Review of You Don't Know Jack (2010) by Aaron N — 25 Apr 2010

Dr. Jack Kevorkian: If they want to silence me, let them prosecute me. Send me to jail.

A well made, made-for-HBO biopic about the infamous career of Dr. Jack Kavorkian. An A-list team headed by director Barry Levinson and starring Al Pacino, doing his best work in years, the film does a good job at presenting this obscure figure in history, even if the film strays towards a one-sided argument in favor of Dr. Death.

Set mostly in his home state of Michigan, the movie chronicles Jack Kevorkian's life through the 1990s, after he had already committed himself to using his self-devised "Mercitron" to end the lives of those seeking his assistance as opposed to taking people off life support, a process that he deems "inhumane." Jack, played by Pacino, is joined in his practice by his sister, played quite well by Brenda Vaccaro, his friend and sometime collaborate Neal, played by John Goodman, a vocal activist Janet Good, played by Susan Surandon, and a big shot defense attorney played by Danny Huston in a wig. I also enjoyed seeing Dr. Venture playing a journalist for the New York Times.

The film portrays Jack's efforts to go through his procedures, which includes video taped recordings of the people who wished to be assisted in their deaths (some of which were the actual recordings) along with his appearances on 60 Minutes and with Barbara Walters, and his trials against the various legal parties trying to stop him. The film does end with the Doc K. defending himself in court against counts of murder after continuing to challenge the system by recording his actual assist in death and showing it on television, after previously having the patients "pull the plug," so to speak, themselves.

This is certainly the type of film HBO is appropriate for as a debut outlet. Similar to the also very good film Recount, this film isn't really the type that can be successfully put into theaters, but the subject matter is interesting enough that it should be told in someway, and its well done here, which is due to the talent involved.

Pacino is great here. Dialing down from being crazy Al Pacino with wild speech patterns and hair, here he is adopting a specific character, with a midwestern accent, quirky and darkly comedic sensabilities, and most importantly, a sincere attitude and regard for what he is doing. Despite whatever differing opinions there may be on euthanasia, Kavorkian is never portrayed as a man who jokes about death, he is wholly devoted to his cause, and only towards the end giving us a peak at the deeper places of where his mindset stems from.

There are solid supporting performances here from the supporting cast as well. You can always rely on Goodman for solid chemistry with whomever he is cast with. Surandon and Huston are quite effective. It really comes down to Vaccaro who has to face up to Pacino the most on different emotional levels.

Levinson's direction is strong enough, with he and his crew seeming to work hard at channeling Gus Van Sant's Milk from the way it is constructed in tone. The blending of some archival footage into the film is effective, and the conveying of time passage is handled well enough with a few time stamps, and more importantly - a numbering of each of Dr K.'s patients.

The only real problem is how much of a hero to make Jack. The movie clearly argures strongly in favor of him, and while not putting my own opinions on the film in either side, the film could have benefited more from a bit fairer shake on the side striking against him.

Still, very interesting overall, and well acted, especially for Pacino.

Dr. Jack Kevorkian: What law have I broken?