Reviews (90)

"The New Phone Book Is Here!!, The New Phone Books Is Here!"
This 1979 debut for Steve Martin is one of comedy's greatest classics. This film definitley opened the door for people like Jim Carrey and all those types of comedies. This one will forever be the granddaddy of them all. Steve plays Navin Johnson, a white man who was brought up by a backwoods family who are black. Navin realizes he's not and sets out on his own to find his own life. It's one misadventure after the next. It's also one hilarious joke after another. Along the way he meets and falls in love with Bernadette Peters. There are also appearences by Carl Reiner, Jackie Mason, and M. Emmett Walsh. The movie is so slapsticky silly that it's hilarious fun to watch from beginning to end. I won't say what happens to our good old friend Navin. You'll have to see for yourself. If only the brilliant Steve Martin would return to this type of comedy. This film is pure comedy gold sent from comedy heaven. A definite must!!.

Too Funny
The Jerk is one of the most hilarious movies I've seen. The movie is about Navin Johnson (Steve Martin) who is a white boy adopted into a poor black family. He's a little "slow" and doesn't even realize he's white. The movie opens at his birthday where he's having his favorite "tuna on a white bread sandwich and a twinkie for dessert" dinner.
His problem is that he doesn't have rythmn, and late that night, he's listening to the radio when he hears "white" music, and finds that yes! he has rythmn!
So, Navin sets off to see the world, and a hilarous journey ensues - everything from a dog named sh*thead, assasination attempts to love to riches to insanity happens to poor Navin, but it's a great journey!
***** 5 stars for this classic Steve Martin comedy

If You Ever Need Cheering Up
Then this is the movie for you. That is, if you have any sense of humor whatsoever. There are so many funny, memorable scenes in this movie - like when he's standing right outside his parents' fence hitchhiking or when the guy is shooting at him - "These cans! He hates these cans!" "The new phone book is here!" "I'm somebody now!" The Jerk is one of the best comedies ever made. If you want to laugh, if you can laugh, buy or rent this movie!

Where's the widescreen version?
A classic but demand a widescreen version.

weirdly funny
Steve Martin shows a lot of comedic flair in this, one of his first films (he later tones it down and hones it in later works, which is all I had seen up to this point, so this was very strange in how over-the-top he is.)

Steve plaves Navin, a white boy adopted by a large loving African-American family, who honestly believed he would turn black on his 18th birthday (which is when his family reveals to him that he is adopted, although they had hoped he would figure it out beforehand.)

Determined to make his way out in the world, Navin takes on a series of unrelated jobs that turn out poorly --- gas station attendant (in which he demolishes a church), carnival employee (where he has his first carnal knowledge and his first romantic love -- with two very different women), and later becomes a billionaire through some very odd means.

But at heart, he's just a simple country boy who wants to fit in back where he came from. He's not a bum, he's a jerk! All he has are his friends and a thermos. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Stanley is excellent for preschoolers and early elem kids.
This Stanley DVD is a favorite of my young kids. Every episode uses animals to teach a lesson that they can apply in thier own lives. There is nothing of a questionable nature in any of the the shows I have watched with my kids. No need to worry that when you walk out of the room, people will start calling each other "stupid" or being unkind or doing things that you wouldn't want your kids to do. I highly recommend anything with Stanley. ... Read more