There are certain films that just check all the boxes. Whether it’s a movie that makes audience members cry, laugh, or takes them on an unforgettable adventure, thesehit films are gold for both viewers and the studiosthat make them. Of course,when a picture reaches a certain level of success, a follow-up is almost inevitable. Sequels to movie-goer favorites oftenyield mixed results, while remakes tend to fare even worse.
Whether it’sthe endless string of sequels toAlienorthe blasphemous remakeofAlfred Hitchcock’s seminal class,Psycho, shameless sequels or reboots seem inescapable and, unfortunately, unforgettable in the world of movie-making. However, there is one brazen revamp that seems to have been completely voided from the memory of its original film’s fans. WhenThe Jerkwas released in December 1979, it gavethe now iconic comedianSteven Martinhis first major leading role. The film was a smash hit at the box office, which, of course, led to a follow-up. However,The Jerk, Toowas less of a sequel and more ofa full-fledged remake. Premiering on August 08, 2025, on NBC, the film introduced a mostly new cast in the roles made iconic by the likes of Martin andBernadette Petersand also put a surprising twist on its titular “jerk.”
The Jerk, Too
‘The Jerk’ was a Big Break for Steve Martin
Prior to acting, Steve Martin started his career in comedy as a writer forThe Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. He also served on the staff from 1967-1968,per Biography.com. Following his departure, Martin played stand-up and wrote forThe Sony and Cher Show. Then, in 1972, he began to appear onThe Tonight Show, giving him more clout as a comedian. 1976 sawMartin hostSaturday Night Livefor the first time. According to Biography, Martin would release several comedy albums over the next few years and even a short film,The Absent-Minded Waiter,in 1977.The debut even receivedan Oscar nomination.
Butit was 1979 that solidified Martin as a major screen star whenThe Jerkhit theaters. The film saw Martin in the role of Navin Johnson, a simple-minded man who was adopted by Mother Johnson (Mabel King) and Father Johnson (Richard Ward) after he was abandoned as a baby. Upon discovering he was adopted, Navin sets out to see the world. Along the way, he amasses a fortune and finds love with Marie Kimble (Bernadette Peters) before losing it all, after essentially becoming the namesake “jerk.” Navin, of course, finds happiness when the Johnsons and Marie once again rescue him and bring him back home. As it turns out, Father Johnson is a financial whiz, and the family knocks down their small house and replaces it with a larger version of their original, beloved shack.
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Directed bythe belovedCarl Reiner,The Jerkmade $73,691,419 during its theatrical run,according to BoxOfficeMojo. The film received largely positive reviews, with outlets such asThe New York Timespraising the film’s outlandish humor and Martin’s performance. Despite certain elements of the filmhaving aged poorly, it’s not hard to see why it remains a classic. The script has a vast sense of humor, from slapstickto absurdist, and even jokes that pull on the audience’s heartstrings.Martin and Peters both give memorable performances that complement each otherbeautifully. While Martin’s Navin is a mix of naivete and playboy, Peters plays Marie as a simple-minded, spoiled, yet lovable partner.
Despite the success of the film,it would be some time before audiences received a follow-up,and when they did, it was not exactly what anyone expected.
‘The Jerk, Too’ Wasn’t the Follow-up That Was Expected
The Jerk, Toowas never quite going to bethe follow-upaudiences expected. In fact, despite its misleading name, it wasn’t a sequel at all. It was instead a full-fledged remake. There was some marketing surrounding the film’s nature.The New York Times ran an articlebefore the film aired and made clear that “‘The Jerk Too,’ which is not a sequel to the 1979 film ‘The Jerk,‘which starred Mr. Martin, but a fairly complete reworking of it.” Indeed, there was very little connection to the original film. Of the cast, only Mabek King returned (again in the role of Mama). While Steve Martin served asan executive produceron the project,Mark Blankfieldtook over the role of Navin.
The set-up forThe Jerk, Toois relatively the same as the original, but ina multiverse-like twist, this Navin doesn’t set out to see the world. He already knows Marie (this time named Marie Van Buren and portrayed by Stacey Nelkin). The two are pen pals, and when Navin finds out Marie is getting married, he sets out to attend the wedding. Much like the original film, he gets sidetracked on side quests, at one point ending up in Vegas honing his card-playing skills. Using the original film more as a template than a true basis, the film attempts to follow its own story, but it misses much of what makesThe Jerkso charming.The jokes and story often feel forced and as though they live in the shadow of what came before.
His motives feel strange inThe Jerk, Too. Leaving home to see the world and learn about himself was a much stronger and more relatable venture, as opposed to trekking across the country to meet Marie in person. Additionally, his romance with Marie works so well in the first film because audiences get to watch it build. Their pen-pal friendship and excitement to meet one another effectively eliminates the joy of watching their silly yet loving relationship build and makesNavin’s journey and all-around character arc feel hollow.
Eventually, he and Marie meet, and she realizes that she prefers his naive ways and charming personality to that of her fiancé, the cold Count Marco (Jean LeClerc). While their romance lacks the charming build-up of the original,the triangle does allow the film to execute its best twist onThe Jerk’s lore.
‘The Jerk, Too’s Best Moment is Its Twist on the Original Film
The Jerkfamously beginswith Navin addressing the camera and proclaiming himself to be a “jerk.” And while the overall structure ofThe Jerk, Toomay be the same, the best deviation from its source material comes as it shifts the role of the titular jerk from Navin to that of Marie’s fiancé, Count Marco.In fact, this Navin is far more of an innocent simpleton than the original.
Martin’s Navin really sheds his innocence rather quickly, whereas Blankfield remains largely sympathetic, with his negative actions often manipulated at the hands of others. Martin’sJerkhas to be rescued from his own actions, but Blankfield’s literally rides into Marie’s wedding on horseback to save her from an unpleasant marriage.As silly and over the top as the ending is, it makes Navin and Marie’s relationship far more satisfying. There’s so much turbulence between the couple in the original film that it makes their happy ending somewhat less sweet. Despite howtroubled the reimaginingis,The Jerk, Toogets its conclusion right.
The Jerk, Toois far from the hit that was its predecessor. The film did not follow up the adventures of Steve Martin’s seminal role of Navin but instead reimagined them all together without most of its original cast. While largely an awkwardly written rehash of the first movie’s events, it does get its ending right by taking the mantel of “Jerk” away from Navin and making him an unlikely and lovable hero.
The Jerk, Toois available to stream on the Roku Channel in the U.S.
