Change Your Image
jnhiller2003
Reviews
Jersey Girl (2004)
Horrible tripe, stay away from this one!
First of all, I have admit, I have always considered myself somewhat of fan of Mr. Smiths'. However after seeing this disaster of a film, and seeing the unwarranted applause it is getting from persons on this site, I felt I had to take a stand.
Don't take it from me though, take it from the director himself. I viewed this film at the South by Southwest Film Festival, a screening Mr. Smith was not only present for, but introduced and subsequently held a Q and A session with. In his opening statements he made very clear where his priorities, or should I say loyalties lie now that he is perceived as a commercial success.
In acknowledging the fact that this movie would be seen as a "lighter" film than his previous pieces, he pejoratively remarked that he would tell the press, "Well have you seen f**king 'School of Rock'?" at which time the audience broke out in a nervous laughter, realizing full well what they were about to subjected to.
Not so coincidentally, had I to make a comparison between the feel of this movie and that of another, 'School of Rock' would be first on my list of movies this one could be seen as akin to.
However, simply acknowledging his blunder in sinking to the realm of the commercialized star-driven melodrama, the kind of movie which panders to the lowest common denominator of this celebrity obsessed society of ours does not come close to excusing this awfully scripted, horribly acted, and almost comically directed piece of garbage that he has tried to pawn off on the loyal fanbase he has so carefully cultivated.
Just as Richard Linklater, Robert Rodriguez, and many others before him, Kevin Smith has sold out (or cashed in depending on how you look at it) at the expense of his dedicated, if somewhat gullible, fans.
Beware of this of this film, it is a meandering mess from start to finish!