'Jersey Girl' is a warm ode to single parenthood

By Jack Garner
Gannett News Service

JERSEY GIRL (PG-13) Three Stars (Good) Filmmaker Kevin Smith, a prince of funny, foul-mouthed, iconoclastic cinema, makes an about-face with this sweetly domestic ode to single fatherhood. Ben Affleck acquits himself admirably with a heartfelt performance. Miramax, 102 minutes.

The sweetly domestic ode to single fatherhood stars Ben Affleck, fresh from his "Gigli" fiasco. He acquits himself admirably with a heartfelt performance.

Though Jennifer Lopez co-stars, she's not around long enough to carry the distracting echoes of "Gigli" or the couple's now-kaput tabloid romance into the movie. She plays Affleck's wife, who dies in childbirth 15 minutes into the film. Liv Tyler ultimately provides the film's love interest.

Affleck is Ollie Trinke, a near-legendary publicist whose career has put him atop the Manhattan music industry. However, after his wife dies giving birth to a baby girl, Ollie is buffeted by the many challenges and distractions of single parenthood. His career blows up when he has to bring the baby to a big-time press conference for then-rising star Will Smith, and chaos results.

After the long prologue, the film settles into today, with Ollie now living in New Jersey with his crusty father (George Carlin). His daughter, Gertie (Raquel Castro) is now 7; a perky, friendly child content to be in the insular Jersey suburban world of her father and grandfather.

Dad, though, isn't so happy. He's stuck in a low-paying street-cleaner job. He still pines for his big-time publicity job, and conspires for ways to regain his footing in Manhattan. (It's hard. His snafu at the Smith press conference has become an industry legend, as giggling job interviewers love to remind him.)

Meanwhile, Ollie is far too willing to saddle his also-widowed father with child-rearing duties. Finally, the older Dad tells his son, enough is enough; Gertie is his child.

Ollie also hasn't had much social life. He plays cards with his father's older friends, but never dates. That might change after he meets Maya, a clerk at a local video shop. Talk about meeting "cute." Maya chats up Ollie as he embarrassingly tries to rent a porno movie.

Ultimately, "Jersey Girl" becomes a warm-hearted comedy about life's priorities. Can Ollie mature enough to take full responsibility for the raising of his daughter? Though the premise is admirable, Kevin Smith goes overboard to make his point. Aren't there plenty of commendable jobs between a street sweeper and a Manhattan publicist? Aren't there any reasonable 9-to-5 professions for the college-educated workforce in Jersey?

Still, the point about parental responsibility is worth raising — and Smith and company raise it with good humor and affection. Affleck is believable at both the callous and loving ends of his portrayal, and Tyler offers appealing comic relief as the insightful Maya. Newcomer Castro is a charming heart-tugger as Gertie.

Having Carlin play Affleck's father is inspired casting. Though he seldom acts, the stand-up comic successfully creates an ingratiating character, and gives the film some much-needed edge and spunk.

Rated PG-13, profanity, innuendo, sexual references.