Lambie Reviews The Jerk

Year: 1979
Accolades: One of 1001 Films You Must See Before You Die

The Jerk is a supposedly classic comedy starring Steve Martin as a poor man called Navin, who recounts his story of how he ended up on the streets as a bum. (Although he claims he's not a bum, just a jerk.) He was raised by a poor black family, and once he's told that he's not one of his parent's naturally born children, he goes off into the wider world. He works his way up the rungs of society, eventually becoming a millionaire before losing it all, essentially to the films own director Carl Reiner through means of a cameo.

It's a weird film, this one. One the one hand it's not all that funny. There are a few moments where I found myself letting out a large chuckle, but nothing beyond that. Navin isn't even a jerk, despite his claims. He's just an naïve man who doesn't understand the rules and dangers of the city. He's so used to the poor conditions of his own home that he mistakes a gas station restroom as his new accommodation when the owner offers him a place to live, and thinks it's fantastic.

On the other hand, I still found it an oddly compelling film. It moves at a good pace and doesn't drag anywhere. Each plot point, although absurd, still makes sense in the universe of this film, and the end result is a charming little story. Overall it's somewhat predictable in it's main story arc, but anything else wouldn't have worked.

While it's compelling, there also seems to be an element of frustration for me as well. I just wish that the film had executed everything it tried to do a little better. It's a film rooted firmly in the absurd, but it's shot and put together like a standard romantic comedy.

There's just something about the way the entire film is made that seems a little wrong. It feels like it keeps changing its tone, but at the same time you know that it isn't. The film starts off with Navin addressing the camera and answering unheard questions from us, the audience, but then cuts to him struggling to keep the rhythm whilst the rest of his family sing and dance.

It just goes on like that, with odd little juxtapositions that would ordinarily make sense. It frustrates me that can't put my finger on exactly what it is that it doesn't feel right, though.