Because of an unusual disorder that has aged him four times faster than a typical human being, a boy looks like a 40-year-old man as he starts fifth grade at public school after being homesc... Read allBecause of an unusual disorder that has aged him four times faster than a typical human being, a boy looks like a 40-year-old man as he starts fifth grade at public school after being homeschooled.Because of an unusual disorder that has aged him four times faster than a typical human being, a boy looks like a 40-year-old man as he starts fifth grade at public school after being homeschooled.
- Awards
- 6 nominations
- Johnny Duffer
- (as a different name)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaFrancis Ford Coppola gave Robin Williams camping gear, to spend the night in his backyard, and $10 to spend at Toys R Us before shooting the film.
- GoofsJack tells his class that his birthday is September 12, but his parents were at a Halloween party the night he was born.
- Quotes
[Jack, 18 years old but looking 72, arrives at his graduation ceremony]
Lawrence Woodruff: [addressing the audience] Ladies and gentleman, it is my honor to introduce this year's valedictorian, Jack Charles Powell.
[a round of applause approves of this choice]
Jack: [taking the stand] Thank you, Aristotle.
[He must take out spectacles to read the speech]
Eric: Yo, Jack, go get 'em!
Jack: I got it, Eric. I'm cool... I don't have very much time these days so I'll make it quick. Like my life. You know, as we come to the end of this phase of our life, we find ourselves trying to remember the good times and trying to forget the bad times, and we find ourselves thinking about the future. We start to worry , thinking, "What am I gonna do? Where am I gonna be in 10 years?" But I say to you, "Hey, look at me!" Please, don't worry so much. Because in the end, none of us have very long on this Earth. Life is fleeting. And if you're ever distressed, cast your eyes to the summer sky when the stars are strung across the velvety night. And when a shooting star streaks through the blackness, turning night into day... make a wish and think of me. Make your life spectacular. I know I did. I made it, Mom. I'm a grownup.
- Crazy creditsAt the end of the music, Jack's classmates can be heard calling for him to come out and play.
- ConnectionsAlternate-language version of Paa (2009)
- SoundtracksStar
Performed by Bryan Adams
Written by Bryan Adams/Mutt Lange (as R.J. Lange)/Michael Kamen
Produced by Mutt Lange (as Robert John 'Mutt' Lange) and Bryan Adams
From the A&M Album '18 Til I Die'
Basically, it's a sentimental dramedy that elicits laughter and tugs at the heartstrings. However, this is clearly one of Williams' lesser films. The situation felt contrived and silly, merely an excuse for Williams to engage in puerile antics. What was more astonishing is that this entire film was played straight by everyone. I did laugh some, particularly at a couple scenes involving the physical comedy of Robin Williams playing a 10-year-old in a 40-year-old man's body, but I didn't laugh as much as I would have liked. The moments where they go for poignancy also fell flat a lot of the time, again mostly because of the contrived situation.
However, the film is generally well-acted. Of course Robin Williams does a fine job, but Diane Lane and Bill Cosby in particular turn in good performances as well. Jennifer Lopez and Fran Drescher also show up, but more as eye candy for horny boys than anything. Looking at recent cases involving teachers sleeping with their students, the implications of the scenes involving Jack and those two characters might come off as irresponsible, the subject matter is handled as tastefully as possible (as opposed to something like THAT'S MY BOY, in which Adam Sandler plays a man-child of sorts). I did find one scene between Fran Drescher and Robin Williams as tender, but nothing more.
Given the circumstances surrounding Jack's life, you might think that the film goes for a tearjerker of an ending, but it doesn't. Still, I do feel like the closing speech, which sums up the message of the movie, was tacked on and unnecessary to a degree. It was a sentiment better expressed in Williams' earlier movies, such as DEAD POETS SOCIETY. Overall, while still funny and touching in mostly equal measure, the direction was flat and the story was about as inspiring as a Lifetime movie. For die-hard Robin Williams fans (or of Francis Ford Coppola) only. Everyone else would do well to skip it.
- brchthethird
- Nov 13, 2014
- How long is Jack?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $45,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $58,620,973
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $11,191,496
- Aug 11, 1996
- Gross worldwide
- $58,620,973
- Runtime1 hour 53 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1