Jack (1996)

17% of critics liked it
(30 reviews)
57% of users liked it
(208,385 ratings)

In this film by director Francis Ford Coppola, Robin Williams stars as Jack, a boy who is growing normally, but at many times the normal rate. In a bizarre flashback, we see that he was born when his mother was only ten weeks pregnant. Kept out of school for years, the neighborhood children consider… More In this film by director Francis Ford Coppola, Robin Williams stars as Jack, a boy who is growing normally, but at many times the normal rate. In a bizarre flashback, we see that he was born when his mother was only ten weeks pregnant. Kept out of school for years, the neighborhood children consider him a freak, and generally avoid him. He is finally required to go to public school, and we catch up to him as he enters the fourth grade for the first time, a 10-year-old boy who appears to be a fully grown man in his 40s. His classmates tease him mercilessly until they begin to see the advantages of having him around. He must also have some grown-up feelings to go along with his grown-up body, because he asks his teacher out for a date. When she refuses him, he goes off into town and gets into adult-type trouble as he courts nightclub denizen Dolores Durante (Fran Drescher) over the objections of her boyfriend. Teacher Lawrence Woodruff (Bill Cosby) tries (with some success) to help Jack cope with his situation. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 53 min.
Directed By: Francis Ford Coppola
Genres: Comedy, Kids & Family

In Theaters: Aug 9, 1996 Wide
On DVD: Aug 3, 2004

Critic Reviews

Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
Barf.
Clint Morris, Moviehole
Williams at his versatile best
Michael A. Smith, Nolan's Pop Culture Review
Robin Williams is a big kid. Wow, what a stretch.
James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette
High ickiness quotient in this weird dramedy
Martin Scribbs, Low IQ Canadian
Coppola, of course, was abducted by aliens and replaced with a pod person in the middle of filming Godfather III.
Judith Egerton, Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY)
It seems unlikely that a Francis Ford Coppola movie starring the outrageous, hyperkinetic Robin Williams could be bland, but Jack is.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Beyond underwhelming.
Fred Topel, About.com
Terrible comedy. Depressing (he's basically going to die by 20) and the jokes are obvious. Williams is great and understated, but wasted in this script.
Frank Ochieng, TheWorldJournal.com
Coppola was obviously having an off day with this manipulative and meaningless dribble of a dramedy. Robin Williams should consider omitting Jack from his film resume'.

Read all 9 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Lucas M

Not the worst movie that I ever see, but the worst movie that Coppola could direct. Jack is the real end of the great filmmaker that made The Godfather. Rotten.
AJ V

This movie has such a strange, unreal, outrageous premise, I can't decide whether it's horrible or incredibly interesting. Overall, it's just okay, I guess. Sort of another excuse for a grown man to act like a kid, I guess, and Williams knows how to do that.
Cassie H

Story about how everyone is the same and no different.
KJ P

Very entertaining! I know I shouldn't like it, but I find it extremely heart-felt, funny, and entertaining! It get's a great big recommendation from me!
Lenny M

Coppola baby, classic shit.
Dean M

Robin Williams adds another misfit to his resume in this mostly lighthearted fantasy - tragedy about a little boy with an unusual disease that causes premature aging. James DeMonaco and Gary Nadeau's script too often take the easy way out, focusing on the comedic aspects of a boy… More
Robin Williams adds another misfit to his resume in this mostly lighthearted fantasy - tragedy about a little boy with an unusual disease that causes premature aging. James DeMonaco and Gary Nadeau's script too often take the easy way out, focusing on the comedic aspects of a boy trapped inside a man's body, rather than dwelling on the situation's truly tragic aspects.
Keysha H

Coppola makes a heartfelt family film! Nuff said.
Luke B

From the director of The Godfather and Apocalypse Now comes a story where Robin Williams plays a 10 year old. If one was forced to use a body part to describe this film it would be Bollocks, and not THE bollocks, just average bollocks. Coppola proves the higher you clmb, the greater… More
From the director of The Godfather and Apocalypse Now comes a story where Robin Williams plays a 10 year old. If one was forced to use a body part to describe this film it would be Bollocks, and not THE bollocks, just average bollocks. Coppola proves the higher you clmb, the greater the fall.
Candy R

Heart warming movie about a boy who ages.
Bobby H

One of Robin Williams' best films. Lacked some in reality, but, other then that, was a funny film, with a sad but good ending.
Rachel F

So cute.
Drew S

Bleeeh. Who really cares about this movie anyway?
danny d

sad movie, funny but hard to watch
xGary X

Pointless, retarded "comedy" in which Robin Williams pretends to be a ten year old. Incomprehensibly, this was directed by the same man responsible for Apocalypse Now...*shakes head in disbelief*
Leigh R

Cute...
Jason S

Funny and heartfelt at the same time.
Sarah G

I remember watching this as a kid and almost cried at the end and several other instances in the movie. There's definatly something about this that you can't ignore. I recomend everyone to see it, if you haven't!
Aaron N

From the director of the Godfather triolgy and Apocalypse Now comes the epic story of...ok never mind, this movie sucks, Williams has a disease that's not even real or inspired by one that is real and could be interesting, but it isn't taken anywhere. Lame jokes and… More
From the director of the Godfather triolgy and Apocalypse Now comes the epic story of...ok never mind, this movie sucks, Williams has a disease that's not even real or inspired by one that is real and could be interesting, but it isn't taken anywhere. Lame jokes and manipulitive "sad" moments.
Shawn M

Very sad, depressing yet uplifting and very inspirational, a story of an outsider who's bullied by his disability and doesn't have a long life :(
Juan C

a hillarious and terrific all star comedy with all the cast members at their best performances! and also has to be one of robin williams hillarious and best performance! bill cosby and fran drescher are hillarious in this film. A