The Jerk (1979): cast, story & where to watch
1979 · Film · ★ 6.9
Released in 1979, The Jerk is a comedy film directed by Carl Reiner, running about 94 minutes. “A rags to riches to rags story.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. After discovering he's not really black like the rest of his family, likable dimwit Navin Johnson runs off on a hilarious misadventure in this comedy classic that takes him from rags to riches and back to rags again. The slaphappy jerk strikes it rich, but life in the fast lane isn't all it's cracked up to be and, in the end, all that really matters to Johnson is his true love.
Who’s in it. The Jerk stars Steve Martin as Navin R. Johnson, Bernadette Peters as Marie Kimble Johnson, Catlin Adams as Patty Bernstein and Mabel King as Mother, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.9/10, The Jerk has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response. It went on to earn $100M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Video with Ads and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Jerk page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Jerk tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Jerk (1979)?
- In US, The Jerk is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Video with Ads, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Jerk worth watching?
- The Jerk holds an audience score of 6.9 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy comedy. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in The Jerk?
- The Jerk stars Steve Martin, Bernadette Peters, Catlin Adams, Mabel King and Richard Ward.
- When was The Jerk released?
- The Jerk was released in 1979, with a runtime of about 94 minutes.