One of Steve Martin's earliest and funniest films, The Jerk is a wonderfully offbeat comedy. Although it has its occasional rough spots, on the whole the film is hilarious. It's also...odd, shall we say. The bizarre world in which this story takes place makes no sense whatsoever, but the movie understands and believes in its main character, and that's what sells the film. Martin hits all the right notes in his performance: he doesn't try to "act" funny; he merely portrays a funny character in a funny story, and that, supported by some spectacularly well calculated directing, makes an unforgettable gem of a comedy.