Review of Jack

First off, let me address the 'elephant in the room'. Yes, it's true! One of the most influential directors of all time, indeed directed this movie! Don't believe it!? I don't really care, but it's true! Francis Ford Coppola, the director of 1972 "The Godfather," & 1979's 'Apocalypse Now', indeed directed a movie where Robin Williams plays a ten-year-old kid in a man's body. Do you want to hear the crazy part? I kinda like this movie. Yes, this movie might have a lot of flaws, but for me, it's a guilty pleasure of mine. I'm not kidding! This movie isn't that bad. It's a very well-shot, emotional driven, funny yet somewhat entertaining. I really have to give, some credit, to the director, for making this kid movie's somewhat watchable with its insane crazy exaggerated aging disease plot line. Without spoiling the movie, too much, I have to say, one of the weakest part of the film, has to be Robin Williams's performance as ten year old, Jack Powell. Yes, he can act in some of the more emotional scenes, but there is something off, with most of his performance here. Some moments in the film, he acts like a kid, right out of preschool. Other moments in the film, he acts like a teenager. I know, that his character is mostly home-school and socially awkward, but there is just something not right with Jack. He doesn't come across, as believable in his 10 year old behavior. I would know, I was around 10 years old in 1996 and socially awkward! His look is also a bit off, if we trying to brutality real, here. Shouldn't Jack, at this young age, look more like Benjamin Button at his age in 2008's Curious Case of Benjamin Button? You know, like an old face with a kid body, having more serious health problem!? I'm asking this, because I really doubt, this movie knows, how Werner progeria syndrome, honestly works. Even, in the end, with all that awful, fake-looking old man make up; he still doesn't act like a person that age! Despite, that, I have to say, while this movie might be seen as one of his weaker Robin Williams's performances; his presence here, wasn't too much of a turn-off. Like, I said, before, he really scores in pulling heart-strings. The final scene, alone, with Jack talking about not worrying about how much time you have and enjoying every moment is absolutely heartbreaking. It's harder in hindsight now, when taking into account, what happen to Robin Williams in 2014. If there were any real turn-off performances from this film, it would be, for me, the supporting cast of Fran Drescher & Bill Cosby. Why, because of Fran Drescher's annoying her nasal thick New York accent & Bill Cosby's over the top mumblings, weren't inspiring. It's barely tolerance, here. Plus, both of their characters, Dr. Lawrence Woodruff (Bill Cosby) & Dolores 'D.D.' Durante (Fran Drescher) really don't help push the plot, along. A lot of time-wasting filler scenes is spent with both of them. Scenes like the bar & treehouse sequence could had been cut out; and you wouldn't miss a thing. Trust me! These two, really weren't needed. However, there were two supporting actresses in this film that really got me, liking them. The first one is Jennifer Lopez as Jack's teacher, Miss Marquez. Not only was, this film, one of the first films that got Jennifer Lopez's name out there, but seeing her, in this movie, made me a longtime fan of her work. She's so charming in this film. The other, stand out, performance in this film is Diane Lane as Jack's mother, Karen Powell. Wow! She really able to show, her motherly love, so well, in this. Some of the best scenes in the film is, Jack and Karen playing games, around the house and her being stern to changes. What a great authoritative mother figure! One thing, I really didn't like, about this movie is the music by composer Michael Kamen and Bryan Adams. Most of background music like 'Star', was too whimsical, clichés & cheesy. I also didn't like how the tone of the movie moves from slapstick comedy to tragic melodramatic, so unevenly. It was a bit too jarring to take. I would think the movie would had work better, if it took the same ideas, that work with 1988's film, Big and expanse it, rather than acting so kid friendly. Despite some big flaws, Jack is essentially a family film with a moral message about living life to the fullest. I think, anybody with a soul would appreciate that message. It's worth-checking out, just for that, alone. I do recommended seeing it.