Parents' Guide to

You Don't Know Jack

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Sympathetic Dr. Kevorkian biopic tells controversial story.

Movie NR 2010 134 minutes
You Don't Know Jack Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 15+

Based on 1 parent review

Mr. K
Mr. K Parent of 17-year-old
November 11, 2010
age 15+
A role that was worthy of Al Pacino's immense talent. You Don't Know Jack was a provocative drama which is even more interesting and inspiring because it is true.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In the early 1990s, Dr. Jack Kevorkian (Al Pacino) lost his license to practice medicine, so he begins providing doctor-assisted suicide for terminal patients who can no longer stand their intense pain and suffering. (The patients must take the final step to start the process.) Occasionally, he is arrested and tried, but his fast-talking lawyer Geoffrey Fieger (Danny Huston) protects him. Nonetheless, Kevorkian faces opposition no matter where he goes, so he decides to take his case to the Supreme Court by filming himself actually ending a patient's life and airing it on 60 Minutes. This attracts plenty of attention, but perhaps not the kind that Jack intended.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Directed by Barry Levinson, this powerful biopic that originally aired on HBO received 15 Emmy nominations, including a win for Al Pacino as Outstanding Lead Actor. Pacino is the real selling point here. He creates a three-dimensional portrait of a stubborn, intelligent, and caring man, and it ranks among his all-time best work. Joining him onscreen, Susan Sarandon, Brenda Vaccaro (as Jack's sister Margo), John Goodman, and Danny Huston are all superb.

Unfortunately, the script fails to give much weight to Kevorkian's opponents, and they come across as simple villains. Director Levinson provides some stylish angles and sequences, but his real achievement is shaping Pacino's performance and keeping the material fresh and passionate.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how this movie frames Dr. Kevorkian and his work. Would you consider this a balanced portrayal? How would the movie have been different if the doctor's opponents had more of a voice in the film?

  • Did this movie make you feel angry? If so, how did it provoke those feelings? How did the movie's intense scenes affect you? Would the movie have worked without them?

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