You Don't Know Jack

This is a movie that, like most other movies pertaining to controversial issues, will definitely make you think. It is about whether or not someone has the right to reach out for assistance in committing suicide due to suffering from a terminal illness and whether or not it would be considered a crime for another person to assist in that suicide. The movie is focused on Dr. Jack Kevorkian who broke the law and assisted over 100 people in committing suicide. He would assist only those who were suffering the most with no chance of recovering from their conditions. Through many accusations and charges by the courts, the "doctor of death" pleaded his case, always determined that he was right in what he was doing and that he was not killing, but helping these people.

The film, though it does not necessarily portray both sides of the argument equally, is still a good historical reference to Jack Kevorkian, his terminally-ill patients, and the court proceedings that followed his assisting their suicides. There is actual footage in the film of Kevorkian's interviews with dying patients that are real and heart-wrenching. It adds a lot to the integrity of the film and really makes viewers aware that this is a true story, especially for those like me who were too little to remember the early '90's. No matter what your stance is on the issue, I'm still not sure about my own, you can come away from this film with a good sense of Kevorkian's true intentions and how his actions have made a substantial social impact in this country since the '90's.

In addition to the abundance of information you receive from this film, you can also enjoy outstanding performances by Al Pacino, playing Dr. Kevorkian, Susan Sarandon, John Goodman, and Danny Huston. This film has already won an Emmy and is now nominated for 2 Golden Globes and 3 SAG Awards. So, if you are in the mood for a good drama based on real life I highly recommend this one.

Overall rating: 7 out of 10