Best Movies Set in New Jersey

Every state is known for something. As you work your way through the list, don't miss the best movies set in New Jersey.

New Jersey is a northeastern U.S. state with some 130 miles of the Atlantic coast. Jersey City, across the Hudson River from Lower Manhattan, is the site of Liberty State Park, where ferries embark for nearby Ellis Island, with its historic Immigration Museum, and the iconic Statue of Liberty. The Jersey Shore includes notable resort towns like historic Asbury Park and Cape May, with their preserved Victorian buildings.

In this post:

Movies Set in New Jersey

Clerks

Amazon Prime Video (Video on Demand)
Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Marilyn Ghigliotti (Actors)

Clerks

Year: 1994

Clerks is one wild day in the life of a pair of overworked counter jockeys whose razor-sharp wit and on-the-job antics give a whole new meaning to customer service. With hilarious bonus features starring Jay, Silent Bob and director Kevin Smith, you should just plunk down your effin' cash now and add this to your collection of great movies.

Be Kind Rewind (2007)

Amazon Prime Video (Video on Demand)
Jack Black, Mos Def, Danny Glover (Actors)

Be Kind Rewind

Year: 2008

RELATED: Best Movies Set in Iowa

Jack Black and Mos Def star in Be Kind Rewind, a unique comedy from Academy Award-winning writer/director Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind). Black stars as a lovable loser stuck in a life that's too small for his big dreams.

But when he unintentionally erases all the tapes in a video store where his best friend works, he devises a plan to satisfy the store's few loyal customers by re-creating and re-filming every movie they decide to rent.

I.Q.

Amazon Prime Video (Video on Demand)
Tim Robbins, Meg Ryan, Walter Matthau (Actors)

IQ

Year: 1994

All the world knows about Einstein the scientific genius. But what about Einstein the matchmaker? I.Q. puts this notion to the test and comes up with winning results in this “fun, warmhearted romantic comedy” that has critics and audiences cheering.

Garden State

Amazon Prime Video (Video on Demand)
Zach Braff, Ian Holm, Method Man (Actors)

Garden State

Year: 2004

Andrew Largeman (Zach Braff) returns to his hometown for the funeral of his clinically depressed mother, a journey that reconnects him with some of his past friends. Because the trip coincides with his decision to stop taking his powerful antidepressants, he also begins to reconnect with himself.

A chance meeting with Sam (Natalie Portman), a girl also suffering from various maladies, opens up the possibility of rekindling emotional attachments, confronting his psychologist father, and perhaps beginning a new life.

Being John Malkovich

Amazon Prime Video (Video on Demand)
John Malkovich, John Cusack, Catherine Keener (Actors)

Being John Malkovich

Year: 1999

RELATED: Best Movies Set in Oklahoma

Craig Schwartz is a struggling street puppeteer. In order to make some money, Craig takes a job as a filing clerk. One day he accidentally discovers a door – a portal into the mind of John Malkovich!

For 15 minutes, he experiences the ultimate head trip – He is John Malkovich! Then he's dumped out onto the New Jersey turnpike! With his beautiful office mate Maxine and his pet-obsessed wife, they hatch a plan to let others into John's brain for just $200 a trip.

Now that you've completed the list of best books set in this state, why not check out some others? Here are the Best Movies Set in All 50 States.

DOWNLOAD AND PRINT MOVIES SET IN ALL 50 STATES

Click here to download this printable. It has a list of movies in all 50 states, including the Best Movies Set in New Jersey.

If you enjoyed this list of movies, I have a monthly membership for parents and educators that want to teach or supplement lessons with shows and movies.

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With Homeschooling with Shows and Movies membership, you will get resources every month, including:

List of This Month’s Suggested Themes
List of Monthly Observances
List Of Movies for Unit Study
Unit Study Resource
Seasonal Activities (minimum of three)
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These resources are worth it if you'd like to easily incorporate shows and movies into your homeschooling.

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Maxanne

Anne is a recent college grad who majored in Business Administration and Marketing Management. She is a hopeless romantic who makes sure our content stays up-to-date.