Kevin Smith directs Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler and George Carlin in this comedy where a career driven publicist has to move back home to raise his daughter.

Marketed as a romcom, blighted by the press obsession with Affleck and (a barely in it) J-Lo, and a clear softening of the Smith brand, this felt like a failure on release. A betrayal even. Two decades of mature hindsight and Jersey Girl proves unspectacular but satisfying. Both Carlin and somewhat surprisingly Liv Tyler do wonders with that very specific View Askew dialogue. The kid is about as good as child leads get. Affleck is playing a real scumbag at the start so his softening never feels deserved. His big triumphant moment where he turns a town hall around with his public speaking… has fucking music drowning over the speech… err? But this is a sweet movie that gets better and better. The third act with the well tee’d up star cameo and an unlikely school pageant performance obliterates all ill will.

6

Perfect Double Bill: Gigli (2003)

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