Jack

Cast: Robin Williams, Diane Lane, Brian Kerwin, Jennifer Lopez, Bill Crosby and Adam Zolotin.

Director: Francis Ford Coppola

Release Date: 1996

Running Time: 1hr 53 minutes

Genre: Comedy/Adventure

Rating: PG

Format: DVD

Synopsis:

Jack suffers from an unusual ageing disorder that means he ages four times faster then the average human being, he enters fifth grade for the first time with the appearance of a 40 year old man! 

Jack (Williams) suffers from a very rare condition called Werner Syndrome meaning he ages four times faster then the average human. Werner Syndrome is a very real condition. Due to his condition Jack has never been to a real school, naturally his parents are very protective of him., worried that other children will make fun of his appearance.Ten years later, home schooled by Mr. Woodruff (Cosby), Woodruff decides that it might be best for Jack to attend a real school, to make friends, to interact. The late Robin Williams delivers one of his most remarkable roles of 1996! How does one prepare themselves for a role that involves them playing a ten year old child when they are a fully grown adult? I'd imagine the same way Tom Hanks prepared for his role as Josh in  the smash hit eighties movie "Big", how do you learn to be a child? By learning from children of course. How do they interact with one another? What do they think about? How do they see the world? Quite the challenge I can imagine.

Jack just wants to be accepted, make friends and be like everyone else. He does however start to make friends, has a crush on his high school teacher and graduates from College. The movie is essentially Jack's journey through school, making friends, meeting girls, tackling challenges and living for as long as he can! Heartwarming. Although the acting is incredible please don't go in thinking you're going to get incredible cinematography and an amazing score. It's a heartwarming story that is meant to be emotional, touch your heart, perhaps make you see the world a little bit differently. Robin Williams's performance is just astonishing, his character is so genuine and real, his reactions are true to that of a child. Jennifer Lopez plays Jack's high school teacher Miss Marquez. Lopez has done a lot more acting then most are probably aware. Her performance is very good and I love the natural interaction she has with Jack. Despite both characters in real life being adults, Lopez manages to portray her character perfectly to show a difference between ages.

Eddie, John-John, George and Johnny play Jack's high school friends played fantastically by Adam Zolotin, Todd Bosley, Seth Smith, Mario Yedida and Jeremy Lelliott. The friendship that Jack builds with them as the film progresses is lovely. I love how Director Frank Ford Coppola decided to emphasize more on the fact that children can be so accepting of others that are different, instead of making it an environment where Jack is bullied for being different. Strong moral, don't judge a book by it's cover. The storyline is excellent, it's heartwarming but it has the perfect combination of drama and comedy at the same time. Robin Williams is amazing at creating humour but not pushing it so it's over the top.

Set in San Francisco (Robin William's hometown), it sets the mood for the film beautifully. Like most children, Jack and his friends love more then anything else hanging out in a tree house they built where they get up to all sorts of mischief! The film doesn't just focus on comedy, it focus on serious issues too, Jack's condition progresses as the film goes on, causing health issues for him. He soon learns the harsh rules of life. He can't always have the girl he wants, life becomes more precious then he ever imagined. He soon realizes just how fast he is aging. The storyline is touching and it will pull on your heartstrings. Jennifer Lopez and Robin Williams work beautifully on screen with one another. Lopez really took me by surprise. I love that the storyline dives into real life issues.

Francis Ford Coppola is probably known more for Directing "The Godfather", this is probably one of his most underrated movies. Although it doesn't and never will live up to the standards of "The Godfather", it goes to show what a fantastic Director Coppola is. To some extent a very simple movie, with nice cinematography and a simple production design. Standard film techniques, medium and close up shots. The storyline is the most impressive part. The storyline is what is going to make you remember this movie. William's excellent performance. One of his most underrated roles. Jack is a beautiful film that will warm your heart.

5/5 stars