| You Don't Know Jack | |
|---|---|
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| Written by | Adam Mazer |
| Directed by | Barry Levinson |
| Starring | Al Pacino Danny Huston Susan Sarandon John Goodman Brenda Vaccaro |
| Theme music composer | Marcelo Zarvos |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Producers | Scott Ferguson Lydia Dean Steve Lee Jones[1] |
| Cinematography | Eigil Bryld |
| Editor | Aaron Yanes |
| Running time | 134 minutes |
| Production company | Bee Holder Productions[2] |
| Budget | $18 million |
| Original release | |
| Network | HBO |
| Release | April 24, 2010 |
| Infobox instructions (only shown in preview) | |
You Don't Know Jack is a 2010 American made-for-television biopic written by Adam Mazer and directed by Barry Levinson. It stars Al Pacino, John Goodman, Danny Huston, Susan Sarandon, and Brenda Vaccaro.
The film dramatizes the efforts of former Oakland County, Michigan, pathologist Jack Kevorkian (Pacino) to help the terminally ill and the profoundly disabled end their lives. The outspoken Kevorkian becomes a polarizing figure and he is often referred to as "Dr. Death" in the press. He is assisted by his sister Margo Janus (Vaccaro), his longtime friend and medical technician Neal Nicol (Goodman), and Janet Good (Sarandon), who founded the eastern Michigan chapter of the Hemlock Society.[3] By accepted accounts, he aided 130 people to die.
Kevorkian is unsuccessfully tried four times, but after taking an unprecedented direct role in the August 1998 death of his final patient, Thomas Youk, he is convicted of second degree murder and is sentenced to 10 to 25 years in prison.[4] He serves over eight years and is released in June 2007.
You Don't Know Jack's screenplay was based largely on the book Between the Dying and the Dead by Neal Nicol and Harry Wylie. The film received numerous award nominations. Al Pacino won Primetime Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild awards for his performance as Kevorkian.[5] It received largely positive reviews and currently has an 83% rating at the aggregate film review website Rotten Tomatoes.[6]
- ^ Ferrell, David (April 23, 2010), "Trying to get to the heart of Jack Kevorkian", Los Angeles Times
- ^ Srawgow, Michael (August 27, 2010), "Steve Lee Jones knows 'Jack'", Baltimore Sun
- ^ Janet Good, 73; Advocated the Right to Die
- ^ Stanley, Alessandra (April 22, 2010), "A Doctor With a Prescription for Headlines", The New York Times, retrieved 10 July 2012
- ^ You Don't Know Jack Awards [better source needed]
- ^ Page at Rotten Tomatoes.com