After watching the recent Martin & Short net released performance I felt it was time to revisit Martin's first foray into film, The Jerk. At the time The Jerk first dropped Martin was on a roll. The film continued that. A unique piece of celluloid humor whose audience was, shall we say, generous. It is somewhat hard to imagine the time now, but Martin plugged into it. This is a comedy that actually did well in the mainstream at the time and went on to become a bit of cultish type thing. That is to say it doesn't really age well in many ways, but there's Martin at the center. Then and now he makes it a movie to watch. He's completely unique and absolutely irreverent for any time. Watching him is like watching a one-off talent. He put many of his already successful stand-up gags plus delved deeper. The supporting cast was just as edgy with a nice fit. This is one stupid movie making absolutely no apologies. If you in for a cent, you're in for a pound...meaning if in the first ten minutes if you get it then you're going to be watching to the end with those little belly laughs that drop like rain. So, in the end, this many years later this is a film for those with the broadest sense of humor. Those who celebrate crazed stupidity as a form of brilliance. I'd say it was somewhat important as it paved the way for more modern comedies like the Farrrely Brothers later made. Not a film for the masses anymore, if you're a fan of obtuse comedy it definitely warrants another watch.
171 Reviews
Ridiculous, stupid, and funny
SnoopyStyle8 July 2014
Navin Johnson (Steve Martin) is down and out. He tells the story of his life. He grew up as a poor black boy with his black family. He's a clueless naive manic idiot who goes to the big city St. Louis. He gets a job at the gas station from Harry Hartounian (Jackie Mason). It's a random series of crazy events. He invents a way to support glasses and salesman Stan Fox (Bill Macy) goes 50-50 with him. A madman (M. Emmet Walsh) is after him for no good reason. He escapes to join the carnival as Guess Your Weight. He's taken by rough stunt bike rider Patty Bernstein (Catlin Adams) but he falls for sweet Marie (Bernadette Peters). Marie runs away and he ends up in L.A. That's where he reconnects with Stan Fox and finds out he's wildly rich.
It's ridiculous and it's even funny. Steve Martin is putting all his skills of performance and writing to work in his first feature starring role. It's like half of 'Dumb and Dumber'. That's really my only wish. I wish he had another comedian to play off of. It would be even better if he was a comedy duo. He's funniest when Bernadette Peters is with him. This is completely ridiculous and stupid. That's where most of the humor comes from.
It's ridiculous and it's even funny. Steve Martin is putting all his skills of performance and writing to work in his first feature starring role. It's like half of 'Dumb and Dumber'. That's really my only wish. I wish he had another comedian to play off of. It would be even better if he was a comedy duo. He's funniest when Bernadette Peters is with him. This is completely ridiculous and stupid. That's where most of the humor comes from.
Steve Martin's breakout comedy
Wuchakk25 February 2019
A homeless mentally-challenged man (Steve Martin) shares his amusing tale of rags-to-riches-to-hobo with flashbacks. Catlin Adams plays a stunt rider at a carnival who has the hots for Navin (Martin) while Bernadette Peters plays a more important woman in his life.
"The Jerk" (1979) has several laugh-out-loud scenes, e.g. the eventual confrontation between Patty (Catlin) and Marie (Peters), but there are also some flat, overlong parts, like when Navin departs the mansion in the last act. "Forrest Gump" (1994) was obviously inspired by "The Jerk" and made a more serious, popular picture. Jim Carrey also took a lot of inspiration from Martin and "The Jerk" to forge the even funnier "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" (1994).
The movie runs 1 hour, 34 minutes and was shot in the Los Angeles area.
GRADE: B
"The Jerk" (1979) has several laugh-out-loud scenes, e.g. the eventual confrontation between Patty (Catlin) and Marie (Peters), but there are also some flat, overlong parts, like when Navin departs the mansion in the last act. "Forrest Gump" (1994) was obviously inspired by "The Jerk" and made a more serious, popular picture. Jim Carrey also took a lot of inspiration from Martin and "The Jerk" to forge the even funnier "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" (1994).
The movie runs 1 hour, 34 minutes and was shot in the Los Angeles area.
GRADE: B
Steve Martin Carries the Film to the Top
tfrizzell13 April 2001
Steve Martin's out-of-this-world performance is the main calling card of this hilarious comedy. Martin stars as a moron who has been raised by a poor African-American family. One night after hearing some music on the radio, he decides that it is time for him to go find his place in the world. What follows is a poor man's "Forrest Gump". Martin gets into some odd situations and goes from the bottom of the social ladder, to the top, and then to the bottom again. This is a flat-out comedy that is a laugh-a-minute romp. 4 stars out of 5.
Martin In His Wild & Crazy Days
ccthemovieman-111 July 2006
A very popular movie in its day, watching it a couple of years ago wasn't the same. Oh, it was still funny but just not the "hilarious" movie I always remembered it as. Maybe its reputation and memory exceeded its value, or maybe it's funnier when you are younger.
Whatever, there is still a lot of good laughs in year, subtle and slapstick variety. Now I laugh more at the subtle things. Almost all the characters in here, beginning with Steve Martin's "Navin R. Johnson," are wacky. Bernadette Peters, by the way, never looked prettier. This was in the earlier days of the ratings system and that PG rating would be at least PG-13 today. It still fun to see it after a long absence. Martin was on a roll back in those days, "a wild and crazy guy," and it's good that he's still entertaining us -- years later, although in a more subtle way. Hey, he's getting older, too.
Whatever, there is still a lot of good laughs in year, subtle and slapstick variety. Now I laugh more at the subtle things. Almost all the characters in here, beginning with Steve Martin's "Navin R. Johnson," are wacky. Bernadette Peters, by the way, never looked prettier. This was in the earlier days of the ratings system and that PG rating would be at least PG-13 today. It still fun to see it after a long absence. Martin was on a roll back in those days, "a wild and crazy guy," and it's good that he's still entertaining us -- years later, although in a more subtle way. Hey, he's getting older, too.
Overwhelmingly and brilliantly funny with genius throwaways.
douglasreid-124 December 2003
To enter the realm inhabited by Martin's blissfully original caricatures, you must first be tested for wit, intellect and an innocent revelry in life itself. If you qualify, you will be led on to a rollercoaster of oxygen-sapping gags, stupendously clever motifs, brilliant performances and an absolutely fabulous script. There are gags here so new and surprising that to try and emulate them could only court failure. The joy of true love accompanied by him on the ukelele and on the last stanza by her on the........ trumpet: and a beautiful little song. Is it the humour or the innocence brings a tear to your eye? Don't call the dog "life saver", call him "s***head" - and for evermore, he is. The white man who is distraught to discover that he is not black. The goodbye note and Martin reading bits of words as they are washed away. The seminal "all I need" scene which is milked to the point of asphixia. The Jerk is simply the funniest most understatedly clever movie ever produced. There has simply never been anything this good, nor will there ever be. The message is simple and is a very old one: the buffoon as saint. From Bottom in Shakespeare, to Tristram Shandy, to Chaplin, to the genius understatement of Cary Grant, to Norman Wisdom: they have all touched on and come tantalisingly close, but they have all lacked one ingredient, an ingrediant calledSteve Martin. Like Orson Welles and Kane or Frederick Forsyth and the Jackal or Men at Work and Land Down Under, Martin has played his best shot first, unfettered, undisciplined, unconstrained genius. Let us all be better, brighter, cleverer and genuinely funnier by being the jerk. And if that's too frightening, just watch it.
Odd, clever humor makes "Jerk" lovable
Movie_Muse_Reviews7 August 2008
"The Jerk" is an easy watch, something you can take in quickly and get plenty of good laughs from. While it's not a comedy that strings together laugh-out-loud moments, it has its unique brand of humor grounded in both absurdity and plays on words. It's the kind of humor that's either a hit with someone or doesn't quite do it for them. The more you look back and recall lines and moments from this film, however, the more it grows on you. It's not about the big laughs, but the little things that make "The Jerk" special.
Steve Martin stars as Navin Johnson, a man who grew up thinking he was black and eventually sets out to find his greater purpose. Johnson is naive, stupid, ignorant, but lovable guy, and the film shows how the people around him turn him into...a jerk. This is easily Martin's best character role. He does such a great job handling the subtlety of the humor without playing the absurd moments too over-the-top. He really carries this film.
The odd humor manifests itself through jokes like when Johnson tells his girlfriend Marie (Bernadette Peters) what their time together has felt like, describing first day as feeling like a week, the second day felt like two days, etc. and when he writes home to his family and says "remember when I dreamed about having a big house with _____?" and then he describes with great detail all the absurd rooms in his mansion he could never have actually dreamed of as a child. It's all very original and will definitely appeal more to people who appreciate what makes each joke funny.
So the writing, which is mostly Martin and the acting, which is mostly Martin, are the aspects of the film most worthy of praise. None of the other characters are really written well enough to add anything significant to the comedy, so its the Steven Martin Show. In fact, if you'd told me he did it based on a Saturday Night Live character I would have easily believed you. Either way, this is an odd but easy to love, easy to watch comedy. It's truly different and definitely stands out.
Steve Martin stars as Navin Johnson, a man who grew up thinking he was black and eventually sets out to find his greater purpose. Johnson is naive, stupid, ignorant, but lovable guy, and the film shows how the people around him turn him into...a jerk. This is easily Martin's best character role. He does such a great job handling the subtlety of the humor without playing the absurd moments too over-the-top. He really carries this film.
The odd humor manifests itself through jokes like when Johnson tells his girlfriend Marie (Bernadette Peters) what their time together has felt like, describing first day as feeling like a week, the second day felt like two days, etc. and when he writes home to his family and says "remember when I dreamed about having a big house with _____?" and then he describes with great detail all the absurd rooms in his mansion he could never have actually dreamed of as a child. It's all very original and will definitely appeal more to people who appreciate what makes each joke funny.
So the writing, which is mostly Martin and the acting, which is mostly Martin, are the aspects of the film most worthy of praise. None of the other characters are really written well enough to add anything significant to the comedy, so its the Steven Martin Show. In fact, if you'd told me he did it based on a Saturday Night Live character I would have easily believed you. Either way, this is an odd but easy to love, easy to watch comedy. It's truly different and definitely stands out.
Lord loves a workin' man; don't trust whitey; see a doctor and get rid of it.
ajdagreat10 June 2001
Why is the rating for "The Jerk" so low? Every comment said that this movie was hilarious! Hey, anyone out there who gave "The Jerk" a low rating, come write a comment! I don't even know what's not to like about this movie. The script is extremely funny. The naive, ambitious Navin Johnson is the role that Steve Martin was born to play. This is one of the funniest movies ever (any fans of my comments know that I say that often, but I really mean it!).
P.S. If you're a worried parent wondering if this movie is okay for your child to see, let him / her see it. It's actually pretty tame. I couldn't tell what made it an R-rated movie.
P.S. If you're a worried parent wondering if this movie is okay for your child to see, let him / her see it. It's actually pretty tame. I couldn't tell what made it an R-rated movie.
I was born a poor black child
The Jerk
jaredmobarak5 October 2008
It was sheer dumb luck that while reading Steve Martin's autobiography earlier this year I saw his film The Jerk was being shown on TV. A few months later and the threat of my DVR being erased, I finally took the time to view it. Martin definitely did something special, infusing his stand-up routine into a story of one man's rise to wealth and subsequent loss of everything. His crazy persona takes center stage right from the start as we meet Navin Johnson, not a bum on the street, but a jerk who has lost it all. His slowed down drunk speech and deep tones as he begins to tell the camera the story of his life set up the collection of gags and jokes you can't even imagine will come your way. Here we have a man that was born into a black southern family, always wondering why his skin was so light and why he could never keep up with the rhythm of blues music. With a penchant for Twinkies and Tab cola, something was amiss and only when he heard a strange new song on the radio, one his white body could dance to, does he realize he needed to see the world and show it his "special purpose".
I really think I wouldn't have enjoyed my time with this character if I hadn't read Martin's book first. Knowing his stand-up background made it fun to spot tired and true aspects throughout the movie. You have the juggling, the ukulele, and the "all I need is this ashtray, and I don't need anything else, well except this paddle-game, all I need is this ashtray and the paddle-game and these matches " schtick that surprising goes on long in the film, but never gets old. I think it has to do with the way it is shot, in a still-framed composition as he gradually goes further and further away, his voice getting softer and softer. It really is well-orchestrated and credit goes to either he or director Carl Reiner for the success. There are definite lulls in the action, as is inherent in films like this being a stream of jokes tied together, but there is bound to be some failures amongst the true gems. When the laughs hit, though, they hit pretty hardeven if it might just be because of how off-the-wall the gag is.
For a guy like Martin, fresh off of his club appearances and television variety shows, he is quite a natural. The Jerk marks his first major film role, the lead part in his own movie, something that shows how powerful he was based on record sales alone and no real reputation for acting on screen. He gets his wild and crazy guy dancing involved along with other staples from his repertoire to help the audience find their bearings and remember that this is the guy they hear at home every night for laughs. This really is the start of a powerhouse's career and he planned it out to perfection.
Having a supporting cast like he does can't hurt either. Bernadette Peters did not have many film jobs beforehand, probably just known mostly for her stage work. Her vocal prowess is on display as well as her comedic timing and blank face reactions to Martin's antics. I don't know if anyone else could have taken his face lick with such class. Martin's family is a lot of fun too, always singing and dancing and trying their best to make him a part of the group. I really enjoyed Dick Anthony Williams as his brother Taj. This is the one person who understands the absurdity of the situation and when Navin writes home about the possibility of a new job from his girlfriend, Williams' smirk and laughter is absolutely fantastic.
A lot works and plenty doesn't, but when you understand the film's place in history, you must give it a lot of credit. People took a chance on this unproven young man and ushered in a new era of comedians. With "Saturday Night Live" beginning it's perpetual lifespan around the same time, The Jerk became a sign of things to come. If you look at the comedy world today, everything seems to be manifested from the minds of comedians who started on stage or in TV. Shows are based on comedy acts and films molded from characters. Most of them fail miserably, but the strong success of a select few keep the money flowing, hoping to discover that next new cash cow. With scenes like those at the gas station here, Navin's first real job, you can't help but feel as though it could have been a skit translated and expanded for screen. Between Jackie Mason's utter wonderment at his employee's penchant for jubilance and M. Emmet Walsh's search for a random civilian to murder, the scene is the highlight of a film chock full of good one-liners. When Martin looks at the exploding oil cans and then at the gun-toting whackjob, he screams, "that guy really hates cans!" I couldn't stop laughing as he gets cornered by a coca-cola machine and a can display indoors. It is comedy gold and with plenty more to complement, you will be smiling once the credits roll.
I really think I wouldn't have enjoyed my time with this character if I hadn't read Martin's book first. Knowing his stand-up background made it fun to spot tired and true aspects throughout the movie. You have the juggling, the ukulele, and the "all I need is this ashtray, and I don't need anything else, well except this paddle-game, all I need is this ashtray and the paddle-game and these matches " schtick that surprising goes on long in the film, but never gets old. I think it has to do with the way it is shot, in a still-framed composition as he gradually goes further and further away, his voice getting softer and softer. It really is well-orchestrated and credit goes to either he or director Carl Reiner for the success. There are definite lulls in the action, as is inherent in films like this being a stream of jokes tied together, but there is bound to be some failures amongst the true gems. When the laughs hit, though, they hit pretty hardeven if it might just be because of how off-the-wall the gag is.
For a guy like Martin, fresh off of his club appearances and television variety shows, he is quite a natural. The Jerk marks his first major film role, the lead part in his own movie, something that shows how powerful he was based on record sales alone and no real reputation for acting on screen. He gets his wild and crazy guy dancing involved along with other staples from his repertoire to help the audience find their bearings and remember that this is the guy they hear at home every night for laughs. This really is the start of a powerhouse's career and he planned it out to perfection.
Having a supporting cast like he does can't hurt either. Bernadette Peters did not have many film jobs beforehand, probably just known mostly for her stage work. Her vocal prowess is on display as well as her comedic timing and blank face reactions to Martin's antics. I don't know if anyone else could have taken his face lick with such class. Martin's family is a lot of fun too, always singing and dancing and trying their best to make him a part of the group. I really enjoyed Dick Anthony Williams as his brother Taj. This is the one person who understands the absurdity of the situation and when Navin writes home about the possibility of a new job from his girlfriend, Williams' smirk and laughter is absolutely fantastic.
A lot works and plenty doesn't, but when you understand the film's place in history, you must give it a lot of credit. People took a chance on this unproven young man and ushered in a new era of comedians. With "Saturday Night Live" beginning it's perpetual lifespan around the same time, The Jerk became a sign of things to come. If you look at the comedy world today, everything seems to be manifested from the minds of comedians who started on stage or in TV. Shows are based on comedy acts and films molded from characters. Most of them fail miserably, but the strong success of a select few keep the money flowing, hoping to discover that next new cash cow. With scenes like those at the gas station here, Navin's first real job, you can't help but feel as though it could have been a skit translated and expanded for screen. Between Jackie Mason's utter wonderment at his employee's penchant for jubilance and M. Emmet Walsh's search for a random civilian to murder, the scene is the highlight of a film chock full of good one-liners. When Martin looks at the exploding oil cans and then at the gun-toting whackjob, he screams, "that guy really hates cans!" I couldn't stop laughing as he gets cornered by a coca-cola machine and a can display indoors. It is comedy gold and with plenty more to complement, you will be smiling once the credits roll.
Overall, "The Jerk" is one of the most original, wacky, and wild and crazy (Martin reference intended) comedies ever. See it for laughs, plain and simple.
MovieAddict201611 March 2003
The Jerk - 4.5/5 Country: US Language: English Year: 1979 Rating: R Director: Carl Reiner Starring: Steve Martin, Bernadette Peters, Mable King, M. Emmet Walsh
REVIEW BY JOHN ULMER
Steve Martin had basically gained a burst of fame before starring in Carl Reiner's wacky comedy "The Jerk." Martin was fresh off hosting "Saturday Night Live" a few times, and had made a few albums and stand-up gigs. But "The Jerk" is what established him as an on-screen comedian.
Martin plays a lame-brain fool, who lives with his family on a plantation farm. Only one problem. His family is black, he is white. After coming to facts about his racial status, Martin flees from the scene and heads for the downtown gig. He is suckered out of - and into - many things throughout the film. Not as much of because he is innocent as he is dumb, however. Unlike comedies like "Blast From the Past" where the main character is treated bad and doesn't realize it because he/she is innocent and has no idea what to expect from life, Martin gets treated bad and doesn't realize it because he is stupid, not only because he is innocent.
The Jerk starts out working at a gas station. Some of the funniest scenes occur here. One, is when a madman with a sniper rifle is shooting at Martin and misses. Martin, being The Jerk, thinks the man is purposely shooting at paint cans. He says, "Hey! It's the cans! He must hate the cans! Stay away from the cans!" Another is when he gets a home...living in a bathroom. ("Like it? I LOVE it!") And one that has always gotten my funnybone is when Martin looks in a phone book and sees his name. "I'm a person now!" He yells. This is true, of course. All of us feel like more than just skin after seeing our names printed somewhere. I recall first seeing my name as a reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes. It feels great to have your name written somewhere, because you know that someone, somewhere, saw that name and put it in. Someone read one of my movie reviews. Though Martin's character takes it to a new extreme, it is nevertheless true. When you sign your name on a document, the document becomes active and real. So why should it not be the same with Martin's character? Perhaps while he is a jerk, he is at the same time smart. Nah, he's just stupid.
"The Jerk" carved a place for itself in history. I had really never seen any comedy like it before. "Airplane" was released the same year, and the humor was much the same, as well as the editing (see below), but I saw "The Jerk" first, and it was an odd surprise. The humor is by itself. It is so odd and original that it makes it one of the best. Martin went on to make the less-successful "The Man with Two Brains," also directed by Reiner. The film is much the same, but does not work to the same degree. Too many jokes fall flat. Unlike "The Jerk," where the jokes start to fall flat in the middle and pick up again at the end, "The Man with Two Brains" had its hit-and-misses almost the whole way through. It was a fine comedy, but not great at all.
Steve Martin brings his character to life. He is one of the absolute dumbest, innocent, naive individuals I have ever seen on screen. But what makes him work so well is Martin. Martin behind it all. But the thing is, Martin dissolves himself completely into character. He is so stupid that you can't help but laugh. In "The Naked Gun" (1988) Leslie Nielsen used a dumb character and played him smart, deadpan, serious. Like everything he was saying and doing was normal. Martin does the same, but in a different way. He doesn't play him deadpan and smart. He plays a dumb character dumb, having no idea what he is saying and doing is wrong. And another interesting aspect is that even though Martin disguises himself as The Jerk, we can still see Martin shining through. Martin can play versatile actors (see "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" - 1987), but Martin is still inside. We can see him shining through. That is why Steve Martin is one of my favorite comedians. He can envelop his character, yet at the same time keep the Martin charm. That's why I can usually expect solid laughs from a Martin vehicle.
Director Carl Reiner does a few out-of-place cuts in "The Jerk," just like he did in "The Man with Two Brains," but I think that it worked overall. Part of what makes this movie so funny and goofy is how the editing is so odd. So many scenes are out of place and pay nothing to the film. But like I said, that is what makes it so original and stupid.
The film loses some steam halfway through, and the jokes sometimes fall flat, but overall the comedy is one of the best of its genre. I would say it is Martin's best comedy, but that spot is saved for "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" which co-stars John Candy. THAT movie is Steve Martin's best, and always will be.
Overall, "The Jerk" is one of the most original, wacky, and wild and crazy (Martin reference intended) comedies ever. See it for laughs, plain and simple.
REVIEW BY JOHN ULMER
Steve Martin had basically gained a burst of fame before starring in Carl Reiner's wacky comedy "The Jerk." Martin was fresh off hosting "Saturday Night Live" a few times, and had made a few albums and stand-up gigs. But "The Jerk" is what established him as an on-screen comedian.
Martin plays a lame-brain fool, who lives with his family on a plantation farm. Only one problem. His family is black, he is white. After coming to facts about his racial status, Martin flees from the scene and heads for the downtown gig. He is suckered out of - and into - many things throughout the film. Not as much of because he is innocent as he is dumb, however. Unlike comedies like "Blast From the Past" where the main character is treated bad and doesn't realize it because he/she is innocent and has no idea what to expect from life, Martin gets treated bad and doesn't realize it because he is stupid, not only because he is innocent.
The Jerk starts out working at a gas station. Some of the funniest scenes occur here. One, is when a madman with a sniper rifle is shooting at Martin and misses. Martin, being The Jerk, thinks the man is purposely shooting at paint cans. He says, "Hey! It's the cans! He must hate the cans! Stay away from the cans!" Another is when he gets a home...living in a bathroom. ("Like it? I LOVE it!") And one that has always gotten my funnybone is when Martin looks in a phone book and sees his name. "I'm a person now!" He yells. This is true, of course. All of us feel like more than just skin after seeing our names printed somewhere. I recall first seeing my name as a reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes. It feels great to have your name written somewhere, because you know that someone, somewhere, saw that name and put it in. Someone read one of my movie reviews. Though Martin's character takes it to a new extreme, it is nevertheless true. When you sign your name on a document, the document becomes active and real. So why should it not be the same with Martin's character? Perhaps while he is a jerk, he is at the same time smart. Nah, he's just stupid.
"The Jerk" carved a place for itself in history. I had really never seen any comedy like it before. "Airplane" was released the same year, and the humor was much the same, as well as the editing (see below), but I saw "The Jerk" first, and it was an odd surprise. The humor is by itself. It is so odd and original that it makes it one of the best. Martin went on to make the less-successful "The Man with Two Brains," also directed by Reiner. The film is much the same, but does not work to the same degree. Too many jokes fall flat. Unlike "The Jerk," where the jokes start to fall flat in the middle and pick up again at the end, "The Man with Two Brains" had its hit-and-misses almost the whole way through. It was a fine comedy, but not great at all.
Steve Martin brings his character to life. He is one of the absolute dumbest, innocent, naive individuals I have ever seen on screen. But what makes him work so well is Martin. Martin behind it all. But the thing is, Martin dissolves himself completely into character. He is so stupid that you can't help but laugh. In "The Naked Gun" (1988) Leslie Nielsen used a dumb character and played him smart, deadpan, serious. Like everything he was saying and doing was normal. Martin does the same, but in a different way. He doesn't play him deadpan and smart. He plays a dumb character dumb, having no idea what he is saying and doing is wrong. And another interesting aspect is that even though Martin disguises himself as The Jerk, we can still see Martin shining through. Martin can play versatile actors (see "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" - 1987), but Martin is still inside. We can see him shining through. That is why Steve Martin is one of my favorite comedians. He can envelop his character, yet at the same time keep the Martin charm. That's why I can usually expect solid laughs from a Martin vehicle.
Director Carl Reiner does a few out-of-place cuts in "The Jerk," just like he did in "The Man with Two Brains," but I think that it worked overall. Part of what makes this movie so funny and goofy is how the editing is so odd. So many scenes are out of place and pay nothing to the film. But like I said, that is what makes it so original and stupid.
The film loses some steam halfway through, and the jokes sometimes fall flat, but overall the comedy is one of the best of its genre. I would say it is Martin's best comedy, but that spot is saved for "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" which co-stars John Candy. THAT movie is Steve Martin's best, and always will be.
Overall, "The Jerk" is one of the most original, wacky, and wild and crazy (Martin reference intended) comedies ever. See it for laughs, plain and simple.
40 years later, "The Jerk" is still hysterical!
mark.waltz2 February 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Steve Martin's character has done pretty well for himself for having been born a poor black child. We get to see his rise from sharecropper's sun to gas station attendant (making $1.10 an hour!) Que carne worker guessing people's weight to millionaire for a suggestion of how to improve eyeglass slippage. It all comes crashing down on him as he walks out on wife Bernadette Peters when a hysterical situation involving the eyeglass holder (and director Carl Reiner!) puts him on the street.
A terrific ensemble supports Martin and makes this a film that has stood the test of time, becoming a modern comedy classic that still gives laughs guaranteed to have your chest in pain. There is Mabel King as his loving mother (fresh from her scene-stealing performance on Broadway and the film version of "The Wiz"), Jackie Mason as has employer at the gas station, Bill Macy as the partner in the eyeglass folder invention (ironically not even charged in the lawsuit against Martin!), M. Emmet Walsh as the crazy man who goes on a shooting spree against Martin (simply having picked his name out of a phone book), and Catlin Adams as the tough Carney girl whom Peters gets the best of.
Certainly, this is filled with idiotic humor but this is one of the times where that idiotic humor is genuinely funny and can be laughed at time and time again. There's a charming duet between Peters and Martin on the beach, a hysterical restaurant sequence involving snails on Peters' plate, and hystirical visuals all over, including one involving water jugs filled with both red and white wine and glasses that come out of a paper glass dispenser. it also has commentary on the situations involving hangers-on who quickly abandoned Martin when he loses his wealth and a tacky but funny scene involving "cat juggling". Another one of my favorites is the part of a church that is pulled out when Martin attaches a heavy rope to it's piping and onto a stolen car.
The script is ingenious in every detail, showing how Martin relates to each member of his adopted family, the dog who adopts him, and how he ends up with Peters who is so charming and delightful in this film that it becomes a question as to why movie stardom seems to have passed her by. (For me however, seeing her in five Broadway musicals is enough reason...) Martin, then known simply as a stand-up comic and a wild and crazy guy, probably gets the best feature film debut of any modern comedian and most of his works have lasted and can now be considered modern classics. This is also one of Reiner's best films that shows when you have the right ingredients, everything comes together and makes for a delicious meal, snails and all.
A terrific ensemble supports Martin and makes this a film that has stood the test of time, becoming a modern comedy classic that still gives laughs guaranteed to have your chest in pain. There is Mabel King as his loving mother (fresh from her scene-stealing performance on Broadway and the film version of "The Wiz"), Jackie Mason as has employer at the gas station, Bill Macy as the partner in the eyeglass folder invention (ironically not even charged in the lawsuit against Martin!), M. Emmet Walsh as the crazy man who goes on a shooting spree against Martin (simply having picked his name out of a phone book), and Catlin Adams as the tough Carney girl whom Peters gets the best of.
Certainly, this is filled with idiotic humor but this is one of the times where that idiotic humor is genuinely funny and can be laughed at time and time again. There's a charming duet between Peters and Martin on the beach, a hysterical restaurant sequence involving snails on Peters' plate, and hystirical visuals all over, including one involving water jugs filled with both red and white wine and glasses that come out of a paper glass dispenser. it also has commentary on the situations involving hangers-on who quickly abandoned Martin when he loses his wealth and a tacky but funny scene involving "cat juggling". Another one of my favorites is the part of a church that is pulled out when Martin attaches a heavy rope to it's piping and onto a stolen car.
The script is ingenious in every detail, showing how Martin relates to each member of his adopted family, the dog who adopts him, and how he ends up with Peters who is so charming and delightful in this film that it becomes a question as to why movie stardom seems to have passed her by. (For me however, seeing her in five Broadway musicals is enough reason...) Martin, then known simply as a stand-up comic and a wild and crazy guy, probably gets the best feature film debut of any modern comedian and most of his works have lasted and can now be considered modern classics. This is also one of Reiner's best films that shows when you have the right ingredients, everything comes together and makes for a delicious meal, snails and all.
Willfully stupid yet utterly hilarious
williampsamuel7 December 2014
Watching Steve Martin in The Jerk, I cannot help but be amazed. Martin has undoubtedly created THE dumbest character ever to appear in a movie. As Navin R. Johnson, he is dense enough to not realize that he's adopted- even though his whole family is black! He's the kind of guy who will gladly accept a ride to the end of the fence, and considers making $1.10 an hour as a gas station attendant to be a dream come true. He's too stupid to understand that a girl who will tattoo your name on her butt after the first date isn't exactly a high class woman.
OK. So he's dumb. So dumb in fact that he could never exist in real life. Anyone who takes the actions he takes, and goes through the experiences that he goes through, can only be a fictional construct. Usually this is fatal for a movie, because audiences cannot suspend their disbelief. This is especially true when the film has no real plot, but is merely a series a series of loosely connected scenes, as this movie is. Such are the trademarks of a box office bomb.
But here, with Martin in lead, it works. The Jerk is so over the top, and Martin plays dumb so successfully, that it's hilarious, believable or not. The entire film is on the level of a middle school production, and it's something of a one joke movie, but it's just plain funny from beginning to end.
I love his movie, and I laughed every minute, but I'm at something of a loss to explain its success. I guess if you play dumb enough, there's no telling what you can accomplish.
OK. So he's dumb. So dumb in fact that he could never exist in real life. Anyone who takes the actions he takes, and goes through the experiences that he goes through, can only be a fictional construct. Usually this is fatal for a movie, because audiences cannot suspend their disbelief. This is especially true when the film has no real plot, but is merely a series a series of loosely connected scenes, as this movie is. Such are the trademarks of a box office bomb.
But here, with Martin in lead, it works. The Jerk is so over the top, and Martin plays dumb so successfully, that it's hilarious, believable or not. The entire film is on the level of a middle school production, and it's something of a one joke movie, but it's just plain funny from beginning to end.
I love his movie, and I laughed every minute, but I'm at something of a loss to explain its success. I guess if you play dumb enough, there's no telling what you can accomplish.
Hilarious screwball comedy
KnightsofNi114 April 2011
You've gotta love the 70's. That is a decade that produced some of the greatest comedies, dramas, war films, art films, etc etc. If it's a classic and it was released in the second half of the 20th century, chances are it was the 70's. The Jerk is just another of those classic screwball comedies that we all know and love. It's no Airplane! but it is a lot of fun and has plenty of that same goofy, quirky, and all around bizarre humor. Steve Martin plays Navin Andrews, a man who was raised by a black family in Missouri. On his birthday one year, Navin finally learns that this family of kindly black southerners aren't his real family and so Navin decides to set out and make something of his life by traveling to St. Louis. The film opens with Navin sitting under a staircase next to a movie theater, drinking whiskey with two of his hobo buddies. He introduces himself to the audience saying that he isn't a bum, just a jerk. He then proceeds to tell us of his life and the story goes from there, taking off into all sorts of weird and wacky places with strange characters and events, where hilarity always ensues.
Steve Martin is what makes this movie without a doubt. He is absolutely hysterical and delivers the best lines of the film. The character of Navin is an absolute idiot who can't comprehend the real world to save his life. Thus we see him getting into all sorts of hilarious situations that any normal person would have just found a simplistic way out of. But Navin delivers all the laughs as Steve Martin bumbles around as one of the most entertaining characters I've ever seen in one of these screwball comedies. Great comedy comes from great improv, something this film allegedly has a lot of. And I'll believe it because there are some moments where I could never have seen that put on paper. Moments that could only be conceived by the spontaneous mind of a comedic genius like Steve Martin. I'm talking about those moments when Martin will do something so absurd and so unexpected that you can even see the actors he is with begin to break down. Everyone has fun with this movie, and it makes it all the more enjoyable.
As fun as this movie is, you still have to remember that it is just a screwball comedy. It isn't trying to accomplish anything major, and it just wants to elicit a good laugh. And it definitely did that for me. There are plenty of dumb things about this movie and moments that aren't as funny as others. I can't help but compare this movie to Airplane and its farcical nature. Airplane definitely does a better job than The Jerk and it has a more consistently hilarious spoof tone to it. The Jerk is funny from start to finish and definitely never tries to take itself seriously, but it is really a film you have to put yourself in a much lighter and less intellectual state of mind to watch and enjoy. There's nothing inherently wrong with this brand of comedy, but it is pretty simple. Yet, when done right, you get great results, and I can't deny that The Jerk does it right.
Films like these I can only enjoy to a certain extent, and that is solely based off of personal opinion. The Jerk is a hilarious film and is actually really well made for what it's worth. There is never a dull moment and Steve Martin is hysterical. This film is nothing more than a screwball comedy, and you will know it about fifteen minutes in. As far as comedies go, this one is great, and there is a lot of fun to be had with it.
Steve Martin is what makes this movie without a doubt. He is absolutely hysterical and delivers the best lines of the film. The character of Navin is an absolute idiot who can't comprehend the real world to save his life. Thus we see him getting into all sorts of hilarious situations that any normal person would have just found a simplistic way out of. But Navin delivers all the laughs as Steve Martin bumbles around as one of the most entertaining characters I've ever seen in one of these screwball comedies. Great comedy comes from great improv, something this film allegedly has a lot of. And I'll believe it because there are some moments where I could never have seen that put on paper. Moments that could only be conceived by the spontaneous mind of a comedic genius like Steve Martin. I'm talking about those moments when Martin will do something so absurd and so unexpected that you can even see the actors he is with begin to break down. Everyone has fun with this movie, and it makes it all the more enjoyable.
As fun as this movie is, you still have to remember that it is just a screwball comedy. It isn't trying to accomplish anything major, and it just wants to elicit a good laugh. And it definitely did that for me. There are plenty of dumb things about this movie and moments that aren't as funny as others. I can't help but compare this movie to Airplane and its farcical nature. Airplane definitely does a better job than The Jerk and it has a more consistently hilarious spoof tone to it. The Jerk is funny from start to finish and definitely never tries to take itself seriously, but it is really a film you have to put yourself in a much lighter and less intellectual state of mind to watch and enjoy. There's nothing inherently wrong with this brand of comedy, but it is pretty simple. Yet, when done right, you get great results, and I can't deny that The Jerk does it right.
Films like these I can only enjoy to a certain extent, and that is solely based off of personal opinion. The Jerk is a hilarious film and is actually really well made for what it's worth. There is never a dull moment and Steve Martin is hysterical. This film is nothing more than a screwball comedy, and you will know it about fifteen minutes in. As far as comedies go, this one is great, and there is a lot of fun to be had with it.
Humor is subjective.
nickjones-9654610 April 2023
I understand that a lot of people love The Jerk. I can see where the humor of every single joke is supposed to come from in an abstract way; unfortunately, I only laughed once during The Jerk, as M. Emmett Walsh's character was attempting to assassinate Steve Martin's titular jerk, repeatedly insulting him by using terms like "random," "average," and "run-of-the mill." The entire rest of the film bored me horribly. It's not a matter of older films' humor not translating, as Airplane! Came out just a year later and it holds up to this day. There's simply something about the rank stupidity and predictability of both the humor and the characters in The Jerk that I find simultaneously dull and obnoxious.
Laugh so hard, you'll miss half the movie
MIK7x327 May 2000
I'm glad that I didn't see this in the theatre, because when I watched it the first time on video, I needed to pause the movie several times just to catch my breath from laughing so hard! Wait a minute...was that the first time, or the tenth time? Playing Navin R. Johnson, the white son of a black family, Steve Martin leaves home to find "his special purpose." By the end of the movie, we all know what that was...to entertain his fans the way he has! As for Navin's special purpose, if you haven't already seen the movie, you aren't going to get any more information than what's here. It takes intelligence to play a complete idiot, and Steve Martin does the job extremely well. Also take note of Martin's costar Bernadette Peters, and the cameo appearances by Jackie Mason and Carl Reiner. Whoever wrote that people who watch "The Jerk" will be quoting its jokes for years after was absolutely right. This was the funniest of Steve Martin's movies!
The Movie that made Steve Martin a Star
Gideon248 April 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Steve Martin became an official movie star via a 1979 comedy that became an instant classic called The Jerk, a comedy that is silly, improbable, and constantly strains the boundaries of logic and continuity, but provides consistent laughs anyway.
Martin plays Navin Johnson, the adopted son of a family of black sharecroppers, who had no idea that he was adopted ("You mean I'm gonna stay this color?"), who finally leaves the comfort of the Missouri farm where he was raised to find his "special purpose". We watch as Navin inexplicably becomes the sex slave of a circus performer named Patty (Caitlin Adams), who has him convinced that this is his special purpose. When he does escape Patty's iron grip, he does find happiness with a cosmotologist named Marie (Bernadette Peters), while at the same time, inventing a special kind of eyeglasses that make him a billionaire and turns him into a bum almost as quickly, which is where Navin is when we meet him at the beginning of the film, which is actually told in flashback.
Carl Reiner's energetic direction and a hysterical screenplay by Martin, Carl Gottleib, and Michael Elias work in sync beautifully to bring us a rolling-on-the-floor-funny story that despite the absolute ridiculous and stupid things that happen to Navin, we find ourselves buying it and being behind the character. We laugh when Navin finally realizes that he's not black and we laugh when a psycho played by M. Emmett Walsh picks Navin's name out of a phone book and decides to murder him and we laugh when for his first date with Marie, Navin orders dinner from Pizza in a Cup. We even laugh when Navin hits it big and has his dream house built and offers us a description of the various rooms.
Martin is wonderful in the title role and always keeps Navin likable and he has a very nice on screen chemistry with Bernadette Peters, which actually led to a brief real life romance and an on screen reunion 2 years later in Pennies from Heaven, I also loved Richard Ward and Mabel King as Navin's adopted parents and Bill Macy as the guy who partners Navin in his eyeglass invention, which comes to be known as "Opti-Grab."
Nothing deep here, just one laugh after another right up to the slightly contrived ending, which I can forgive because the journey to that point had me on the floor.
Martin plays Navin Johnson, the adopted son of a family of black sharecroppers, who had no idea that he was adopted ("You mean I'm gonna stay this color?"), who finally leaves the comfort of the Missouri farm where he was raised to find his "special purpose". We watch as Navin inexplicably becomes the sex slave of a circus performer named Patty (Caitlin Adams), who has him convinced that this is his special purpose. When he does escape Patty's iron grip, he does find happiness with a cosmotologist named Marie (Bernadette Peters), while at the same time, inventing a special kind of eyeglasses that make him a billionaire and turns him into a bum almost as quickly, which is where Navin is when we meet him at the beginning of the film, which is actually told in flashback.
Carl Reiner's energetic direction and a hysterical screenplay by Martin, Carl Gottleib, and Michael Elias work in sync beautifully to bring us a rolling-on-the-floor-funny story that despite the absolute ridiculous and stupid things that happen to Navin, we find ourselves buying it and being behind the character. We laugh when Navin finally realizes that he's not black and we laugh when a psycho played by M. Emmett Walsh picks Navin's name out of a phone book and decides to murder him and we laugh when for his first date with Marie, Navin orders dinner from Pizza in a Cup. We even laugh when Navin hits it big and has his dream house built and offers us a description of the various rooms.
Martin is wonderful in the title role and always keeps Navin likable and he has a very nice on screen chemistry with Bernadette Peters, which actually led to a brief real life romance and an on screen reunion 2 years later in Pennies from Heaven, I also loved Richard Ward and Mabel King as Navin's adopted parents and Bill Macy as the guy who partners Navin in his eyeglass invention, which comes to be known as "Opti-Grab."
Nothing deep here, just one laugh after another right up to the slightly contrived ending, which I can forgive because the journey to that point had me on the floor.
Steve Martin is the funniest man ever. Period.
dirtydan115 January 2002
I am 16 years old. Therefore, i was not even around when this movie was made. The one day, though, i was walking through the movie store, and i saw a sign that said 2 movies for ten dollars. So, with my dads advice, i bought this movie. I watched it, and couldn't stop laughing the whole way through. I realized that Steve Martin is the funniest man ever. Period. Second to none. This movie was the funniest movie I've ever seen, and it got me hooked on other Steve Martin movies. Since then, I seen Planes Trains and Automobiles, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, the Father of the Bride movies, and i can't get enough of him. I can only hope that he starts to act in more comedies, because i haven't seen him in any for a while. My rating for The Jerk is ten out of ten, two thumbs up, and five out of five stars. Thank you, Steve Martin.
"I was born a poor Black child"
michaelRokeefe3 August 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Absolutely hilarious. Steve Martin's first "real" starring role playing Navin R. Johnson, a down and out human being that is intelligence deprived. Navin believes he is part of a poor Black family in Mississippi and wants to go out and tackle the world. He takes jobs as a gas station attendant and an all around flunky for a circus. He goes from rags to riches by inventing an adaption to keep eyeglasses from slipping. Albeit a short-lived fame and fortune.
My favorite scenes involves "defective" oil cans; snails on the plate at a fancy restaurant; and writing home saying he was making extra money at the circus, because he was given a "b^#w job".
Filling out the rest of this comedy's cast: the adorable Bernadette Peters, M. Emmett Walsh, Dick O'Neil, Catlin Adams, Richard Ward and Bill Macy. Carl Reiner directs and Martin co-writes.
My favorite scenes involves "defective" oil cans; snails on the plate at a fancy restaurant; and writing home saying he was making extra money at the circus, because he was given a "b^#w job".
Filling out the rest of this comedy's cast: the adorable Bernadette Peters, M. Emmett Walsh, Dick O'Neil, Catlin Adams, Richard Ward and Bill Macy. Carl Reiner directs and Martin co-writes.
Literal comedies are great
iwatcheverything27 September 2003
I love literal comedies. These are some of the best.
Steve Martin is one of the greats. This is one of his best movies he has done. The speech about All I Need is This is wonderful. This movie is a classic for comedy lovers. Steve Martin has done a few of these kinds of films but they are all wonderful.
If you get a chance pick this up. I will have to add to my collection.
Steve Martin is one of the greats. This is one of his best movies he has done. The speech about All I Need is This is wonderful. This movie is a classic for comedy lovers. Steve Martin has done a few of these kinds of films but they are all wonderful.
If you get a chance pick this up. I will have to add to my collection.
Funnier with time!
jjh651929 August 2002
I saw "The Jerk" several times on the screen when it first released and then I have watched it either as a video or on TV (the butchered version, where the dog "Shithead" gets changed to "Stupid", etc.). I always thought it was funny, if not more than a little stupid. Even so, it's been quite a while since I've seen the original version.
Well, about a week or so ago, my 14-year-old grandson asked me if I wanted to watch "Joe Dirt" with him, and based upon the reviews I had read, I wanted to say no, but I could tell it was important to him. Well, "Joe Dirt" is by no means that great, but I was amazed that I found myself laughing at it. And after the movie was over, it occurred to me that, if my grandson liked this story-of-a-loser's-life-as-told-by-the-loser, he would at least enjoy "The Jerk", which uses a similar plot device. Of course, "The Jerk" is not at all as raunchy and gross as "Joe Dirt", which tries to emulate the Farrelly brothers. But I still had hope that my grandson might enjoy it, so I rented it so we could watch it together.
My grandson roared! I have never heard him laugh so loud and so often while watching any movie. He could not contain himself during the scenes in Navin Johnson's old shack of a home, where he believed he grew up as a part of a poor but close African-American family in Mississippi. He loved the part when the crazy guy picks out Navin's name from the telephone book by pure chance, and tries to shoot him, but Navin, in his stupidity, thinks the guy is really trying to shoot the oil cans right next to him, because the crazed sniper (M. Everett Walsh) keeps accidentally hitting them when he misses Navin. And when Navin finally gets the courage to be intimate with Marie (Bernadette Peters), and as we are all expecting an amorous kiss, he licks the side of her face! OK, OK, it's stupid, but it's also hilarious! My grandson was roaring with laughter throughout, including the bit about "And I don't need anything! Well, I need this thing here. But I don't need anything else! Well, I need this..."
"The Jerk" made me laugh all over again. It has become funnier with age, even though some of the jokes are dated. (By the way, even a classic comedy such as "Blazing Saddles" has become dated due to its lame ending.)
And I noticed that some reviewers actually find "The Jerk" to be a racist movie. Why? Because of the one scene in which the N-word was used and turned into great satire? They must have watched a totally different film than the one I have watched over the years. Or has political correctness totally gone crazy and lost all sense of humor?
Well, about a week or so ago, my 14-year-old grandson asked me if I wanted to watch "Joe Dirt" with him, and based upon the reviews I had read, I wanted to say no, but I could tell it was important to him. Well, "Joe Dirt" is by no means that great, but I was amazed that I found myself laughing at it. And after the movie was over, it occurred to me that, if my grandson liked this story-of-a-loser's-life-as-told-by-the-loser, he would at least enjoy "The Jerk", which uses a similar plot device. Of course, "The Jerk" is not at all as raunchy and gross as "Joe Dirt", which tries to emulate the Farrelly brothers. But I still had hope that my grandson might enjoy it, so I rented it so we could watch it together.
My grandson roared! I have never heard him laugh so loud and so often while watching any movie. He could not contain himself during the scenes in Navin Johnson's old shack of a home, where he believed he grew up as a part of a poor but close African-American family in Mississippi. He loved the part when the crazy guy picks out Navin's name from the telephone book by pure chance, and tries to shoot him, but Navin, in his stupidity, thinks the guy is really trying to shoot the oil cans right next to him, because the crazed sniper (M. Everett Walsh) keeps accidentally hitting them when he misses Navin. And when Navin finally gets the courage to be intimate with Marie (Bernadette Peters), and as we are all expecting an amorous kiss, he licks the side of her face! OK, OK, it's stupid, but it's also hilarious! My grandson was roaring with laughter throughout, including the bit about "And I don't need anything! Well, I need this thing here. But I don't need anything else! Well, I need this..."
"The Jerk" made me laugh all over again. It has become funnier with age, even though some of the jokes are dated. (By the way, even a classic comedy such as "Blazing Saddles" has become dated due to its lame ending.)
And I noticed that some reviewers actually find "The Jerk" to be a racist movie. Why? Because of the one scene in which the N-word was used and turned into great satire? They must have watched a totally different film than the one I have watched over the years. Or has political correctness totally gone crazy and lost all sense of humor?
Ace Ventura + Forrest Gump = Navin Johnson aka "The Jerk"
ElMaruecan8222 November 2021
"The Jerk" is one of these comedies where basically anything can happen for the sake of a good laugh challenging good taste in more than one occasion. Carl Reiner's film is raunchy and outrageous but also heart-warming, and romantic, even more effectively so. Overall, it's not much if the film is funny but if the kind of fun it delivers is enjoyable or not. Not everyone would enjoy it that's for sure, but even the non-funny parts have a certain funny way to be funny. Let me expand on that.
I'm an open-minded mind when it comes to comedies and I don't always expect to get loud uproars of laughter but if I can enjoy the film on the simple basis of its story and how compelling the hero is, well half the job is done. And let me say it is a real tour de force performance of Steve Martin as Navin Johnson, the titular jerk, the kind of role where an actor gives so much of himself the role it becomes a prowess of physical achievement, the closest I can think of is Jim Carrey.... except that his Ace Ventura was a real jerk, which Ebert and Siskel detested.
And I guess this is why the late critics didn't like the film, Ebert wrote a long essay about the kind of humor delivered in "The Jerk", explaining quite eloquently the distanciation between the subject of the laughing and the purpose, should we laugh at something because it's funny or because it implies something that is even funnier? I agree that "The Jerk" works more on a first-degree level and may leave fans of sophisticated humor on their hunger and maybe neither he or Siskel was too fond of overly obnoxious characters. While it took me a while to appreciate Navin, "The Jerk" is still enjoyable in my book, not funny funny but enjoyable funny.
And this has got to do with the most misleading title since "The Never Ending Story" for Navin Johnsonis perhaps the nicest and most enthusiastic goofball you'll see in a film and more a victim of other jerks who abuse his wide-eyed naivety than a real one. The film tells its rags-to-riches-then-to-rags story starting in all picaresque fashion, with him as a bum starting the story of his life with the infamous "I was born a poor black child", a line I was anticipating like "I'll be back" in an Arnie film. For some stupid reason, the line filled my heart with satisfaction as I discovered it as one of the 400 nominees in AFI most iconic quotes, many years ago.
In fact that line is the first hint of gentleness in the character, when I read it I thought it was just a lie only a jerk can commit, appropriating himself the usual narrative of the black kid growing up in the country. But that the line was to be taken at face value with Navin being brought up by a loving family composed of a good mother (Mabel King) and Father (Richard Ward) trades the clever cynicism for genuine sweetness. Naturally, there had to be a few ethnic jokes like when Navin learning the truth about his past and commenting about his skin color but it's got a fine payoff when he engages in fighting kung-fu style with a bunch of goons who used the N word (watch carefully and you'll see Luca Brasi among them).
The family sequence is soothing and fills hearts with enough warmth to establish Navin as anything but the jerk, and at his 35th birthday, when he decides to discover the world and wear pilot goggles for that, there's no need to question it... and summing up the journey of Navin would be futile. The film is a succession of pinball-like encounters where his weirdness never seems to attract suspicion, and so we follow Navin as a gas station attendant working for Jackie Mason, discovering with wide eyes his room, mistaking it for the toilet, and delivering the hilarious "this must be the kitchen".
There's such a quirky likability in Steve Martin that it would take a rather cynical eye not to fell in love with the character, truly an invention of his own on the same level that French comical actor Pierre Richard. He's so effective that the film takes needless turns when other characters seem to compete with his weirdness and that include R. Emmet Walsh as trigger-happy madman but then again for one or two uncertain jokes, there's one big gag that redeems it, and right now, I can't get off my mind his smile when he realizes how much money he's made, I'm surprised this hasn't become a popular meme. And how did he get the money? Well, beyond his cheerful façade, there's brain working, like his invention of the optigrab, a glasses handler, in that scene where he explains the troubles with finger pressure applied glasses, being bespectacled myself, I was listening.
There's also a sweet romantic interlude with Bernadette Peters, following his agressive relationship with a daredevil biker played by Caitlin Adams. Peters plays her role with a sort of Madeline Kahn quality, she's such a sweet little doll who underplays her wackiness making her the perfect match for Navin. Included in the cast are also Carl Reiner in a fun cameo that backfires the idea of the optigrab.
Overall, if not exactly a laugh riot justified by its inclusion on AFI Top 100 comedies (yes, I'm an AFI buff), the film throws so many gags that there's not a minute going without one good laugh.. In fact, he's like a good crossover between Ace Ventura and Forrest Gump, as a guy who succeeds thanks to and despite himself, and like Hanks in "Gump", Martin at least didn't go full 'jerk', for lack of a better word...
I'm an open-minded mind when it comes to comedies and I don't always expect to get loud uproars of laughter but if I can enjoy the film on the simple basis of its story and how compelling the hero is, well half the job is done. And let me say it is a real tour de force performance of Steve Martin as Navin Johnson, the titular jerk, the kind of role where an actor gives so much of himself the role it becomes a prowess of physical achievement, the closest I can think of is Jim Carrey.... except that his Ace Ventura was a real jerk, which Ebert and Siskel detested.
And I guess this is why the late critics didn't like the film, Ebert wrote a long essay about the kind of humor delivered in "The Jerk", explaining quite eloquently the distanciation between the subject of the laughing and the purpose, should we laugh at something because it's funny or because it implies something that is even funnier? I agree that "The Jerk" works more on a first-degree level and may leave fans of sophisticated humor on their hunger and maybe neither he or Siskel was too fond of overly obnoxious characters. While it took me a while to appreciate Navin, "The Jerk" is still enjoyable in my book, not funny funny but enjoyable funny.
And this has got to do with the most misleading title since "The Never Ending Story" for Navin Johnsonis perhaps the nicest and most enthusiastic goofball you'll see in a film and more a victim of other jerks who abuse his wide-eyed naivety than a real one. The film tells its rags-to-riches-then-to-rags story starting in all picaresque fashion, with him as a bum starting the story of his life with the infamous "I was born a poor black child", a line I was anticipating like "I'll be back" in an Arnie film. For some stupid reason, the line filled my heart with satisfaction as I discovered it as one of the 400 nominees in AFI most iconic quotes, many years ago.
In fact that line is the first hint of gentleness in the character, when I read it I thought it was just a lie only a jerk can commit, appropriating himself the usual narrative of the black kid growing up in the country. But that the line was to be taken at face value with Navin being brought up by a loving family composed of a good mother (Mabel King) and Father (Richard Ward) trades the clever cynicism for genuine sweetness. Naturally, there had to be a few ethnic jokes like when Navin learning the truth about his past and commenting about his skin color but it's got a fine payoff when he engages in fighting kung-fu style with a bunch of goons who used the N word (watch carefully and you'll see Luca Brasi among them).
The family sequence is soothing and fills hearts with enough warmth to establish Navin as anything but the jerk, and at his 35th birthday, when he decides to discover the world and wear pilot goggles for that, there's no need to question it... and summing up the journey of Navin would be futile. The film is a succession of pinball-like encounters where his weirdness never seems to attract suspicion, and so we follow Navin as a gas station attendant working for Jackie Mason, discovering with wide eyes his room, mistaking it for the toilet, and delivering the hilarious "this must be the kitchen".
There's such a quirky likability in Steve Martin that it would take a rather cynical eye not to fell in love with the character, truly an invention of his own on the same level that French comical actor Pierre Richard. He's so effective that the film takes needless turns when other characters seem to compete with his weirdness and that include R. Emmet Walsh as trigger-happy madman but then again for one or two uncertain jokes, there's one big gag that redeems it, and right now, I can't get off my mind his smile when he realizes how much money he's made, I'm surprised this hasn't become a popular meme. And how did he get the money? Well, beyond his cheerful façade, there's brain working, like his invention of the optigrab, a glasses handler, in that scene where he explains the troubles with finger pressure applied glasses, being bespectacled myself, I was listening.
There's also a sweet romantic interlude with Bernadette Peters, following his agressive relationship with a daredevil biker played by Caitlin Adams. Peters plays her role with a sort of Madeline Kahn quality, she's such a sweet little doll who underplays her wackiness making her the perfect match for Navin. Included in the cast are also Carl Reiner in a fun cameo that backfires the idea of the optigrab.
Overall, if not exactly a laugh riot justified by its inclusion on AFI Top 100 comedies (yes, I'm an AFI buff), the film throws so many gags that there's not a minute going without one good laugh.. In fact, he's like a good crossover between Ace Ventura and Forrest Gump, as a guy who succeeds thanks to and despite himself, and like Hanks in "Gump", Martin at least didn't go full 'jerk', for lack of a better word...
A reminder of just how great Steve Martin used to be
tomgillespie20028 August 2016
Desperate to make a career on the big screen in order to prolong his soaring stand-up career, Steve Martin wrote the premise for The Jerk based on one line from one of his routines - "I was born a poor black child." As so Navin B. Johnson - the dim-witted adopted son of a family of black sharecroppers - was born. Light on plot but heavy on laughs, The Jerk is a shaggy-dog tale of an idiot's pursuit of the American Dream, and his downfall once he finds it, all shaped around Martin's stage persona by the writing team of Martin, Carl Gottlieb and Michael Elias.
After learning from his mother that he is adopted ("You mean I'm gonna stay this colour?"), Navin sets out on the road to experience the big wide world and make it on his own. Along the way, he takes a variety of odd-jobs, from a gas station attendant to a weight- guesser at a travelling carnival, finally making his fortune with a ridiculous contraption called 'Opti-Grab' - a device that allows a pair of glasses to be removed and placed on the face with relative ease. He also falls in love with the doe-eyed Marie (Bernadette Peters), and the two share a lovely scene singing Tonight You Belong to Me on the beach before things start to fall apart as Navin becomes insufferable due his increasing wealth.
Described (and criticised) as a film of 'funny hats' by Roger Ebert (as opposed to 'funny logic' - the reason for the funny hat), your enjoyment of The Jerk depends very much on your sense of humour. If sight-gags and goofiness is your thing, then there is much to love about The Jerk. Martin and director Carl Reiner clearly set out to give you a laugh a minute here, and while some jokes fall flat or come across as simply bizarre, they largely succeed. It's frequently crass but never mean-spirited (Navin innocently names his dog 'Shithead'), and it's a throwback to a less politically correct time when the white leading man could drop the 'n' word and get away with it. It's also a reminder of just how great Steve Martin used to be before he lowered himself to the family-friendly pap he is now better known for by modern audiences.
After learning from his mother that he is adopted ("You mean I'm gonna stay this colour?"), Navin sets out on the road to experience the big wide world and make it on his own. Along the way, he takes a variety of odd-jobs, from a gas station attendant to a weight- guesser at a travelling carnival, finally making his fortune with a ridiculous contraption called 'Opti-Grab' - a device that allows a pair of glasses to be removed and placed on the face with relative ease. He also falls in love with the doe-eyed Marie (Bernadette Peters), and the two share a lovely scene singing Tonight You Belong to Me on the beach before things start to fall apart as Navin becomes insufferable due his increasing wealth.
Described (and criticised) as a film of 'funny hats' by Roger Ebert (as opposed to 'funny logic' - the reason for the funny hat), your enjoyment of The Jerk depends very much on your sense of humour. If sight-gags and goofiness is your thing, then there is much to love about The Jerk. Martin and director Carl Reiner clearly set out to give you a laugh a minute here, and while some jokes fall flat or come across as simply bizarre, they largely succeed. It's frequently crass but never mean-spirited (Navin innocently names his dog 'Shithead'), and it's a throwback to a less politically correct time when the white leading man could drop the 'n' word and get away with it. It's also a reminder of just how great Steve Martin used to be before he lowered himself to the family-friendly pap he is now better known for by modern audiences.
Seemed a bit rushed but comedic all around
KineticSeoul14 February 2013
This is a solid comedy and sometimes it get pretty darn hysterical. I wouldn't be shocked if the makers of "Forrest Gump" got some ideas from this movie. The plot is basically about a guy that isn't really mentally challenged but isn't too bright either and is very sheltered. Getting out into the real world and going through what life throws at him. And it's pure comedy sometimes and Steve Martin really steals the show as this naive and yet somewhat likable guy. And most of the comedy comes from how he interacts with people from his view and being all naive and stuff. And it's entertaining to watch how everything gets put together and plays out. It kinda loses it's flare after the gas station scenes but overall this is a great comedy that shouldn't be missed. It lacks emotion and some places it seemed a bit rushed. But this is suppose to be a comedy and as a comedy it works all around.
7.8/10
7.8/10
Wow, this movie didn't age well at all
BigBoote6617 September 2005
I remember this movie being THE movie to see back when it came out and I was a teenager, and it didn't disappoint - there was a ton to laugh at.
But I saw it for the second time last night, and it had almost no effect on me at all. I had one laugh out loud moment - the "shinola" lesson (mainly just from the concept, not the fact that he steps in it at the end, which presumably is the "punchline"). Otherwise I was deadpan throughout, although the musical number was charming, especially when Peters pulls out the coronet.
The movie was really a product of its times - back then it was unlike everything else in the theaters - it hearkened back to some of the Marx Brothers anarchy - but by today's standards, it just didn't do it for me anymore. There are more genuine laugh out loud moments in any given Simpsons episode than there are in the entire movie. Perhaps it's because most of the comedy lessons that this movie taught have now become part of mainstream comedy, even cliché. If you were seeing it through fresh eyes, it might have the ability to get a laugh (it didn't for my wife, her first time), but it doesn't hold up to repeated viewings.
But I saw it for the second time last night, and it had almost no effect on me at all. I had one laugh out loud moment - the "shinola" lesson (mainly just from the concept, not the fact that he steps in it at the end, which presumably is the "punchline"). Otherwise I was deadpan throughout, although the musical number was charming, especially when Peters pulls out the coronet.
The movie was really a product of its times - back then it was unlike everything else in the theaters - it hearkened back to some of the Marx Brothers anarchy - but by today's standards, it just didn't do it for me anymore. There are more genuine laugh out loud moments in any given Simpsons episode than there are in the entire movie. Perhaps it's because most of the comedy lessons that this movie taught have now become part of mainstream comedy, even cliché. If you were seeing it through fresh eyes, it might have the ability to get a laugh (it didn't for my wife, her first time), but it doesn't hold up to repeated viewings.
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