Thursday, November 25, 2010

You Don't Know Jack (2010)

Director: Barry Levinson. Cast: Al Pacino, Brenda Vaccaro, Susan Sarandon, John Goodman, Danny Huston. 134 min. Unrated (TV). Drama.

The life and times of the famous/infamous euthanizing physician Jack Kevorkian, a.k.a. Dr. Death. The brilliant aspect of the film, is that it neither portrays the man (played by the great Pacino) as a hero, nor a villain. It leaves that decision up to you. And the main question the movie asks its viewer, is not whether you approve euthanasia or not, but rather if the time comes, and you are in the deplorable health situations these people are in, ... would you want to be euthanized? I probably would.

(PS: Watch Danny Huston. He'll get an Oscar someday.)

Mo says:

5 comments:

  1. Would I want to be euthanized? Yes I would and there are people trying to legalise it in the UK. At the moment you either have to go to Sweden or kill yourself. The only argument that the anti-euthanasia camp seem to have is, "Life is sacrosanct.". Life for those who want it at any price is fine but keeping some poor soul alive when they just want to die is immoral in my eyes.

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  2. Not sure if those who believe "Life is sacrosanct" would argue the same if they were in the same horrible situation. "The Sea Inside" (2004) touches very nicely upon this concept.

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  3. You know I can’t understand why a doctor ?when every one can do it easily for an end stage patient by access to all painless methods of suicides….including their lover or any guy who thinks it’s better for him/her to be relieved from all pain. Why we should play the role of headsman( Mirghazab) when it’s not our duty and we have not been trained for that or swear for such goal? Why us ? I just want to say it’s not our duty and is not our defined responsibility , then if the philosophy of euthanasia is under question, I’m not opposite totally and depends on the case… but in such format showed in the movie , I mean an organization of “Merci clinic “ where just conducted by a Doctor or medical service , No I’m not in !
    (agree terribly about Danny Huston)

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  4. Years ago I was reading the same discussion somewhere, saying a physician's role (in "saving" lives) is so sacred, they should not be involved with such matters.

    On the other hand, an opponent of this argument was saying only physicians have the knowledge to implement death in the most comfortable way to a patient! And that offering good-quality death, is life itself.

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  5. Amazing ! in here it’s third time I ‘ve been recommended to see “Sea inside” through recent 2 weeks.
    I saw the movie and I think it’s concept is closer to what I mean.
    But what you told above , worth’s to think, however, I still believe making such hard decision or taking this responsibility as a doctor , same as wanted abortion which some gynecologists believe that and commit illegal abortion based on just patient’s desire and her sorrow, …need to be defined and clarified precisely again in our references….Very controversial subject.

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