The great Robin Williams played a plethora of iconic characters, but his most tragic role was in a movie that’s gone overlooked for some time.
For those who grew up on only the best feel-good movies, Robin Williams is surely a familiar name. He tragically passed away in August 2014, but Williams was known for his improvisational skills and for breathing life into a variety of iconic characters. He is still held in high regard as one of the best comedians and actors of all time — a title that will likely never be taken away from him.
Williams was made famous by his more well-known roles, such as the titular character in Mrs. Doubtfire, Theodore Roosevelt in Night at the Museum, The Genie in Disney’s Aladdin and Professor Philip Brainard in Flubber. Although Williams’ roles in these movies primarily serve as comedic relief and many of his characters follow that same principle, he also starred in some tragic stories that were easily overlooked in favor of his more cheerful roles.
For instance, Jack is a coming-of-age comedy-drama and the first Disney film that Williams did after Aladdin. Released in 1996 and directed by Francis Ford Coppola, its premise revolves around the curious case of Jack Powell (Robin Williams), a child born seven months early due to an unnamed medical condition that causes him to age at four times the normal rate. As such, Jack appears to be a 40-year-old man when he is only 10 years old. Despite the rapid physical aging, Jack is still mentally and emotionally a young child, which causes him considerable difficulty.
While Jack claims to be a comedy-drama, the subject matter often makes the dramatic elements overwhelm the comedic ones. Ultimately, Jack touches on real-world problems and portrays a very real disorder. Adult progeria, also known as Werner syndrome, is an extremely rare, progressive genetic disorder that causes children to age rapidly, starting in their first two years of life. His parents are endlessly supportive of his condition, but while Jack tries to fit in, it seems as though the other kids begin taking advantage of him.
For example, Louis, Jack’s classmate, asks him to dress as the school principal to help him look good in a one-to-one chat with his mother, Dolores. He and his friends then invite Jack to their clubhouse, seemingly befriending him, but continue to use Jack as a means of getting age-restricted supplies such as adult magazines. Later, Jack develops a crush on his teacher, Miss Marquez, and confesses to her. Faced with heartbreak, he falls down a flight of stairs while attempting to leave, and is rushed to the hospital. It becomes known that he has suffered a rare form of angina (more commonly thought to be a heart attack) and that because of his Werner syndrome, his internal clock starts to run out.
For those who are willing to give a powerful and moving story the chance to touch their hearts, or those not looking for overly complicated plots, over-the-top explosions and cheap jump scares, Jack is a slice of life, coming-of-age hidden gem and may be just the goofy Disney movie to remind audiences that life is short and the world is wide. In the immortal words of the late, great Robin Williams, “Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.”
