Let's talk about track records. Al Pacino has a good one with HBO, where he won an Emmy for Angels in America. Barry Levinson had a good one as a director, and then he made a streak of movies in the last decade (Envy, Man of the Year) that I think we should just agree to not talk about. Now, Levinson is teaming with Pacino for an HBO film called You Don't Know Jack about "suicide doctor" Jack Kevorkian. Based on the trailer, could this revive the Levinson's fortunes?
What we see is promising, though brief. It's a meaty role for Pacino and it's a relief to see him get away from his recent cinematic track record of low-wattage crime thrillers, plus it looks like Levinson's got a good take on the material. Two things, though: Is Danny Huston playing Philip Seymour Hoffman? There is no excuse for that hair. Also, don't the colorful, center-aligned title cards in Futura font kind of give the impression that Wes Anderson directed this film? I really wouldn't have minded euthanizing The Darjeeling Limited (but not Anderson himself -- don't get any ideas, Armond!).
VERDICT: Sold.