The Jerk

Name: The Jerk
Genre: Comedy
Released: December 14, 1979
Duration: 94 min
Rating: 61
Cast: Bernadette Peters, Bill Macy, Catlin Adams, Dick Anthony Williams, Dick O'Neill

1979

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 14 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 12 Ratings

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7.1	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 12 Ratings

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The Jerk

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Movie Details & Credits

Universal Pictures | Release Date: December 14, 1979 | TV-14

Starring: Bernadette Peters, Bill Macy, Catlin Adams, Dick Anthony Williams, Dick O'Neill, M. Emmet Walsh, Mabel King, Maurice Evans, Richard Ward, Steve Martin

Summary: Steve Martin, in his first starring motion picture, plays Navin Johnson, adopted son of a poor black sharecropper family, whose out-there inventions lead him from rags to riches and beyond. Along the way, he falls for a lady motorcycle racer, survives a series of screwball attacks by a deranged killer, and becomes a success by inventing theSteve Martin, in his first starring motion picture, plays Navin Johnson, adopted son of a poor black sharecropper family, whose out-there inventions lead him from rags to riches and beyond. Along the way, he falls for a lady motorcycle racer, survives a series of screwball attacks by a deranged killer, and becomes a success by inventing the "Opti-grab". Does it last? All one needs is a paddle ball game and remote control, after all.… Expand

Director: Carl Reiner

Genre(s): Comedy

Rating: TV-14

Runtime: 94 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Empire William Thomas

Loud and ludicrous, The Jerk is a strong contender for the funniest film of all time. Read full review

The Guardian Phelim Kline

Like Woody Allen's "Take The Money and Run", The Jerk is basically designed to allow Martin to use as many of his standup jokes and routines as possible, but his charm and timing makes this cleverly constructed movie seem fantastically loose and easy. Read full review

Josh Modell

Sweet, lighthearted, occasionally hilarious. Read full review

Dave Kehr

The verbal and conceptual gags, however, belong wholly to Martin's own brand of goofiness, and some of them are pretty funny. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

An artless, non-stop barrage of off-the-wall situations, funny and unfunny jokes, generally effective and sometimes hilarious sight gags and bawdy non sequiturs. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

The title truly lives up to the character. Read full review

Gary Arnold

For my taste a little bit of Steve Martin goes a long way. Moreover, a rickety vehicle like The Jerk is apt to wear out as aspiring comic star's welcome in one swift stroke. Read full review

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User Reviews

Masada

Aug 9, 2019

Bizarre and mostly hit and miss for me. I guess one has to be a fan of Martin's particular style of humor and it just really wasn't my cup of tea. It got a chuckle or two out of me in any case.

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Compi24

Aug 4, 2018

The life, career, and filmography of Steve Martin is something I've regrettably developed a blind spot for throughout my lifetime. And with this first step -- my viewing of "The Jerk" -- it appears as though I've got quite the journey ahead of me. This is a funny movie. Not necessarily aThe life, career, and filmography of Steve Martin is something I've regrettably developed a blind spot for throughout my lifetime. And with this first step -- my viewing of "The Jerk" -- it appears as though I've got quite the journey ahead of me. This is a funny movie. Not necessarily a perfect or even consistent comedy, but funny overall. I definitely laughed out loud a few times, chuckled a health amount, and had a smile on my face nearly all throughout. And though the movie's narrative may come off as a bit haphazard on occasion, the end product is still just about worth the watch.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JLuis_001

Feb 27, 2020

Steve Martin was funny but I found the film very disjointed and the comedy felt dispersed.

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