Seven stars. And that high because of the cast. I noticed this because I'm a fan
of Sarandon's. Then I saw that Pacino was the star. That was enough right
there -- Vaccaro and Goodman were pure icing on the cake. Even Danny Huston
was good. Probably because he had to go toe to toe with Pacino. I'm old
enough (and then some) to remember the Kevorkian business. And remember that I
was totally on his side back in the day. That drew me to the film, also. Just
to see some back story to a tale that the press always sensationalized. I've
known a few really brilliant people, and one thing they all have in common is a
certain quirky and selective self-confidence that made Pacino's portrayal of
Kevorkian ring true to me. The degree of loyalty that Vaccaro, Goodman, and
Sarandon brought to their characters is also a hallmark of those close to
brilliant revolutionaries. So why only seven stars? Part of it was
how cheap the whole thing looked. It was a TV movie, and it showed. And part
of it is how depressingly ugly the crux of the story is. I simply can't say I
loved a film about a failed quest to allow people to die with dignity. Even
one that is so well told. If you are too young to remember this as a news
story, then you should watch this. If you appreciate brilliant acting from a
whole slew of top-shelf actors, then you should watch this. But don't expect
it to be uplifting. 6 March 2023.
Review of You Don't Know Jack
