Review of You Don't Know Jack (2010) by Urim T — 16 Nov 2011

His opponents defended their own beliefs, his judge defended her own system, each felt entitled to impose their personal doctrine onto others. I was shocked by the undisguised bias of the judge as she handed down the max sentence, in a you-cross-me i-will-make-you-pay manner. Classic example of a public servant forgetting that they were elected to serve, not empowered to push their own doctrine.

If Pacino's portrait was accurate (Kevorkian thought so) then he's a very interesting, eccentric nerd. His paintings, his dogged belief that he had no choice but to provide this service to his patients -- out of duty. I like how he reacted when asked how much he would charge for the procedure, "You don't charge something like that. What is wrong with you?".

I think, despite my position, this is an admirable dude. He really believed in his cause. And I think the system is incredibly barbaric to not only cheat him (he risked jail to push for a national debate, they side-stepped it by dropping the assisted suicide aspect altogether), but also to deny his parole, and then to grant it only when he's terminally ill (Hep C related liver cancer) and only under a gag order to keep him from talking about assisted suicide upon release.

My only solace is seeing his chipper self in the extra footage. Taking 8+ years from a 70 yr-old (that's the last decade in one's life!) I don't know how these ppl could be pleased with themselves.

4 stars for a lively portrait and an interesting subject.