better than I've ever seen him. I had no idea he would be this good in this kind of role, as funny as he is in stand-up and books. I'm glad that Kevin wrote it for him and he could take it. Incidentally, Kevin wrote the Jason Biggs (good job from him, btw) role for Jay Mewes, originally, but because of all his drug problems, he couldn't take the role. A bunch of other familiar faces are there, however. Jen, Mrs. Kevin, has a small role, as well as the bartender from Dogma, Cohee Lundin from Chasing Amy, and I'm pretty sure I saw Rick Derris too. Oh, and I'm certain that I saw Ming in a crowd shot. OH - Harley Quinn, the ORIGINAL Jersey Girl![]()
, also has a cameo, as if Kevin will ever make another movie without putting his kid on the screen. She's so cute!
OK, finally (I know I'm long winded, but whatever), the Kid/title role. Raquel Castro is Mini-Lo. In an almost disturbing way. What I love about that is that she's playing a little girl who is amazingly like the Mother she never knew. She's got all the mannerisms down, and she doesn't seem eerily adult, like Dakota Fanning does. Nothing's forced, it's all very natural coming from her. And her ability to handle Sondheim patter songs also impressed me. I really hope this is not her only foray into showbiz, because she's got a lot of potential.
Ok, so can you tell I LOVED the movie? I did.![]()
Go see it, don't talk during the movie, turn your cell phone off, and leave your children at home.
JERSEY GIRL. GOOD MOVIE. LOVE KEVIN. LOTS. I'm so impressed with this movie. Kevin's really growing as a filmmaker and writer, but all the usual witty, quotable dialogue is still there. Adam and I kept saying 'Take her to see the cats' (one of Carlin's lines) all night after we left. Only one problem, really. Now that he's making movies with wider appeal (I'm even suggesting this movie to my parents), the movie theater was FULL OF CHILDREN last night. I'm talking 16 year olds. LOUD, OBNOXIOUS 16 year olds, who can't stop talking during a movie if their life depends on it. I even saw some kids who couldn't have even been in double digits there. What's that all about? HELLO?! Don't take your kids to see this movie, it's not a kid movie! But maybe after they all saw the Passion, this is nothing. Then again, Affleck said 'F***' and I heard this loud Gasp. ::shakes head:: Oh well, onto actual details of the movie, which probably contains a few spoilers, but nothing you haven't already heard/read about.
J-Lo is in the movie for a total of 10 minutes, which is both good and bad. The funny thing is that as much as I knew about the movie, and as much as I've been following this movie since it was first being written, it only really JUST hit me that J-Lo was in the movie. Like, I knew, but it was very strange to see her. I got over it quick though. Adam didn't like her. I thought she did a good job. But she's gone as quickly as she's there. I feel bad for Kevin though - all the bad press he got for casting her in the first place, all the money he had to pay her for those ten minutes. Whatever, she was always supposed to die, but it would've been better if they'd been able to go with the original marketing plan. We'd all be SHOCKED about her dying, you know?
Affleck. Those who have known me for a long time know that I've never been a huge Affleck fan - I kinda put up with him to see Kevin's movies. However, this is the most convincing performance I've ever seen from him. Granted, that's not saying much, but it's an improvement. I love him most of all in the school play scene - that's really where he shines, IMO.
Liv Tyler - Holy cr@p. Man, she's just amazing. I liked her before, I love her now. Please, dear Lord, let me someday be as talented as Liv Tyler, or at least have an opportunity to display that talent. DEAD ON Casting choice here. She is also surprisingly good in the School Play scene, that just blew me away. And her ability with Subtext is also A++++++++. There are moments when she's saying one thing, and thinking/feeling another, but you REALLY have to look at her to get it, because she's just playing it SO cool.
George Carlin - Better than I've ever seen him. I had no idea he would be this good in this kind of role, as funny as he is in stand-up and books. I'm glad that Kevin wrote it for him and he could take it. Incidentally, Kevin wrote the Jason Biggs (good job from him, btw) role for Jay Mewes, originally, but because of all his drug problems, he couldn't take the role. A bunch of other familiar faces are there, however. Jen, Mrs. Kevin, has a small role, as well as the bartender from Dogma, Cohee Lundin from Chasing Amy, and I'm pretty sure I saw Rick Derris too. Oh, and I'm certain that I saw Ming in a crowd shot. OH - Harley Quinn, the ORIGINAL Jersey Girl
OK, finally (I know I'm long winded, but whatever), the Kid/title role. Raquel Castro is Mini-Lo. In an almost disturbing way. What I love about that is that she's playing a little girl who is amazingly like the Mother she never knew. She's got all the mannerisms down, and she doesn't seem eerily adult, like Dakota Fanning does. Nothing's forced, it's all very natural coming from her. And her ability to handle Sondheim patter songs also impressed me. I really hope this is not her only foray into showbiz, because she's got a lot of potential.
Ok, so can you tell I LOVED the movie? I did.
