Movie Rule #23

I liked "Twixt" (reedited and rereleased as "B'Twixt Now and Sunrise" in 2022). There's actually quite a bit to appreciate, although the story can be confusing (which is probably why most people don't like it); that is, until you reflect on it and connect the dots.

The issue with "Jack" is that it tries to be a serious drama, a slapstick comedy and a profound tragedy, which is tonally bewildering. It would've been more successful if they worked out the kinks in the slapstick scenes, especially the ones with the kids, like the treehouse sequences.

There's nothing wrong with the cast or the filmmaking except that the script needed improved to flesh out the potential. As it is, I had a hard time buying that Robin Williams was a 10 year-old boy and the comedic scenes with the kids didn't work for me, although they're passably amusing.

Thankfully, there are several things that make the movie worthwhile: Lopez, Drescher and Lane are thoroughly attractive and I especially enjoyed the scenes with Lopez and Drescher, like the bar sequence; Cosby is his likable self (before his fall from grace); and the second half is better than the unsure first half.

Francis proved that he could effectively do this kind of whimsical fare with "Peggy Sue Got Married" (1986), but here he needed a better script. Still, some people love "Jack" (while critics like Siskel & Ebert tore it to pieces), so I suppose it's a matter of taste. I'm in the middle: I like a lot of it, but didn't find Williams convincing as a 10 year-old, not to mention the slapstick scenes are awkward and needed tweaked.