Entertaining. but formulaic.

If you're going to loosely pattern a movie after another, I guess you can't go wrong with "To Kill A Mockingbird" Maybe it was just me, but I saw similarities in Jack's character compared to Jem Finch. Especially how Jack was Dylan's tormentor and protector, much like the relationship between Jem and Scout Finch. Widowed and preoccupied with work, the father often leaving the kids to kind of fend for themselves.

Norman Strick in a way was an amalgam of Boo Radley and Bob Ewell. Both a neighborhood curiosity (Boo) as well as a hateful coward that liked to terrorize kids (Bob Ewell).

Even with the similarities, I enjoyed Jack the Bear. I was a little surprised to read the bio of Robert Steinmiller Jr. (Jack), who was nearly 15 in this movie. I would have guessed he was closer to 10 or 11. Late bloomer, I guess. DeVito did some good stuff in the '90's. I think he's kind of selling himself short in "It's Always Sunny".