Al Pacino’s worst film on Rotten Tomatoes is one of his funniest roles

Jack and Jill is Al Pacino’s lowest-rated film, sitting at a measly 3% on Rotten Tomatoes. The Tomatometer consensus reads, “It’s impossible to recommend on any level.” Globe and Mail’s Jennie Punter calls the film “cruel and scary, not funny.” Time magazine’s Mary F. Pols wrote, “It’s been more than 24 hours since I saw the new Adam Sandler movie ‘Jack and Jill,’ and I’m still dead inside.” The film’s only success is that Winning all twelve Razzie nominations, including Worst Picture, Worst Director, Worst Actor, Worst Actor (with Adam Sandler winning for both) and Worst Screenplay.

Adam Sandler plays both Jack, an advertising executive, and his twin sister Jill, who represents the worst Jewish stereotype: an obnoxious, neurotic and whiny whiner. The “humor” is ugly and mean: the cross-dressing invites countless transphobic jokes about her masculine appearance, and there are fatphobic jokes about her being too heavy for a pony that collapses. There are also juvenile gags about diarrhea.

However, there is a little glimmer in Jack and Jill that is surprisingly hilarious. As the Cracked oral history explains, uncredited writer Robert Smigel introduced a storyline involving Al Pacino (yes, that Al Pacino) falling in love with Jill. Jack convinces him to take part in a Dunkin’ Donuts commercial in exchange for him getting to know Jill despite her disinterest. Al Pacino’s truly committed performance is what saves “Jack and Jill” from becoming completely terrible.

While Adam Sandler delivers a smug performance that insists everyone will be amazed by his knockout humor, Al Pacino takes himself seriously and approaches his role with sincerity. The humor in his performance comes from his devotion and almost trance-like obsession with Jill, rather than the callous idea that she is too unconventionally attractive. Al Pacino might as well be performing Shakespeare’s “Richard III,” given how much he focuses on Jill and speaks about her with such romantic eloquence, comparing her to Dulcinea from “Don Quixote” or wistfully observing, “Your sister and me .” I grew up on the same streets. When I look at her, I see myself. But the best joke of all comes when Jill accidentally breaks his Oscar. She shouts, “Oh my God! I am so sorry! But I’m sure you have others.” His response: “Uh, you might think so, but strangely I don’t think so” is an invaluable commentary on his baffling lack of awards recognition.

The most famous part of “Jack and Jill” is the Dunkaccino commercial, which has become an internet meme. Wearing a suit with pictures of donuts on the lining, Al Pacino raps his most famous catchphrases and shuffles his feet like an overexcited toddler to promote the Dunkaccino – a mix of coffee and hot chocolate. In the final scene where he tells Jack to burn the commercial and destroy all copies, “Jack and Jill” lets us know that Al Pacino, the actor, is very much in on the joke. He knows that in real life that would be scraping the bottom of the barrel and downright embarrassing. This tongue-in-cheek, meta-recognition makes the Dunkaccino sequence even funnier and Al Pacino’s participation and willingness to be so silly even more endearing.

Why did the legendary actor from “The Godfather” even make a film that so openly makes fun of himself? The actor admits in a 2019 GQ interview that he has fallen into the “perverse” habit of joining bad films to “try to make them better.” He recently told the New York Times why he took the role:

“It came at a time in my life when I needed it because after I found out I had no money left. My accountant was in prison and I needed something quick. So I took that. There’s this thing I do.” This movie: They got me to do a Dunkin’ Donuts commercial. Do you know how many people think I actually did that commercial?

Even though Al Pacino has to do Jack and Jill just because of his salary, he does his best and is willing to make fun of himself. Robert Smigel tells Cracked, “I just liked how much Pacino cared. “He just radiated joy because he was so excited and committed to making his role as fun as possible,” and Pacino would often call him with ideas. This enthusiasm can be clearly seen on the screen.

Al Pacino could have easily expressed it – just like his contemporary Robert De Niro in films like The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle or The War with Grandpa. “Jack and Jill” showcases the hallmark of a true actor: someone who commits to a role and gives it their all, no matter what. Jack and Jill is a nightmare to endure outside of Al Pacino’s scenes where you can tell he’s having a lot of fun. The humor that underlines his fame is sharp and clever; If only this type of writing had been in the rest of the film.