The Jerk

Released: December 14th, 1979. Rated R. 104 min.

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Main Cast:

Steve Martin—Navin / Cat Juggler (as Pig Eye Jackson also)
Bernadette Peters—Marie
Catlin Adams—Patty Bernstein
Mabel King—Mother

Storyline:

Navin, a white boy raised by a black family in Mississippi, sets off into the world to "be somebody" after reading a magazine ad telling him to do so. He makes it as far as St. Louis, where everyone tries to use him for his naivety. Through a stroke of luck, he invents a multi-million dollar invention.

What makes it special?

The Jerk is another movie that has no business being on this site because of its popularity, yet I am compelled to include it for many reasons. It was Steve Martin's first starring role in a film, and as far as I am concerned, his finest work. It's fascinating to review the amount of films that Steve has starred in over the years—it seems as if he's never rested, as he's released a movie almost every year since leaving SNL. I grew up watching this movie over and over, and to this day, I still find something new to cherish about it. The concept of the road adventure movie is one that is created over and over in Hollywood, and The Jerk shows character development in Navin Johnson go full-circle. This film captures its era of the late 70s like no other, with the fashion, furniture, and automobiles having a starring role just as much as the actors using them. This film expertly captures Steve's quirky comedy stylings as he gets lost in the character of a self-depreciating jerk. While most of the other characters in the movie may define him as such, he ultimately is perceived as one genuinely nice person.