SCREEN IT! PARENTAL REVIEW: JERSEY GIRL

"JERSEY GIRL"
(2004) (Ben Affleck, Raquel Castro) (PG-13)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Moderate	Mild	Moderate	Minor	None

Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Minor	None	None	None	Heavy

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Heavy	Minor	Heavy	Heavy	Minor

QUICK TAKE:: Drama/Comedy: A hotshot music publicist finds his life and priorities changed when he becomes a single father and must raise a young daughter.

PLOT:

It's 1994 and Ollie Trinke (BEN AFFLECK) is on top of the world. Not only is he a wildly successful Manhattan music publicist, but he also has a beautiful girlfriend in Gertrude Steiney (JENNIFER LOPEZ). Things seem to be going their way when they're married and then find themselves expecting their first child.

Yet, a complication during labor leaves Ollie all alone to raise his young girl, Gertie. As a result, he moves in with his widowed father, Bart (GEORGE CARLIN), hoping he'll watch his granddaughter while Ollie continues to work. The resultant strain of trying to balance his personal and professional life eventually leads to an outburst that not only gets him fired, but also essentially leaves him blackballed in the industry, much to the dismay of his assistant, Arthur Brickman (JASON BIGGS).

Seven years later, Gertie (RAQUEL CASTRO) is a precious, little elementary school student while Ollie now works with Bart and his two friends, Greenie (STEPHEN ROOT) and Block (MIKE STAR), in the city's public works department. He isn't happy, however, since he still longs to return to his old field and has yet to reenter the dating world.

At a chance stop at the local video store, he and Gertie meet graduate student Maya (LIV TYLER) who takes an immediate interest in Ollie and his situation. The two dance between friendship and romance and Ollie finally begins to accept who and what he is. When a potential job comes his way, however, he must decide where his priorities, heart and best judgment lie.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: If they're fans of anyone in the cast or light family comedies, they might.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13: For language and sexual content including frank dialogue (on appeal from the original R rating).

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: BEN AFFLECK plays a work-obsessed and curt music publicist who suddenly finds his life turned upside down when he's unexpectedly left as a single father. Wanting to keep working, he's a bad parent at first, but circumstances then force him into being a better one. He uses some profanity, briefly fools around with Maya, smokes a few times and then must decide what's most important to him.
RAQUEL CASTRO plays his young and somewhat precocious daughter who's curious about her mother and just wants a happily family.
JENNIFER LOPEZ plays Ollie's wife who unexpectedly and suddenly leaves him all alone to raise their daughter.
GEORGE CARLIN plays Ollie's widowed father who helps him raise Gertie while chastising him for being a bad parent. He uses some profanity and drinks.
LIV TYLER plays a grad student and video store clerk who takes an immediate interest in Ollie, has no qualms about discussing his sexual matters, and decides to have sex with him in a mercy sort of fashion (they're interrupted before they complete the act). She then becomes his friend who hopes he can be happy and uses some profanity.
JASON BIGGS plays Ollie's assistant in the music publicity field.; RAQUEL CASTRO plays his young and somewhat precocious daughter who's curious about her mother and just wants a happily family.
JENNIFER LOPEZ plays Ollie's wife who unexpectedly and suddenly leaves him all alone to raise their daughter.
GEORGE CARLIN plays Ollie's widowed father who helps him raise Gertie while chastising him for being a bad parent. He uses some profanity and drinks.
LIV TYLER plays a grad student and video store clerk who takes an immediate interest in Ollie, has no qualms about discussing his sexual matters, and decides to have sex with him in a mercy sort of fashion (they're interrupted before they complete the act). She then becomes his friend who hopes he can be happy and uses some profanity.
JASON BIGGS plays Ollie's assistant in the music publicity field.; JENNIFER LOPEZ plays Ollie's wife who unexpectedly and suddenly leaves him all alone to raise their daughter.
GEORGE CARLIN plays Ollie's widowed father who helps him raise Gertie while chastising him for being a bad parent. He uses some profanity and drinks.
LIV TYLER plays a grad student and video store clerk who takes an immediate interest in Ollie, has no qualms about discussing his sexual matters, and decides to have sex with him in a mercy sort of fashion (they're interrupted before they complete the act). She then becomes his friend who hopes he can be happy and uses some profanity.
JASON BIGGS plays Ollie's assistant in the music publicity field.; GEORGE CARLIN plays Ollie's widowed father who helps him raise Gertie while chastising him for being a bad parent. He uses some profanity and drinks.
LIV TYLER plays a grad student and video store clerk who takes an immediate interest in Ollie, has no qualms about discussing his sexual matters, and decides to have sex with him in a mercy sort of fashion (they're interrupted before they complete the act). She then becomes his friend who hopes he can be happy and uses some profanity.
JASON BIGGS plays Ollie's assistant in the music publicity field.; LIV TYLER plays a grad student and video store clerk who takes an immediate interest in Ollie, has no qualms about discussing his sexual matters, and decides to have sex with him in a mercy sort of fashion (they're interrupted before they complete the act). She then becomes his friend who hopes he can be happy and uses some profanity.
JASON BIGGS plays Ollie's assistant in the music publicity field.; JASON BIGGS plays Ollie's assistant in the music publicity field.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

The following is a brief summary of the content found in this dramedy that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 1 "f" word, while other expletives and colorful phrases are uttered. Quite a bit of sexual dialogue is present (including about masturbation, porn and "mercy" sex), while some couples are seen making out (with some partial disrobing) and some kids play doctor.

Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, while tense family material involves a mother's death during childbirth and the long-lasting repercussions of that. Some characters smoke and/or drink, several drug references are made and some crude humor is present.

Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: During a class participation event of talking about their parents, a young child repeats that their basement smells like a Cheech and Chong movie.
Miscellaneous people drink and Ollie leads them in a toast.
Ollie, Gertrude and Bart have beer in front of them. Bart then says that he's going to go to a bar and sarcastically states that he's an alcoholic.
Bart and his two friends drink in a bar.
After a pregnant Gertrude complains about other women being thin, Ollie states that's because they're all "coked-out whores."
Bart tells Gertie (as an infant) that she can stay with him until she's a teenager when boys and reefer enter the picture.
After Ollie accidentally gets baby powder all over his shirt, a reporter later asks if it's "blow" (cocaine).
Bart has a beer.
Bart has a beer in another scene.
Gertie states that the NYC subway is full of junkies.
Ollie has a beer.
Ollie and Bart have beer, while the latter's friends have a beer and a shot.

BLOOD/GORE: During a class participation event of talking about their parents, a young child repeats that his father's eyes are brown "Because he's so full of..." (but doesn't complete that thought). Another says that his dog ate his paper and there's talk of pooping it out.
We see some bloody goo on a newly born infant.
We hear a farting sound from an infant.
A comment is made, "Damn, that baby smells like sh*t" when people react to the smell of Gertie's dirty diaper and we see two views of excrement in it. As Ollie cleans her, another person complains that he's doing it the wrong way, saying that Ollie is "Wiping poop into her...crevice" and that's going to give her "crotch rot."
We see Gertie stand up from the toilet (but don't hear or see any other related activity).
During a stage production of the musical Sweeney Todd, a fake razor is run across a person's neck and fake blood comes out.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: Ollie misses a Lamaze class (because of work) and Gertrude tells him he needs to change his priorities.
Ollie acts meanly toward Arthur (but from stress to having just lost his wife).
Ollie initially is a bad father and expects his father to take care of Gertie.
After reporters have a bad attitude toward him (being impatient and tired of his baby being there), Ollie mouths off to them (and is then fired).
Ollie playfully lies to Maya that Gertie cried all of the way home from the video store (but Gertie overhears that and says she didn't -- all played for comedy).
After Ollie states that he and Gertie are moving back to New York City, Gertie isn't happy and the two have a fight where both say mean things they'll later regret (and both later apologize).

FRIGHTENING SCENES: We see Gertrude screaming from pain during labor. Immediately after delivery, she loses consciousness, the medical staff scrambles to save her and we then hear that she died of an aneurism.

GUNS/WEAPONS: None.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases: "F*ck you," "Holy sh*t," "Sh*t-head," "(This is) bullsh*t," "You went ape-sh*t," "I feel like sh*t," "Going to throw a sh*t-fit," "That's all horse-sh*t," "You little sh*t," "Sh*t-house duty," "Coked-out whores," "What the hell /are you screaming about/is that/is the matter with you?" "Are you nuts?" "Jerk-offs," "Shut the hell up," "One big horse's ass," "Whoremonger," "Why the hell not?" "Go nuts," "Are you insane?" "Suck," "Don't be such a tight ass," "Shut up," "What, are you stupid?" "I feel like an asshole" and "Smart ass."

JUMP SCENES: None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): None.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): None.

PROFANITY: At least 1 "f" word, 29 "s" words, 4 slang terms for sex ("bang(ed)," "laid" and "jump"), 3 slang terms for breasts ("booby" and "knockers"), 1 for female genitals ("crevice"), 14 hells, 6 asses (1 used with "hole"), 3 damns, 1 S.O.B., 7 uses of "God," 6 of "Jesus Christ," 5 each of "G-damn" and "Oh my God," 4 of "Jesus," 3 of "Oh Jesus," 2 of "For Christ's sakes" and 1 use each of "Christ," "Christ Almighty," "Good God," "Lord have mercy," "Mother of God," "Oh God," "Oh Jesus Christ" and "Swear to God."

SEX/NUDITY: During a class participation event of talking about their parents, a young child states that his parents are very religious because he hears them yelling "Jesus" in the bedroom.
Ollie makes some sarcastic comments about pop star George Michael, mentioning a pimp and the lyric, "I want your sex."
Gertie states in voice over about her parents meeting, saying that the city (NYC) never slept and neither did they (meaning sex). We then see Ollie and Gertrude passionately kissing in a hallway.
Gertrude jokes that she was only going to sleep with Ollie a few times and then dump him. Bart then says he's going to leave and tells Ollie that if he and Gertrude are going to do anything while he's gone to "stay the hell off my bed."
After Ollie asks Gertrude to marry him, we see him lowering her to the floor and Gertie says in voice over that that's when she was conceived.
Gertrude shows some cleavage.
After a pregnant Gertrude complains about other women being thin, Ollie states that's because they're all "coked-out whores."
Ollie and Arthur talk about the sexploitation of a female artist and her need to show the world her labia (which isn't seen).
We see an infant girl's genitals as she's being changed.
Bart tells Ollie not to bring any "whores" into his house and Ollie replies that he's not really a "whoremonger."
We see Gertie (who's 7) and a young boy (about the same age) playing "doctor." He has his pants down and she's looking at his crotch (we don't see it) and she asks if that's what it looks like. He says he guesses and then wants to see hers, so she pulls up her dress (we don't see anything) just as Ollie walks in. He then has a sit-down talk with them about what they were doing. After the boy leaves, Ollie asks if she has any questions and she asks whether he has what the boy did. Ollie says he does and she asks, "Is yours as big as his?" Ollie then somewhat sheepishly replies, "Sadly, yes."
In a video store and while Gertie is in another aisle, Ollie reaches into the adult section and snatches a video that he tries to check out before Gertie comes back. The clerk, Maya, jokingly asks if he's exploring his options as it's a gay or bi-sexual movie. He then asks if she has something more appropriate and she begins asking him questions about his rental of such movies, adding that she's doing a research project on family guys and the porn obsession.
Maya asks Ollie how often he rents adult movies and when he acts uncomfortable with that line of questioning, she says that it can be healthy if it's not habitual. He then says he does so 3 or 4 times a week. She then says that she supposes he rents them to masturbate and then adds that she does it twice a day since she has a healthy sexual appetite (prompting him to joke about her getting carpal tunnel). She then asks if he'd rather spend time with his kid rather than "get laid" and he says yes. She then asks when the last time he had sex and he admits it's been seven years. She says he needs to "get back on the horse" and then gets up. When he asks where they're going, she replies to his place to have sex. She then says that it will be two consenting adults having sex, but adds that it will probably be fast due to him being out practice. There's more talk about porn and "touching yourself," with her adding that this time it will be someone different (meaning her) doing the touching.
We then see them doing passionate kissing and partial disrobing, with her shirt off (we see her in her bra that shows cleavage). He then kisses down into that cleavage, but Gertie then suddenly comes home and they hide in the shower as she pees. When she flushes the toilet, the suddenly hot water hits Ollie and Maya and Gertie discovers them there. She then has a sit-down talk with them (mirroring an above scene) and says that she was told only married people showed each other their private parts.
Referring to the above, Bart says, "As long as you didn't do it on my bed" and Ollie says that it only happened once in high school. One of Bart's friends then admits that he "banged" a girl on his parents' bed and Ollie says he didn't "bang" Maya.
Ollie tells Maya that Gertie wants to know when she (Gertie) is going to get some "boobies" (after seeing Maya's in her bra in the above shower scene). Maya then says that she was going to give Ollie a "mercy jump" but that the moment has now passed.
We see the covers of porn videos behind Maya, but beyond scantly clad women, don't see anything explicit.
A famous actor jokingly states, "And I'm hung like a horse."

SMOKING: Ollie smokes twice, while Maya smokes once.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: Ollie and Gertrude get into a brief argument.
Ollie misses a Lamaze class (because of work) and Gertrude tells him he needs to change his priorities.
We see Gertrude screaming from pain during labor. Immediately after delivery, she loses consciousness, the medical staff scrambles to save her and we then hear that she died of an aneurism. We then see the funeral scene as well as various scenes of Ollie grieving.
Ollie initially is a bad father and expects his father to take care of Gertie.
Bart states that he lost a wife as well, but Ollie reminds him that was after 20 years of marriage. Bart then tells Ollie that he needs to be a better father to Gertie.
While talking to his infant (and thus really just to himself), Ollie states that sometimes he wishes he died instead of Gertrude and states that he tried to get through his grief by burying himself in his work.
Gertie asks Ollie if he misses Gertrude and he says that he does every day.
After Ollie states that he and Gertie are moving back to New York City, Gertie isn't happy and the two have a fight where both say mean things they'll later regret (and both later apologize).
We see Ollie at Gertrude's gravesite.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: Death of a spouse/parent.
Ollie initially is a bad father and expects his father to take care of Gertie.
Kids playing doctor.
Maya telling Ollie that he has to accept who he is.

VIOLENCE: During a stage production of the musical Sweeney Todd, a fake razor is run across a person's neck and fake blood comes out.

Reviewed February 26, 2004 / Posted March 26, 2004

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