You Don't Know Jack (TV 2010)

A look at the life and work of doctor-assisted suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian.

Director:

Barry Levinson

Writer:

Adam Mazer

Stars:

Al Pacino, Brenda Vaccaro, John Goodman

Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 5 wins & 26 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Al Pacino	...	Jack Kevorkian
Brenda Vaccaro	...	Margo Janus
John Goodman	...	Neal Nicol
Deirdre O'Connell	...	Linda
Todd Susman	...	Stan Levy
Adam Lubarsky	...	Brian Russell
Jennifer Mudge	...	Female Reporter
Jeremy Bobb	...	David Rivlin
Rutanya Alda	...	Vendor
James Urbaniak	...	Jack Lessenberry
Henny Russell	...	Oakhill Spokesperson
Henry Strozier	...	Oakhill Doctor
Sandra Seacat	...	Janet Adkins
Neil Brooks Cunningham	...	Rod Adkins
Susan Sarandon	...	Janet Good

Storyline

Dr. Jack Kevorkian (1928 - 2011 ) in the 1990s, when he defies Michigan law assisting the suicide of terminally-ill persons. Support comes from his sister, a lab tech, the Hemlock Society president, and a lawyer. The child of survivors of the Armenian genocide interviews applicants: his sister video tapes them. He assembles a device allowing a person to initiate a three-chemical intravenous drip. The local D.A., the governor, and the Legislature respond. In court scenes, Kevorkian is sometimes antic. He's single-minded about giving dying individuals the right to determine how their lives will end. He wants the Supreme Court to rule. He picks a fight he can't win: is it hubris or heroism?

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Plot Keywords:

suicide | michigan | governor | supreme court | armenian | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

HBO [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 April 2010 (USA)

Also Known As:

Untitled Jack Kevorkian Project

Filming Locations:

Clinton Diner, Maspeth, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$18,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bee Holder Productions, Cine Mosaic, HBO Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

134 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

During initial production, this was developed as a feature film before it became a television film.

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Goofs

Geoffrey Fieger's name is misspelled in the film credits as "Geoffery Fieger".

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Quotes

Jack Kevorkian: Because It's my name. Because I can not have another in my life. Because I'm not worth the dust on the feet of them that hang. How may I live without my name? I've given you my soul. Leave me my name.

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Connections

References The Crucible (1996)

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Soundtracks

"Easy Glistening"
Written and Performed by Will Tura & Dirk Blancke
Courtesy of Focus Music / 5 Alarm Music

User Reviews

Tour de force acting by Pacino a must-see

I've seen "You Don't Know Jack" twice now and will certainly watch it several times more with friends coming to watch my DVR HD recording of this HBO TV movie. It's not easy to watch the harrowing scenes of terminal patients in great distress. But with an outstandingly intelligent script, first-class cinematography and stellar performances by all the actors it becomes compelling viewing. Like Marion Cotillard's portrayal of Edith Piaf in "La Vie en Rose", Pacino's incredible performance will leave us with the feeling that he has indeed become Dr Kevorkian for us. His powerful acting gains pace as the movie progresses until the final dramatic courtroom scenes end the remarkable story of a pioneer eccentric's human rights obsession. While overtly sympathetic to Kevorkian, all sides of the arguments for or against assisted suicide are fairly presented and leave one thinking about the subject for days. In addition to Pacino's tour de force role I think that Barry Levinson's inspired direction brings this movie to masterpiece status. I hope it will be released on DVD soon so that a much wider audience can see it.