For me there's a very fine line between the dumb and dumber type of humor found in films like, well, "Dumb and Dumber", and the cleverly nuanced nonsense coming from a comic genius like Steve Martin. This movie is pretty much a laugh riot from one end to another, with Martin's character, Navin 'The Jerk' Johnson, hilariously moving from one situation to the next with total lack of self awareness. Oblivious to the danger posed by a motivated sniper (M. Emmet Walsh), astounded by the concept of profit motive as a carnival weight guesser, and wondrously beholden to the idea of cup o' pizza, Navin is at once a complete simpleton and someone who's insight serves to elicit respect and renown. There's no way you can watch this picture and not crack up over the double dog cover-up when Navin runs out of his house naked with a neighbor watching from her yard. That scene is just so over the top that you'll probably have to hit the pause button on your remote to maintain a semblance of composure before continuing. I think my favorite though was the black and white film strip of Martin as the cat juggler, which if you had to compare against the added DVD features of fish teasing, plant abusing, and pet dressing, I think the cat juggler was the best choice to include in the story. I get it that not everyone would find this film funny, but there's just such an understated with and sophistication with Steve Martin's screen writing and acting, that I can handle just about anything he appears in. With nice support from folks like Bernadette Peters, Jackie Mason and Bill Macy, this is a funny, funny film that gets better with repeat viewings. And for blues fans, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee make for an added bonus appearance. Get ready to laugh!
Review of The Jerk
