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The Jerk

Play trailer Poster for The Jerk R 1979 1h 33m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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82% Tomatometer 45 Reviews 84% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
Navin (Steve Martin) believes he was born a poor black child in Mississippi. He is, however, actually white. Upon figuring this out, he heads north to St. Louis to find himself. After landing a job at a gas station, Navin is excited to discover his name printed in the new phone book. This ratification of his existence leads him from one misadventure to another -- as he invents gadgets, dodges bullets, joins the carnival and seeks love in the arms of beautiful Marie (Bernadette Peters).
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The Jerk

The Jerk

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Critics Consensus

Crude, crass, and oh so quotable, The Jerk is nothing short of an all-out comedic showcase for Steve Martin.

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Critics Reviews

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Tom Huddleston Time Out 12/12/2024
5/5
The result remains the funniest film of Martin’s career: a rags-to-riches riot of visual gags, oddball wit and, of course, outrageous silliness. Go to Full Review
Dave Kehr Chicago Reader 03/14/2021
The verbal and conceptual gags... belong wholly to Martin's own brand of goofiness, and some of them are pretty funny. Go to Full Review
Gary Arnold Washington Post 04/24/2018
Within ts limitations, The Jerk is a capably produced entertainment, seasoned by deft bit performances from several actors... Go to Full Review
Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) 01/17/2024
The Jerk is uneven with a capital U. Go to Full Review
Eddie Harrison film-authority.com 11/30/2023
4/5
…doesn’t tick the boxes required of a rounded drama, but it’s hard to complain when so many gags land… Go to Full Review
Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review 02/22/2022
3.5/4
Every scene offers something funny; every scene subverts expectations. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Brent H @BrentMHinson Oct 29 I grew up watching "The Jerk" so much that, to this day, I continue to quote lines from it with my mother. At its core, and what makes it so great is that it's a classic fish-out-of-water story. We see the innocence of Martin's "Navin Johnson" character as he experiences life outside of his sheltered existence and watch as he falls victim to the spoils of the materialistic world. Yes, it's funny to laugh as he stumbles and falls through various events in his life, but maybe we're laughing because, at some point or another, we've fallen victim to the harshness of the real world like Navin. Nowadays, Steve Martin is known for being more of the "straight man" in his comedic roles, but here, he goes all-in with the kind of laughable slapstick humor that made him so popular in the mid-to-late seventies. I watched "The Jerk" with my 18-year-old son. While he found it likable, he wasn't accustomed to seeing Martin in roles outside the type of characters he had played in movies like "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" or "Parenthood." Maybe there's a generational disconnect because, after seeing it over 20 times (probably more than that), I still belly-laugh at jokes and scenes I've seen so many times I could reenact them word-for-word myself. So, if you haven't figured it out by this point, I love this movie and heavily encourage you to see it if you've never experienced the genius of this film. See more Kyle M Aug 28 A bland joke whereas Harrison Ford and Carl Reiner’s cameos are the only highlights when Steve Martin debuted his comedic star vehicle on imaginative fuel with contrived engines in demeaning form that meaninglessly gasses his co-stars. (C-) See more David F Aug 26 An over the top, silly, comedy. See more Johnathan B @jang103 Aug 24 Definitely need too try pizza in a cup lol 😂 See more Oggie B @OGDawg Jul 24 Every scene offers something funny; every scene subverts expectations. See more Stephen C @bob25009 Jul 3 Funny in 1 hour and 33 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!! The DVD and Blu-Ray Disc formats include hilarious special features!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more Read all reviews
The Jerk

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The Jerk

The Jerk: Official Clip - Navin's Special Purpose The Jerk: Official Clip - Navin's Special Purpose 3:00 The Jerk: Official Clip - He Hates These Cans! The Jerk: Official Clip - He Hates These Cans! 2:49 The Jerk: Official Clip - Navin Beats the Racists The Jerk: Official Clip - Navin Beats the Racists 2:14 The Jerk: Official Clip - The Lord Loves a Workin' Man The Jerk: Official Clip - The Lord Loves a Workin' Man 2:58 The Jerk: Official Clip - Navin's in Print The Jerk: Official Clip - Navin's in Print 1:14 The Jerk: Official Clip - Navin's Birthday The Jerk: Official Clip - Navin's Birthday 2:28 The Jerk: Official Clip - Don't Call That Dog Lifesaver The Jerk: Official Clip - Don't Call That Dog Lifesaver 1:33 The Jerk: Official Clip - The Opti-Grab The Jerk: Official Clip - The Opti-Grab 2:23 The Jerk: Official Clip - Navin Calls the Cops The Jerk: Official Clip - Navin Calls the Cops 2:59 The Jerk: Official Clip - That's All I Need! The Jerk: Official Clip - That's All I Need! 2:58 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis Navin (Steve Martin) believes he was born a poor black child in Mississippi. He is, however, actually white. Upon figuring this out, he heads north to St. Louis to find himself. After landing a job at a gas station, Navin is excited to discover his name printed in the new phone book. This ratification of his existence leads him from one misadventure to another -- as he invents gadgets, dodges bullets, joins the carnival and seeks love in the arms of beautiful Marie (Bernadette Peters).
Director
Carl Reiner
Producer
David V. Picker, William McEuen
Screenwriter
Steve Martin, Carl Gottlieb, Michael Elias
Distributor
MCA/Universal Pictures [us]
Production Co
Aspen Film Society
Rating
R
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 14, 1979, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jun 15, 2012
Runtime
1h 33m
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