Rating: 
Summary: sinks in sea of nobility
Review: Nobody in his right mind would disagree with the noble sentiments that inform "Men of Honor." Celebrating the virtues of courage, heroism and strength of character, as well as the triumph of the underdog over personal adversity and societal racism - who could argue against such inspiring themes and concepts? As such, "Men of Honor" has the built-in potential to be a "feel good" triumph. Unfortunately, the narrative arc that the film travels is so tediously predictable and familiar and the sentiment so heavy-handed and treacly that, much as we may want to like the movie, we find ourselves quickly annoyed and bored by it. This is no reflection on Cuba Gooding Jr. and Robert De Niro, who do their best in two-dimensional, stereotypical roles. But it IS a reflection on the screenplay by Scott Michael Smith, which, although it is based on the true story of one Carl Brashear, the first African American US Navy diver, nevertheless, plays like a hundred other films with similar scenarios. "Men of Honor" just always "feels" like a MOVIE because we already know where it is going long before it gets there. So, essentially, we spend most of the time looking at our watches in the hopes that it will not take too long in completing its mission. The sappy concluding courtroom scene, in particular, has the word HOLLYWOOD stamped all over it - not helped one whit by the saccharine musical score that seems to ooze across the soundtrack from one end of the movie to the other. The movie does deal in a surprisingly frank way with the blatant racism that pervaded the military in the years immediately following Truman's forced integration of the forces. But don't we just know that, despite all the hostility he faces, Brashear will prove himself to be the most courageous, most noble and most technically skilled diver around - easily showing up all the Doubting Thomases in the process, including the by-now-inevitable stock military villain who seems to have devoted his career to standing in the way of this one man's success and progress? Brashear also turns out to be the most generous of spirit among the men in that he easily forgives the trespasses of those who trespass against him. What can we in the audience do but wile away the time till all this happens? At first blush, De Niro's Leslie "Billy" Sunday, may seem to be a more complex character. After all, he defies the military rules so much that even the Navy is forced to demote him to the position of training officer. Yet, in a way, this is just the typical De Niro role - heavy on bluster, sarcasm and macho posturing, all merely hiding the sweet humanitarian and egalitarian lurking right below the brash surface. Even the underwater diving sequences, which turn out to be the primary reason for watching the film, seem strangely unimpressive. I guess that a man standing almost perfectly still, encumbered by an awkward, heavy diving outfit, doesn't make for particularly exciting action cinema. It's also interesting that the film paints the Navy as consisting almost exclusively of unenlightened racists - then turns around and expects us to get all dewy-eyed and goosepimply when Brashear makes an impassioned speech defending it. "Men of Honor" may be a wonderful film for adolescents to see, for those too young to understand fully just how pervasive racism was in our institutions a mere 40 or 50 years ago. But for those of us who like our dramas a bit less tidy and a trifle more complex in nature, "Men of Honor" doesn't provide us with much to occupy our minds with for the duration of its running time - and precious little to think about after the movie is over.
Rating: 
Summary: A truly touching movie
Review: Let me start off by saying this was one of the best adaptations from a true story I have ever had the oppurtunity to see. I watched this movie with my father the first time I saw it. He was a Navy man himself and He said that nearly everything in this movie was realistic down to the part of Brashear's Shipboard accident. While watching it, I was enraptured by the movie. This is not a movie folks, this is piece of true art. Great Movie 2 Thumbs up!
Rating:
Summary: absolutely the best movie to come out in a long time.
Review: I think that this is one of the most riviting movies. It keeps you on the edge of your seat while making you cry at the same time. For once somebody actually made a movie based on a true story that somebody doesn't die in the end. It has become an instant favorite in our house and has been rented by this family probably more than any other movie has ever been rented in one household. If you have not yet seen this movie it is a MUST. I promise you will not be dissapointed.
Rating:
Summary: Can you say CHEESY?
Review: This story could have been handled in so many different ways but of course, Hollywood goes for the in-your-face glam that diminishes the true story radically. Cuba Gooding battles his way through cliche after cliche and should be awarded a purple heart for his desparate attempt to keep this film on the ground. He is the only reason to even consider viewing this film and the only reason it got more than 1 star. Most of the other characters were invented to appeal to the masses or movie execs and believe me, it doesn't work. Hal Holbrook's cartoonish diving school commander is so contrived, its pitiful. Oh, I see, he's supposed to be EVIL...they should have had him wear a t-shirt that said "BAD GUY" on it so we wouldn't have laughed so hard. DeNiro's attempt at portraying a bigoted, drunk, brawlin, good ol boy that finally sees the light, seemed about as genuine as the likelihood of this guy having a relationship with someone who looks like Charlize Theron. Just not buying it. The redneck attitude was so heavy-handed that it completely reduced the actual issue of segregation and discrimination to a charade. The original story is a good one...triumph over adversity sells itself. Why oh why did Hollywood have to "fix it?"
Rating:
Summary: Men of Honor
Review: Cuba Gooding and Robert De Niro are brilliant in adversarial roles in this movie. Cuba Gooding plays a young black man who is determined to be one of the first black divers in the newly-integrated Navy in the 40's. De Niro is his trainer and he is just as determined that Gooding will fail. The battle of wills is wonderful to behold and Gooding's determination in the face of all odds is inspiring. This is a very satisfying and enjoyable movie.
Rating: 
Summary: A riveting tale, Hollywood style.
Review: Certainly worth a look. Robert De Niro as a master Navy diver and Cuba Gooding Jr. as a wanna-be master Navy diver are superb together. It also helps that the film is based on a true story. Why it's not a classic? Quite frankly, it's too short. Sure, it's inspirational. But toward the end, the plot accelerates to a mad pace. You get the sense that the filmmakers suddenly saw the finish line and decided to sprint. Gooding and De Niro are here, then there, then here, and suddenly back again. And the audience is left scratching their heads and wondering what might have been.
Rating: 
Summary: A very well acted and inspirational movie!
Review: Robert De Niro is good in almost ever movie and this one is no exception. De Niro plays a navy master diver trying to train other navy drivers. Cuba Gooding Jr. does an excellent job playing Carl Brashear the first African-American navy driver. You will have to see the movie to see if he becomes a master diver, like De Niro. There are times in this movie when you actually feel bad for Brashear, I mean he goes through a lot and just keeps fighting and fighting. Not too many people have his kind of will and determination. I really like the way De Niro turns around and helps Cuba Gooding Jr. in the end. There is very good acting from the two lead actors, if you like bad acting watch, "The Contender". It would be hard to believe that anyone who watches this movie could not be moved and inspired by Carl Brashear.
Rating: 
Summary: How to ruin a good story...
Review: This movie is another example of true life stories Hollywood had decided to adapt to the big screen, and somehow managed to ruin. It's hard to understnad why - this is a pretty good and heroic story, it deals with an important issue, and the cast is definitelly a great one! The only explanation I've got to this paradox is the bad script and the two dimensional characters. Billy Sunday must be a totally bad guy at first, then make a 180 angle turn and become a perfect angel.... Instead of showing Carl Brashear's struggle, we only see a certain side of it - the bad army officials tormenting him, and him fighting back to get to where he wants to get, then he miracolously wins another step. After watching this film, I don't have any idea whatsoever of the motivations (as lousy and stupid as they might have been) of any of the characters, both good and bad... I think movies like this have a great potential of letting struggles like Brashear's known to us and teach us a lesson. But ruining them like this not only ruins a good story, but the lesson, too..
Rating:
Summary: Another Hollywood treatment of a true life story...
Review: Everytime hollywood comes up with a biopic it makes me worry... The main character is always portrayed as an angel. It is always portrayed very black and white. "Men of Honor" is the best example of the hollywood treatment since Tina Turner's true life story hit the big screen in "What's love got to do with it" in 1993. I wish they would portray these peoples life in a more realistic way. It would make it so much more interesting. 2 stars because De Niro and Gooding Jr. give great performances...
Rating:
Summary: VERY COOL
Review: At first I didn't want to see this movie, but when I did, it was way differant than what I thought. Rent or buy this movie now.
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