Jersey Girl (2004)

Director:

Kevin Smith

Writer (WGA):

Kevin Smith (written by)

Release Date:

26 March 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Forget about who you thought you were, and just accept who you are.

Plot:

After his career is sidelined from an unexpected tragedy and a personal blowup, a single man must take care of his precocious daughter.

Plot Keywords:

Baby | Publicist | Love | Death | Aneurysm

Awards:

1 win & 6 nominations

Cast

Betty Aberlin	...	Teacher
Matt McFarland	...	Boy #1
Sarah Stafford	...	Girl #1
Paulie Litt	...	Bryan (as Paulie Litowsky)
Christian Fan	...	Boy #3
Victor Chavez	...	Boy #4
William Mace	...	Boy #5
Raquel Castro	...	Gertie Trinke
Ben Affleck	...	Ollie Trinke
Jennifer Schwalbach Smith	...	Susan (as Jennifer Schwalbach)
Jennifer Lopez	...	Gertrude Steiney
George Carlin	...	Bart Trinke
Stephen Root	...	Greenie
Mike Starr	...	Block
S. Epatha Merkerson	...	Doctor #1
Jason Biggs	...	Arthur Brickman
Jada Copeland Goodman	...	ER Nurse
Alice Schaerer	...	Nurse #1
Brian T. Delaney	...	Nurse #2
Carol Florence	...	Doctor #2
Matthew Maher	...	Delivery Guy (as Matt Maher)
Robert McKay	...	Press #1
Ernest O'Donnell	...	Press #2 (as Ernie O'Donnell)
Cymande Lewis	...	Press #3
Dan Etheridge	...	Press #4
Mark Jwayad	...	Press #5
Jason Lee	...	PR Exec #1
Matt Damon	...	PR Exec #2
Liv Tyler	...	Maya
Charles Gilbert	...	Sweeney Todd
Charles McCloskey	...	Sweeney Victim
Matthew Cloran	...	Anthony
Tom Cleary	...	Comptroller
John Willyung	...	Townie
Edward Janda	...	Town Clapper
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Anthony Bosco	...	Party Patron (uncredited)
Louis Centanni	...	Talent Show Patron (uncredited)
Meghan Elizabeth	...	Town Girl (uncredited)
Keith Moyer	...	Video Cameraman at Hard Rock (uncredited)
Anthony Parrulli	...	Concerned Parent (uncredited)
Christopher Pickhardt	...	Reporter (uncredited)
David C. Roehm Sr.	...	Paulboro 'Guy' (uncredited)
Lisa Roumain	...	Receptionist (uncredited)
Antonio Saillant	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Charley Scalies	...	Townie (uncredited)
Faith Shin	...	Twin 2 (uncredited)
Hope Shin	...	Twin 1 (uncredited)
Harley Quinn Smith	...	Tracy Colelli (uncredited)
Will Smith	...	Himself (uncredited)
Ron Suchoplas	...	News Reporter / School Audience (uncredited)

Directed by
Kevin Smith

Writing credits (WGA)
Kevin Smith		(written by)

Produced by
Phil Benson	....	associate producer
Jonathan Gordon	....	executive producer
Laura Greenlee	....	co-producer
Laura Greenlee	....	line producer
Scott Mosier	....	producer
Bob Weinstein	....	executive producer
Harvey Weinstein	....	executive producer

Original Music by
James L. Venable

Cinematography by
Vilmos Zsigmond		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Scott Mosier
Kevin Smith

Casting by
Diane Heery
Avy Kaufman

Production Design by
Robert Holtzman

Art Direction by
Elise G. Viola		(as Elise Viola)

Set Decoration by
Diane Lederman

Costume Design by
Juliet Polcsa

Makeup Department
Pierce Austin	....	hair stylist: Mr. Smith
Juanita Bennett	....	additional makeup artist
Margot Boccia	....	makeup artist: Jennifer Lopez
Roy Bryson	....	key hair stylist
Kymbra Callaghan	....	makeup artist: Liv Tyler
Ardis Cohen	....	assistant hair stylist (as Ardis F. Cohen)
Diane Heller	....	additional makeup artist
John E. Jackson	....	makeup artist: Ben Affleck (as John Jackson)
Jeannee Josefczyk	....	key makeup artist
Sandra Linn Koepper	....	additional makeup artist
Kim Meyer	....	key makeup artist: Los Angeles
Donna Moyer	....	additional makeup artist (as Donna L. Moyer)
Judy Murdock	....	makeup artist: Mr. Smith
Peggy Nicholson	....	additional hair stylist
Patrina O'Conner	....	key hair stylist: Los Angeles
Ken Paves	....	hair stylist: Jennifer Lopez
Aaron F. Quarles	....	hair stylist: Liv Tyler
Janine Rath	....	hairdresser: Ben Affleck (as Janine Rath-Thompson)

Production Management
Tracy McGrath	....	executive in charge of production
Susan McNamara	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dan Brillman	....	second second assistant director
Alyson Latz	....	second assistant director
Michael Lerman	....	first assistant director
Sophia Lin	....	second assistant director: New York
Daniel Lowe	....	second second assistant director: second unit
Derrick Tseng	....	first assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Karen Agresti	....	set decorator: Los Angeles
Krzysztof J. Bratun	....	scenic artist
Tanika D. Brown	....	art department support
Skip Crank	....	assistant property master: additional photography
Stacy M. Flowers	....	art department support
Edward R. Geller	....	construction grip
Jon E. Graf	....	construction gang boss
Frank Grasso	....	construction grip
Mary E. Gullickson	....	additional set decorator
Jessalyn Haefele	....	prop support
Alicia Jacobson	....	charge scenic
Marion Kolsby	....	assistant art director
Lori Marks	....	scenic artist
Christopher G. Markunas	....	shop craft
Nicole Marsella	....	art department assistant
Tim Okamura	....	artist: paintings
Jim Orr	....	set dresser
Randy L. Parisian	....	scenic artist
Buster Pile	....	construction coordinator
Sharon Potts	....	assistant props
Eric Reichardt	....	lead painter: Los Angeles
Matias Rivera	....	lead designer: titles
Mark Rodriguez	....	set dresser: additional photography
Charles J. Scott	....	set dresser
Joseph Siwinski	....	lead man
R. Vincent Smith	....	property master
Jake Stone	....	set dresser
Christine Sysko	....	swing gang boss
Sameena Usmani	....	art department coordinator
Gregory Van Horn	....	art director: Los Angeles
Gary Wattson	....	set dresser: New York
Hilary Frisch	....	intern (uncredited)
Steven C. Voll	....	general foreman: re-shoot (uncredited)

Sound Department
David Acord	....	apprentice sound editor
Christopher Barrick	....	foley editor (as Christopher 'Bear' Barrick)
John Burton	....	sound recordist
Travis Crenshaw	....	foley recordist
Sean England	....	machine room operator
J.R. Grubbs	....	sound effects editor
Chris Kellet	....	additional sound
George Leong	....	boom operator
Brian Magerkurth	....	sound re-recordist
Marilyn McCoppen	....	adr editor
Frank 'Pepe' Merel	....	foley mixer
Richard Murphy	....	utility operator
Tom Myers	....	supervising sound editor
Tom Myers	....	supervising sound mixer
Chris Navarro	....	adr recordist
Jonathan Null	....	dialog editor
Juan Peralta	....	sound mix technician
Joe Privitelli	....	ProTools engineer
Gary Rizzo	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Gary A. Rizzo)
Daniel Sperry	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Erich Stratmann	....	co-supervising sound editor
Eric Thompson	....	adr mixer
Dennie Thorpe	....	foley artist
Glen Trew	....	production sound mixer
Jana Vance	....	foley artist

Visual Effects by
Francisco Chaigneau	....	digital effects artist
Renee Dunlop	....	lighting technical director
Ahdee Goldberg	....	digital effects producer
Stephen Sloan	....	digital effects artist

Stunts
Sandy Alexander	....	stunts
Roy Farfel	....	stunt coordinator
Tom McComas	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Tracy Bennett	....	still photographer: Los Angeles
Corwin A. Bibb	....	electrician: Los Angeles (as Corwin 'Cory' Bibb)
Laura Mae Bobick	....	camera loader: Los Angeles
Chris Bower	....	lamp operator (as Christopher Bower)
Michael W. Brennan	....	genny operator
Bobby Brown	....	first assistant camera: Los Angeles (as Robert N. Brown)
Katherine M. Butler	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (as Kate Butler)
Brian Carmichael	....	additional video assist
Brian Carmichael	....	video playback
Christopher A. Cash	....	electrician: Los Angeles
Mark Catania	....	grip (as Mark Elliot Catania)
Michael Chambliss	....	hot head technician
Alisa M. Colley	....	second assistant camera: second unit (as Alisa Colley)
Andrew Reed Conner	....	best boy: Philadelphia (as Andrew Conner)
Tim Davies	....	grip (as Timothy Davies)
Glenn Davis	....	lamp operator
Dick Deats	....	key grip (as Richard W. Deats)
Jerry C. Deats	....	grip: Los Angeles
Sean Devine	....	dolly grip
Thomas Devine	....	rigging electrician (as Thomas F. Devine)
Doug Dole	....	grip: Los Angeles (as Douglas Dole)
Richie Ford	....	gaffer: New York/New Jersey
Joseph Grimaldi	....	assistant chief lighting technician (as Joe Grimaldi)
William J. Hamilton Jr.	....	rigging grip (as William J. 'Weezr' Hamilton Jr.)
Jennifer Ann Henry	....	second assistant camera: Los Angeles
David Irwin	....	electrician: Los Angeles
Robert Jason	....	gaffer: Los Angeles
Gregory F. Johnson	....	grip
Jeffrey A. Johnson	....	best boy grip (as Jeffrey Johnson)
Stan Keitt	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Michael Kleiman	....	camera loader
Jeremy Knaster	....	best boy lighting: New York/New Jersey
Gábor Kövér	....	director of photography: second unit (as Gabor Kover)
Jordan Lapsansky	....	best boy lighting: Los Angeles
Demetrius Lewis	....	rigging electrician
Craig Ligget	....	rigging gaffer
Mitchell Andrew Lillian	....	key grip: New York/New Jersey (as Mitchell Lillian)
Rob Mabin	....	rigging best boy electric
Vincent Mata	....	first assistant camera: Los Angeles
Ken McCallum	....	grip
Tom McCarthy	....	rigging electrician
Michael A. McFadden	....	best boy grip: New York/New Jersey
Christopher Murphy	....	production video assist
Francine Natale	....	genny operator
Neal Norton	....	camera operator
Bill O'Leary	....	chief lighting technician (as William O'Leary)
Louis Petraglia	....	best boy lighting: New York/New Jersey
Kyle Rudolph	....	camera operator: "b" camera (as Kyle C. Rudolph)
Darren Ryan	....	24 frame video operator
Leon Sanginiti	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Dennis Seawright	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Jonathan P. Sibert	....	key rigging grip
Michael M. Silver	....	rigging electric (as Michael Silver)
Peter Sorel	....	still photographer
Chris Squires	....	Steadicam operator: Los Angeles
Jeffrey Thorin	....	second assistant camera: Los Angeles (as Jeffrey S. Thorin)
Dan Turek	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera (as Daniel Turek)
Joseph D. Urbanczyk	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Bob Van Heek	....	rigging grip (as Bob A. Van Heek)
Michael Wacks	....	lamp operator
Doug Wall	....	grip: Los Angeles (as Douglas L. Wall)
Jarvis B. Wilsher	....	electrician

Casting Department
Scott Baldyga	....	casting assistant
Jessica Daniels	....	casting assistant
Elizabeth Greenberg	....	casting associate
Mike Lemon	....	extras casting
Mike Lemon	....	local casting
Maribeth Rubenstein	....	extras casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Amy Andrews	....	key costumer
Teresa Binder	....	key costumer (as Teresa Binder-Westby)
Eden Daniels	....	costumer
Mitzi Haralson	....	costumer: Jennifer Lopez
Cheryl Kilbourne-Kimpton	....	costume supervisor
Penelope Laughman	....	additional costumer (as Penelope L. Laughman)
Meg Matthews	....	costumer: Ben Affleck
Kara Morasco	....	seamstress
Kathie Pierson	....	additional costumer
Frankie Ritacco	....	assistant costume designer (as Francine Ritacco Sirianni)
Kevin Ritter	....	additional costumer (as Kevin M. Ritter)

Editorial Department
Francisco Bello	....	post-production assistant
Steve Calalang	....	dailies colorist
Glenn Cowan	....	assistant editor
Joey Figueroa	....	post-production assistant
Terry Haggar	....	color timer
Vivian Hengsteler	....	negative cutter
Zak Knutson	....	post-production coordinator (as Zachary C. Knutson)
Olof Källström	....	first assistant editor (as Olof Kallstrom)
Denise Marquez	....	assistant editor
Tim Sternberg	....	assistant editor
Andrea Wertheim	....	post-production executive

Music Department
Bill Abbott	....	music editor
Matt McKenna	....	musician
Joe Rangel	....	source music coordinator
Jennifer Kes Remington	....	music pre-mix
Dennis S. Sands	....	music scoring mixer
Randy Spendlove	....	executive in charge of music
Erich Stratmann	....	music editor
Mark Jan Wlodarkiewicz	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Richard A. Davis	....	driver: Ben Affleck
Michael Dawes	....	driver
William McCleery	....	van driver
Derek Raser	....	transportation coordinator: Los Angeles

Other crew
Mikayla Abromowitz	....	script supervisor
Sheila Allen	....	production accountant
Charles E. Alston	....	assistant: Mr. Smith, Los Angeles (as Charles Alston)
Sunny Antrim	....	production assistant
Carol Banker	....	script supervisor
Cassandra Barbour	....	rights and clearances
Nicholas R. Bell	....	production assistant: New York
Andre Blair	....	stand-in
Barbara Branch	....	first assistant accountant
Chay Carter	....	assistant: Ben Affleck
Kate Chase	....	location assistant
Andrew Cinquino	....	production assistant
Rashad Clinton	....	production assistant
Kyle Cookmeyer	....	production assistant
Anthony DeFrancesco	....	production assistant
Anna Dobkin	....	assistant production coordinator
Josh Dorn	....	production assistant
Tim Downs	....	location manager
Robb Earnest	....	production coordinator: additional photography
Donald Erfert	....	assistant: Scott Mosier
Mark Esposito	....	production supporter
Lindsay Feldman	....	office production assistant
Megan Fenerty	....	production office coordinator
Julie Funderburk	....	stand-in
Matthew Gordon	....	production assistant
Julie Hansen	....	post production accountant
Steven Holtzman	....	assistant accountant
Jesse Hove	....	location assistant: New York
Robert 'B.O.B.' Izzard	....	security: Jennifer Lopez
Judith Jennings	....	studio teacher
Mark Jwayad	....	assistant: Scott Mosier
Christopher Kahn	....	first assistant accountant: Los Angeles
Kathleen Kelly	....	key medic
Sandra Lee	....	product placement & marketing (as Sandra Gabrych)
Cara Leibovitz	....	unit publicist
H. Skye Leslie	....	assistant production coordinator
Ian MacGregor	....	location manager: New Jersey/New York
Michael Mallick	....	production supporter
Ralph B. Meyer	....	location manager
Joey Naber	....	adr voice
Stuart Nicolai	....	assistant location manager: New York
Kenyon Noble	....	production assistant
Taylor Norton	....	production assistant
Jason Pinardo	....	assistant location manager
Sharon Pinkenson	....	film commissioner
Thomas R. Polleri	....	location scout
Molly Proctor	....	payroll accountant
Tiana Rios	....	assistant: Jennifer Lopez
Eric Ian Robinson	....	assistant: Harvey Weinstein
Jon Rocks	....	production assistant
Ahmed Saker	....	key set medic
Brian Scheeler	....	production office intern
Laura Sevier	....	rights and clearances
Oren Sol	....	production assistant
Gail Stanley	....	assistant: Kevin Smith
Millie Taylor	....	production assistant
Antony Teofilo	....	on-set interviews
Chere Theriot	....	production secretary
Eliza Rose Vitale	....	stand-in
Trisha Ward	....	assistant: Liv Tyler
Trisha Ward	....	talent liaison
Anne Wilson	....	location accountant
Dave Zarenkiewicz	....	production assistant
Lavinia Zetina	....	first assistant accountant: re-shoots
Kathy Castro	....	child acting coach (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Miramax Films
• View Askew Productions
• Beverly Detroit
• Close Call Films

Distributors

• Miramax Films (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2004) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2004) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2004) (Luxembourg) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2004) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• SPI International (2005) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• TFM Distribution (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• Toshiba Entertainment (2005) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Village Films (2004) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Compagnia Distribuzione Internazionale (CDI) (2004) (Italy) (all media)
• Echo Bridge Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Fox Network (2007) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Gativideo (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Imagem Filmes (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Imagem Filmes (2005) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Miramax Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD) (VHS)
• Nordisk Film (2004) (Sweden) (all media)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Reality Check Studios (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Direct Tools & Fasteners  expendables
• Entertainment Clearances  rights and clearances
• Film Art  artwork
• Howard Anderson Company, The  opticals
• Mega Playground  video dailies
• Mike Lemon Casting  extras and local casting
• NT Audio Visual  optical soundtrack negative (as NT Audio)
• NT Audio Visual  video dailies post-production (as NT Video)
• NT Video  video dailies post-production
• National Event Services  set security
• Paskal Lighting  lighting equipment
• Rockbottom Rentals  cell phone rentals
• Signet Sound Studio  music mixed at (as Signet Sound)
• Skylark Sound Studios  sound recording and editing (foreign dub: French)
• Skywalker Sound  post-production sound services
• Studio X  music scored at

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 on appeal for language and sexual content including frank dialogue (re-rating on appeal)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:PG | Finland:K-11 | Hong Kong:IIA | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:NC-16 (DVD rating) | Singapore:PG (original rating) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12A | USA:PG-13 (re-rating on appeal) (certificate #39360) | USA:R (original rating) | Brazil:Livre | Iceland:L | Malaysia:U | Netherlands:6 | Portugal:M/12 | Germany:6 | South Korea:12 | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

New Jersey, USA

Company:

Miramax Films

Trivia:

Kevin Smith has acknowledged that his crush on actress Stacie Mistysyn prompted his naming of Clerks. (1994) character, Caitlin Bree, in honor of Mistysyn's Caitlin Ryan character (from "Degrassi High" (1987); School's Out (1992) (TV) and "Degrassi: The Next Generation" (2001)), and subsequently tried to cast her in Mallrats (1995). However, in spite of all this adulation, it appears that he titled "Jersey Girl" before knowing of Mistysyn's Jersey Guy (2003) released only months earlier. Smith would later guest star on 5 episodes of "Degrassi: The Next Generation" (2001) as a fictional representation of himself flirting with and attempting to seduce Caitlin Ryan.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Ollie feeds his daughter when he first moves in with his father, there is milk running down her cheek. He then places the bottle next to her. In the next shot, there is no trace of milk on her cheek.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Teacher:Everyone, please take your seats. You heard the bell. You know what it means. Last week, the assignment was to write an essay about your family. Who they...
Teacher:[class: "Are!"] And what they...
Teacher:[class: "Mean to us!"] Excellent droning.

Movie Connections:

References Birthday Girl (2001)

Soundtrack:

My City of Ruins

The Other Kevin Smith - who is all the same despite all

I'm certain that if I had been Kevin Smith, approached by Miramax with this idea and screenplay, I would definitely have turned it down.

Maybe that's exactly why he had chosen to do it. And what a wise decision it was indeed... The movie didn't promise much judging it by the trailers, but in the end, I was quite satisfied with it when I finally saw it. I'm sure, that an average, or below-the-average Hollywood director would have made it into a blunt, silly, sentimental, and instantly forgettable, "soap-bubble-like" movie. But not Smith... There were many, many crucial points along the storyline that just called and yelled for directors to commit fatal errors... Smith had succeeded to avoid these errors, creating a really enjoyable, lovable, deeply emotional and yet funny piece of work. But still... this isn't the Kevin Smith that I admire so much. I believe that with "Dogma" he created a milestone in American film-making, by daring to speak fiercely openly and frankly about very delicate issues. I missed this part of him from "Jersey Girl" - but there was no room for it because of the plot.

With "Jersey Girl" he had showed more real emotions than he ever did in all of his works. He had proved himself an expert of human emotions. He showed the audience that he really understands about deep feelings, love, loss, family ties, ambition...

The only thing this film is lacking is really great acting. None of the actors gave bad performances, not by long shot, but still... there could have been some more... especially from Affleck. Tyler gave a surprisingly fresh, and believable performance, showing some real theatrical talents in the scene when she performs in Gertie's 'musical'.

The unavoidable Star Wars jokes, and celebrity "nose-pricks" are present of course, maintaining the overall "Smith-feel" to the movie. To be adequate, I quote Darth Vader: "Impressive... Most impressive."