Who doesn’t love Steve Martin? From Father of the Bride to Only Murders in the Building, the actor/writer/musician never fails to make us laugh.
But it’s been a while since the actor has starred in a movie that was truly daring and pushed the limits of good taste. One of his best-known comedies, The Jerk, was controversial even when it came out in 1979, and it remains so to this day.
The Jerk only has an 84 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which is surprisingly low for a film that is now considered a classic. But that just shows the film’s humor is divisive; if you get it, you’ll laugh a lot, but if you don’t, you won’t find it amusing at all.
If you haven’t watched The Jerk yet, now’s the perfect time to see what all the fuss is about. Netflix just added it to their library, so if you already have a subscription, there’s no excuse to add it to your queue right now.
‘The Jerk’ Is So Wrong, It’s Right
The premise of The Jerk is a little problematic, to say the least. “I was born a poor Black child,” Martin’s character Navin says directly to the camera at the beginning of the film, explaining that he was adopted by a family of Black sharecroppers in Mississippi and didn’t realize he was “different” until adulthood. In today’s climate, the movie probably wouldn’t even make it to the desk of any Hollywood executive.
In the hands of a lesser writer and performer, The Jerk might have become a cheap collection of racist stereotypes (and there are a few moments that feel icky by today’s standards). But Martin and director Carl Reiner (who would go on to collaborate with Martin on The Man with Two Brains, All of Me and Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid) use the film to mock racism, making the sublimely stupid white protagonist the butt of all the jokes. It’s aducacious, but that’s why the movie’s humor works so well. It takes big swings with its comedy and largely connects every time.
It’s a Physical Comedy Masterpiece
Martin has always put his whole body into every performance, and The Jerk is no exception. From Martin’s completely arrhythmic dancing at the beginning of the film (the biggest clue to his true identity) to a hysterical scene when he assumes the assassin shooting at him is trying to hit some cans next to him, The Jerk is full of physical comedy that will make you burst out laughing.
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Bernadette Peters Is Delightful
Broadway veteran Bernadette Peters plays Navin’s love interest Marie, a ditzy cosmetologist. The couple sings an adorable duet together, showing off Peters’ vocal talents, but her comedic acting really steals the show. (When she and Navin encounter a major financial obstacle, she hilariously wails, “I don’t care about the money — I care about the stuff!”)
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It Gives the Audience Permission to Be Stupid
The Jerk is a perfect example of the “so stupid, it’s smart” style of comedy. The movie’s unapologetic silliness is consistently entertaining, and it’s a reminder that sometimes that’s all comedy needs to be. There’s a bit of social commentary about wealth and race, but it’s mostly just a fun, slapstick adventure — and that’s just fine.
If you love Steve Martin’s later work, don’t miss this opportunity to check out the movie that established him as a Hollywood leading man.
Watch The Jerk on Netflix.
