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You Don't Know Jack (2010)

Al Pacino , Susan Sarandon , Barry Levinson  |  Unrated |  DVD
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (60 customer reviews)

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Product Details

  • Actors: Al Pacino, Susan Sarandon, Danny Huston
  • Directors: Barry Levinson
  • Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
  • Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1), Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo)
  • Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
  • Dubbed: French, Spanish
  • Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: Unrated
  • Studio: HBO Home Video
  • DVD Release Date: October 26, 2010
  • Run Time: 134 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (60 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B003EV6DCG
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,774 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • Learn more about "You Don't Know Jack" on IMDb

Special Features

The Real Jack/Inner Circle: Behind-the-scenes featurette

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Made for HBO, Barry Levinson's sympathetic telefilm casts an affable eye on a serious subject: the mission of Jack Kevorkian (a thoroughly de-glamorized Al Pacino). In the opening sequence, Kevorkian tells his long-suffering sister, Margo (Brenda Vaccaro, excellent), how hard he found it to watch their mother die a long and agonizing death. Convinced that the terminally ill deserve the right to die with dignity, he shares his beliefs with Jack (James Urbaniak), a Detroit journalist; Janet (Susan Sarandon), a Hemlock Society leader; and Neal (John Goodman), a medical supply salesman (the scenes of Neal and Jack playing poker recall Levinson's Diner). Before he's assisted a single patient, Kevorkian makes the national news, prompting Neal to quip, "You're not a local quack anymore. You're America's quack." Writer Adam Mazer profiles several of the 130 patients to take advantage of his "mercy machine," starting with Janet Adkins, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease. For protection, Jack acquires the services of attorney Geoffrey Fieger (Danny Huston), who supports him through evictions, lawsuits, jail time, and hunger strikes--until Kevorkian engineers his own downfall by defending himself. As with HBO's Recount, Levinson adds archival footage at key points, such that Barbara Walters and others appear to play themselves. If he handles Jack's quirks with humor, he always treats the afflicted with respect, and if Pacino's accent skews more New York than Michigan, his pleasure in playing this strong-willed eccentric fuels Levinson's finest directorial effort in ages. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Product Description

Angel of mercy… or murderous “Doctor Death”? Jack Kervorkian is one of the most polarizing figures in modern American history, a man whose passionate belief that people have the right to die has brought him both praise and vilification. Oscar®- and Emmy®-winning actor Al Pacino brings “Dr. Death” to life in an all-new HBO Films presentation: You Don’t Know Jack, directed by Oscar®-winner Barry Levinson.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
52 of 56 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars To admire the dust on the shoes of the condemned... April 28, 2010
By Aco
Format:DVD
Once upon a time this film would have been released in theatres and this lead performance and maybe even Brenda Vaccaro's would have been nominated for Academy Awards. That is how good this film is, award worthy, notable for it's stellar execution and story, a standout for this year. Al Pacino's Jack Kevorkian is not his best work in a decade, as some have speculated. It is his best work since Angels in America (from 2003), also an HBO produced and presented film. He is as commanding in that amazing series as in this. Pacino has always been physically gifted as an actor; adept at expressing his emotions with his back or his head, his hands or his walk. I think his reputation as actor has suffered in the last twenty years because he moved away from using his body (essential to the art of acting) and compensated with his voice. In this context, this film is a return to form: Donnie Brasco, Carlito's Way, Glengarry Glen Ross, Scent of a Woman, Dick Tracy, to name his best work since 1990.

You Don't Know Jack is an apt title for this film, because I was certainly aware of Jack Kevorkian growing up, knew he was an advocate and involved in euthanasia and that he went to prison, but I didn't know he was such an iconoclast; morbid, graphic and unapologetic painter, a musician, a bachelor and a civil disobedient. These characteristics add to his legend, and his stature as a doctor who seems to have taken his profession and life's work as something more than a path to prestige and wealth, which cannot be said of some doctors in truth and perhaps too many in reputation. The role of the physician in society is an aspect of the successful story told here.
The role of the politician and the collective social fears of death in our society are the other themes, and they too are well told.
Though Kevorkian is presented sympathetically, and his opponents are not; angry "Christians" in general and a politically vengeful D.A. specifically, it is ultimately his own folly that dooms him. This may speak to his bachelorhood, his unemployment at the outset of the film and his stubbornness at getting to the Supreme Court. But his ambitions are not clarified here, other than his humanism, which is made genuine in small moments as well as big.

I highly recommend this film. Al Pacino and Jack Kevorkian are in the center of it, and the other actors, particularly Vaccaro as his sister Margo, are excellent. Euthanasia is an issue brought to the forefront by Kevorkian, but his incarceration did not produce another advocate in his stead, and the issue has unfortunately fallen by the wayside. It is an important consideration, what power we have over ourselves when we are faced with imminent pain before our death. This film handles it incredibly well, and I hope it produces as much discussion and thought for you as it did for me.

Thanks.
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38 of 43 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Unbiased & Nonpolitical Film Review April 26, 2010
Format:DVD
As you already know, most people who watch this film have already formed an opinion about doctor-assisted suicide. So rather than discuss ethics, this review will simply be about the film itself.

What stands out most about this movie is the terrific performance by Al Pacino, which is easily his best in the last decade. Al slips effortlessly into character, and delivers a nuanced performance that honestly makes you forget you're watching a Pacino film. I was also impressed with the zeal that Danny Huston brought to his portrayal of Geoffrey Fieger, Kevorkian's outspoken attorney.

I found the film to be revealing, but fairly unbiased in its portrayal of Kevorkian. While you're provided with an understanding of his motive by the film's conclusion, you're still presented with both sides of the debate. The movie also doesn't pull any punches with respect to revealing some of Kevorkian's eccentricities, or the self-deprecating "quack" jokes that take place. The film obviously calls for a little levity, and is punctuated by the occasional light joke. The cinematography and lighting was quality, and I enjoyed the peaceful score by Brazilian composer Marcelo Zarvos.

Overall, I think the film is worth watching for Pacino's performance alone. I don't think there's anything about the movie that would change someone's perspective, but for better or worse it sheds some light on Kevorkian's beliefs.
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18 of 21 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Taking Chances April 25, 2010
Format:DVD
Director Barry Levinson ('Diner', 'The Natural', 'Good Morning, Vietnam', 'Rain Man', 'Avalon', Bugsy', etc) has obviously taken a chance with his latest film YOU DON'T KNOW JACK, a cinematic evaluation of the notorious and controversial Dr. Jack Kevorkian, the Detroit pathologist who upon retiring from his career felt compelled to create a manner for people suffering chronic disease, paralytic illness, chemotherapy failures, and those pleading to die with dignity to have a choice as to whether they by law must linger in misery or be given the opportunity to have a doctor assisted suicide. Whether or not viewers react positively or negatively to this film for HBO will probably be tainted with personal convictions about assisted suicide rather than whether the film is worthy or a diatribe. But that is the still ongoing dilemma of the topic raised by the elderly Armenian physician's choices or convictions and one that the film explores well.

As for the film itself, it is a tour de force of acting performances: Al Pacino transforms himself physically and technically to bring the personality of Jack Kevorkian to life. It is a role of so many fine nuances that demonstrates ho Pacino truly does inhabit the title of the film. This Kevorkian is shown to be a man driven to be an outspoken activists for human rights - especially the right to die. His sister Margo, played to perfection by Brenda Vacarro, is the lonely Jack's sole source of emotional support, while his old friend and hospital medic Neal Nicol (who technically assists Kevorkian) is made a three dimensional person by John Goodman. Another supporter is the Hemlock Society worker Janet Good, another fine role for Susan Sarandon, and Danny Huston (almost unrecognizable in a wig) is Jack's pro bono lawyer Geoffrey Fieger. The technique used by Kevorkian is to interview people who approach him pleading to end their lives (some have tried regular suicide attempts before), make a video of the patient and family requesting assisted suicide, be sure the family and patient are serious and ready and only then provide the service with a contraption loaded with sedative and KCL that is triggered by the patient. Many of the actual patients are reenacted by a cadre of fine actors in scenes of pleading that tug at the heart.

Kevorkian is placed on trial by the courts in Michigan and finally after 133 assisted suicides is sentenced to prison - but not until after frequent jailings accompanied by Kevorkian's hunger strikes have resulted in his being released due to the finesse of his lawyer. Though Kevorkian has a large number of people who feel he is a cruel serial killer, this film presents the more human side of a man motivated to provide an alternative to patients suffering the lingering agonies of medically approved slow deaths. There are several tender scenes in this film, but the one that is a triumph of writing and acting is a conversation between Sarandon and Pacino as to what happened in Jack's childhood that began the idea for his mission. If viewers can get past their personal issues with the subject, then they will be witness to a superb film and terrific acting that will likely lead to an Emmy for at least Pacino. Watch this and learn. Grady Harp, April 10
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars You don't Know Jack.
I need to see this one again before I can rate it.Let me rate this one at another time. Do not submit this one yet.
Published 6 days ago by Everlena Pearson
5.0 out of 5 stars excellent film.
This sticks pretty close to what happened with the right to die crusaders story. Jack K, Who recently himself died but he did live long enough to see this film about himself. Read more
Published 25 days ago by Michael Dobey
4.0 out of 5 stars Great film
Great film for anyone interested in Bioethics. Al Pacino does a fantastic job playing Dr. Jack Kevorkian. Read more
Published 1 month ago by HJ
5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Real-Life Story
I was really impressed by how Al Pacino played Dr. Kavorkian in this film. He did a marvelous job expressing the doctors
views throughout the entire film.
Published 3 months ago by Jim Landis
5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT MOVIE..
i PURCHASED THIS MOVIE FOR THE MEDICAL CLASS I AM TAKING....VERY GOOD i AM GLAD TO ADD IT TO MY MOVIE COLLECTION...
Published 3 months ago by Donna
5.0 out of 5 stars Al Pacino Was Spot On
A really good docu-drama. Al Pacino's performance was superb. I would have liked to see more of Dr. Kevorkian on a personal level, but from all accounts he was a recluse. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Sew Perfect
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Movie
Its about the doctor who helped people die with dignity and fought to legalize helping people die with doctor assistance. Pacino was excellent as ususal
Published 4 months ago by Sandra F. Montalvo
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Movie!
This movie is great! I watched it in a class I was taking and loved it so much that I had to purchase it so my boyfriend could watch it too. He loved it too. Such a good movie! Read more
Published 4 months ago by Nici Mauch
5.0 out of 5 stars Al Pacino
Al Pacino gets better with every movie. I check every year to see if he has done another one. Thisis a very deep subject that left me thinking for a long time.
Published 5 months ago by T. J. Jones
5.0 out of 5 stars REAL FOOD FOR THOUGHT!
I'm so glad I added this movie to my video library! I was thoroughly engrossed from beginning to end (and kind of wish Jack would be around when it's my time to go! Read more
Published 8 months ago by Joanna Rieger
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