Jersey Girl (2004): A-

You know what film came to mind most during Kevin Smith’s J-Ben experiment? It wasn’t “Gigli”; actually, it was “Jerry Maguire,” Cameron Crowe’s wonderful comedy-drama which made a star of Renee Zellweger and featuring career performances from Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding Jr.. In Smith’s filmmography, “Jersey Girl” still ranks below the profane musings on love of “Chasing Amy,” the sacred ribbing of religion of “Dogma,” and the comically immature satire of “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back,” but for my money, it stands above the crude- and crudely-filmed- comedy of both “Clerks” and “Mallrats” thanks to Smith’s well-timed subversive comedy that elevates the sentiment beyond vomit-inducing to tear-inducing.

That said, if you weren’t a fan of Smith’s before “Jersey Girl,” you probably won’t start now…unless it was the excess of dick-n-fart jokes and pop culture minutae you couldn’t stand, in which case, this might give you more respect for the writer-director. If you are a fan of Smith’s, keep in mind, this isn’t Jay and Silent Bob. This comes not from Smith the comic book nerd (that’s his View Askewniverse and upcoming “Green Hornet” adaptation), but from Smith the father and husband. So far, I like both Smith’s.

The story’s more or less handed to you in the trailer- Ben Affleck is hot-shot PR agent Ollie Trinke, living and working in Manhattan with a gorgeous girlfriend named Gertrude (Jennifer Lopez) and a child on the way. It’s not long until Gertrude dies in childbirth, and Ollie blows his head at a PR event for Will Smith as the pressures of being a father to daughter Gertie and juggling his job get to him, causing him to lose his job. Move ahead seven years, where is Ollie and Gertie (now played by Raquel Castro) are living with Ollie’s father Bart (a terrific and surprisingly touching George Carlin) and Ollie’s working with Bart in the public works department in Highlands, NJ.

What I love about “Jersey Girl” is how focused Smith is on the relationship between Ollie and Gertie- this is the love story that matters most in the film. Ollie and Gertrude- whom Lopez invests with the appropriate amount of heart, fire, and charm to make Ollie stay so devout to her spirit as he raises their daughter- strike sparks in Gertrude’s brief time onscreen (only 20 of the movie’s 102 minutes at the most), and when a new chance at romance takes form of the local video store clerk Maya (Liv Tyler’s a charismatic and adorable hottie any guy could love), Ollie’s initial hesitation is overcome by Maya’s appealing frankness. But these romantic relationships- though important to the overall arc of the story, growing naturally out of the story- are secondary in Smith’s heart. He’s not interested in doing the same-old love story that’s been done many times over; he is interested in showing the effects of grief on a family, conflicts between the life that was (New York hot-shot) and what is (New Jersey blue-collar), the trials of single parenthood, the relationships between fathers and their children, and the importance of remembering loved ones lost.

Of course, this would all be whitewashed hogwash were it not for the bracing intelligence of Smith’s writing and the fun and feeling invested in Ollie and Gertie by Affleck and newcomer Castro (a revelation who’s sweet and sarcastic without being annoying). Contrary to popular belief, this sort of moving and charismatic work isn’t too shocking from Affleck; though he’s had a hit-and-miss time of it in blockbusters (“Paycheck”- good; “Pearl Harbor”- bad; “Gigli”- worse; “Armageddon”- Hell), he’s always shined under Smith’s watchful eye. From his cartoony villain of a store manager in “Mallrats” (OK, maybe not his finest hour) to his lovestruck cartoonist in “Chasing Amy,” from his vengeful angel in “Dogma” to his slyly winking self-depracation in “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back,” Smith always manages to get the best out of Affleck. Of course, it doesn’t hurt he’s given Affleck better-written roles than any other director, and has an uncanny ability to play to Affleck’s strengths while challenging him to dig deeper.

In promoting “Girl” and trying to distance it from “Gigli,” Smith has said stuff like this being Affleck’s “comeback picture” and “the dude’s never been as good as he is here.” Posturing bs to get people to see his movie? Sure; Smith isn’t immune to it. But he’s not too far off either. In a just world, this would be Affleck’s comeback movie, and this would be faring better than the $20 million it’s done so far. And though I would still rate his work in “Chasing Amy” and “Dogma” as his best performances, Affleck invests Ollie with palpable heartache and longing for a life that’s long gone in a performance that is thoughtful and heartfelt. Hardly the performance of a mere pretty boy movie star. Affleck’s said he’s done with action movies. OK by me, ‘cause he clearly loves playing intelligent characters in smaller movies like Smith’s more. “Jersey Girl” is a story of love that’s a labor of love for its’ star and writer-director, looking to have fun making movies and expand their horizons beyond the juvenile glee of their origins. Bless them.

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