Jack the Bear Movie Review 1993

Exercise in misery centers on a father and his two sons, trying to pick up the pieces after the death of wife and mother Marcovicci. Dad DeVito is the host of a late-night horror show who's cuddly as a bear--when he's not drinking. While the talent and circumstances might have been enough to create a sensitive study, the emotion is completely overwrought by contrived plot twists, including a kidnapping by the local Nazi. TV's "thirtysomething" director Herskovitz creates an effect not unlike a cement block being dropped on a card house. Point made, but so much for subtlety. Based on a novel by Dan McCall.

Distribution

CBS/Fox Video, 1330 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019, Phone: (212)373-4800, Toll-free: 800-800-4369, Fax: (212)373-4803, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on VHS
Running time 98 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Tearjerkers, Dads, On the Rocks

Screenplay

Steven Zaillian

Cast

Danny DeVito, Robert J. Steinmiller, Miko Hughes, Gary Sinise, Art LaFleur, Andrea Marcovicci, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Reese Witherspoon

Cinematography

Fred Murphy

Director

Marshall Herskovitz

Music

James Horner

Producer

Bruce Gilbert, Ron Yerxa, American Filmworks Productions