Movie Review: The Jerk (1979)

Synopsis: After being raised in poverty by the Black family that adopted him as a baby, the slow-witted Navin Johnson leaves home and tries to make something of himself. After working at a gas station then for a carnival, a chance meeting and clever invention suddenly give Navin everything he wants, plenty of money and the love of his wife, Marie. However, he soon learns his dream life is about to be ripped away from him.

Who's in it? The movie stars Steve Martin, Bernadette Peters, Catlin Adams, M. Emmet Walsh and Bill Macy.

Review: I hadn't seen The Jerk since I was a kid and, realizing I didn't remember anything about it, I decided to take the time to watch the movie earlier today. Strangely enough, while I normally enjoy Steve Martin movies, this one left me with a mixed opinion.

Martin is, as expected, funny throughout, playing Navin in a way that makes him likeable but at the same time, causing you to roll your eyes because of how stupid he is. The performance made the character believable as someone who could accidentally become a millionaire only to lose the money through no real fault of his own.

My biggest complaint about the movie is it could have used a bit more depth and a little less rush. Navin's various jobs were funny but also over in a blink of an eye, his life as a millionaire also seemed to be a bit abbreviated and his return to poverty was barely covered at all. 

His relationship with Marie (Peters) fell into this rushed category. One moment, she isn't ready to spend her life with him, the next, she can't wait to marry him. It made me sincerely doubt she loved him and wasn't just after the money, especially when she already left him once when he was poor.

Frankly, I would have thought the movie would have been slightly better had it started out with him being rich. It could have summarized his rise from poverty to add depth to the character (and his wife) and then dedicated more time to his life after losing the money and how he survived living on the street. It probably still wouldn't be my favorite Steve Martin movie but would be a little higher on the list.

Final Opinion: Steve Martin and Bernadette Peters both make this film watchable. It is, however, far from a perfect movie and I can understand why I found it forgettable the first time I watched it.

My Grade: C

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Here are some reviews of other 1970s comedies:

Movie Review: Gas Pump Girls (1979)

Movie Review: Young Frankenstein (1974)

Movie Review: Murder by Death (1976)

Movie Review: The Cheap Detective (1978)

Movie Review: Life of Brian (1979)