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Jack the Bear (1993)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers (WGA):
Release Date:
2 April 1993 (USA)
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Plot:
Danny De Vito is a professional clown, whose wife's death in a car accident has left him to care for his two young boys...
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Plot Keywords:
Awards:
1 win
&
2 nominations
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User Comments:
Another revealing look at growing up
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Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only) | Danny DeVito | ... | John Leary |
 | Robert J. Steinmiller Jr. | ... | Jack Leary |
| Miko Hughes | ... | Dylan Leary |
 | Gary Sinise | ... | Norman Strick |
 | Art LaFleur | ... | Mr. Festinger |
| Stefan Gierasch | ... | Father-in-Law |
| Erica Yohn | ... | Mother-in-Law |
 | Andrea Marcovicci | ... | Elizabeth Leary |
 | Julia Louis-Dreyfus | ... | Peggy Etinger |
 | Reese Witherspoon | ... | Karen Morris |
| Bert Remsen | ... | Mitchell |
| Carl Gabriel Yorke | ... | Gordon Layton |
 | Lee Garlington | ... | Mrs. Festinger |
| Lorinne Vozoff | ... | Mrs. Mitchell |
| Justin Mosley Spink | ... | Dexter Mitchell |
Additional Details
MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for elements of theme, and for some terror.
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
99 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Australia:MA (DVD rating) |
Iceland:L |
USA:PG-13 (certificate #31368) |
Singapore:PG |
South Korea:All |
Argentina:13 |
Chile:14 |
UK:12
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
In 1992, Danny DeVito had played The Penguin in Batman Returns (1992), and Gary Sinise had played George in Of Mice and Men (1992). Both roles were previously played by Burgess Meredith.
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Goofs:
Continuity: The stuffed dog on the living room floor of Karen's house.
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Quotes:
John Leary:
Jackie, my heart's beginning to beat with the monster's heart.
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Movie Connections:
Features Cheaper by the Dozen (1950)
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Soundtrack:
Dream Lover
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (23 total)
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Jack the Bear (1993)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
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| Ghoulardi | bahn-4 |
| how old are they supposed to be? | BrokeBmountain |
| Comedy? | gummoandme |
| Elder Macentire? | alexluthor |
| Jack the Bear song????? | onlybegottenson88 |
| The Novel | mathews-rr-1 |
Recommendations
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'Jack the Bear' is drama set in the Seventies revolving around Leary family and their first summer since the loss of their wife and mother. John hosts a late-night horror show and, while he has an understanding of television, he struggles to be a proper father to his sons, thirteen-year-old Jack and four-year-old Dylan. Instead Jack is left to be a substitute parent to his young brother while not only going through adolescence but is also struggling with the recent loss of his mother.
This film is a much darker version of the subjects brought up in 'My Girl' with the lead here being a boy instead of a girl. It was quite interesting to see a boy (instead of a girl who is usually cast in such movies) cope with the loss and guilt over his mother's death, shouldering the responsibility of caring for his little brother and alcoholic father and learning the lessons of his first love.
One of the main themes of the film is coming-of-age, both for Jack and his father. John is relearning how to be a parent without his partner by his side and redefining his relationship with his boys. As for Jack, as a boy of thirteen, he is starting to see life through an adult's eyes as he lets go of childhood innocence. One of the harshest lessons of the adultworld he learns, is that not all monsters are ugly things who live in the closet and humans can be evil too when his younger brother kidnapped by a Nazi neighbour who harbours a grudge against his father and a young lad in his neighbourhood develops some Nazi traits when he turns to the wrong person for a role model.
This films is really enjoyable, both with cute moments (Jack's little brother is adorable) and darker, angstier times. Definitely worth a look.