Jack... this movie isn't...

                                                            Jack

            The film, “Jack” starring the talented Robin Williams, is a heartwarming, but also somewhat heartbreaking film about a boy who ages four times as quickly as the usual human being. Williams is almost perfect in portraying the child mentality of the character, who in all other ways looks like a normal forty year old man, instead of a ten year old boy. This film kept me interested throughout, and I recommend it for anyone who enjoys to think. It has it’s fun moments, and a few gross moments, but it retains a respectful tone for the overall story which is inspiring and heart wrenching at the same time. It is wonderful to see how different a person can be, and still find meaning in life, as well as companionship. Probably the most saddening scene is when the students in the school Jack attends, after having begged his parent’s to let him go, are assigned to write about what they want to do when they grow up. Jack writes on his paper the number 28 and multiplies it by 4, the answer being 112. He says, “What do I want to be when I grow up? Alive.”

            By the end of the film Jack has made everyone around him see that what he wants most is just to live. We all spend so much time thinking about what we can do to prevent ourselves from aging, and dying, that sometimes we forget to appreciate the moment. In the end all we really have is the present, and if we don’t seize it, it will go by without a second thought. This movie well embodies the message of “carpe diem” and effectively conveys the story of this remarkable person with respect as well as humor and fun.

            Overall this film is probably not best for little children, although older children may connect to it on some level. I think it is probably best suited to a slightly older audience, who will appreciate the subtle and complex messages about life, death, love, and friendship.