A Few Good Men

Rating:
Summary: A Great Gripping Courtroom Drama
Review: In one of the greatest movies of all time, Tom Cruise, Demi Moore and Jack Nicholson give awe-inspiring performances. Two marines on trial for the murder of a fellow marine must rely on the canny, self pretentious lawyer Lieutenant Daniel Caffey(Tom Cruise). Lieutenant Caffey's motives are obvious, to serve his clients with as little work as possible. Unfortunately for Lieutenant Caffey he must deal with Lieutenant Commander Joanne Galloway(Demi Moore). A textbook lawyer who sees that everything is done to an exact tee in representing her clients. Together they must prove that the crime that was committed was not done by the two marines on trial but by they're superior officer, Colonel Nathan Jessep(Jack Nicholson). This is a perfect role for Nicholson, the bad guy and a man you truly hate. The ironic twist in this film is that it's two marines relying on somebody else fighting for them instead of them fighting for someone else. This movie also spawned the ever famous line "You can't handle the truth". A Few Good Men also stars other big named actors such as Kevin Bacon(Captain Ross), the opposing attorney, notorious bad guy Keifer Sutherland as lieutenant Johnathan James Kendrick, and a brief appearance by Cuba Gooding Jr. as Corporal Hammaker. Whether your a fan of military type movies, court room dramas or great performances this is a must see.

Rating:
Summary: You Were Sick The Day They Taught Law At Law School
Review: Here is another in the great line of movies that will have you quoting lines to your friends for years to come. For those who live to quote movie lines, this film is second only to "Army of Darkness" for memorable lines.

Now, does that make it a five star movie. No, don't be silly. This movie earns its stars for a great story played out by a fantastic cast under the wonderful direction of Rob Reiner. Tom Cruise has the biggest role and delivers a fantastic performance as a slacker lawyer who discovers his abilities just in time to try the case of his life. Moore and Nicholson add star power and each is brilliant in their role. But, the three big stars aside, this movie is really made by the supporting cast. The list of actors who shine in support in this film is endless. Walsh, Pollack, Bacon, Gooding, Burnley, Dane, Fultz, Sutherland, et. al. make up the real legal dream team. This is truly a great ensemble cast (and fertile ground for the Kevin Bacon Game).

The courtroom scenes will drive trial lawyers crazy, but that criticism misses the point. The writers may have been sick the day they taught law in law school, but that is just the difference between paper law and trial law. So, while the lawyers may object strenuously, I say this film is matched only by "The Caine Mutiny" as great courtroom movies.

Don't miss this one, it is a masterpiece.

Rating:
Summary: "A FEW GOOD MEN" WAS REINER/SORKIN'S SUBTLE MESSAGE OF THEIR
Review: "A FEW GOOD MEN" WAS REINER/SORKIN'S SUBTLE MESSAGE OF THEIR PERFECT LIBERAL WORLD
By Steven Travers

Unlike other obviously partisan Hollywood films from the likes of Robert Redford and Oliver Stone, "A Few Good Men" (1992) delivered a subtler message from liberals Rob Reiner (director) and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin ("The West Wing"). It was also an example of how liberals sometimes shoot themselves in the foot in their attempts to demonstrate the goodness of their point and the faults of their political opposites.
This has happened on more than one occasion. In 1964, radical screenwriter Terry Southern ("Easy Rider") penned "Dr. Strangelove". The film attempted to make fun of bombastic military figures, lampooning Air Force General Curtis LeMay through George C. Scott's comedic General "Buck Turgidson". It succeeded as a great film, but not as a political statement. Ronald Reagan loved it.
A few years later, a '60s peacenik named Francis Ford Coppola, fresh out of UCLA Film School, wrote "Patton". He attempted to portray the World War II general as a mentally unbalanced warmonger. Scott's performance was one of the best in history. The result was the greatest, most patriotic war film ever made. Coppola (who won the Academy Award), could not have foreseen that Richard Nixon, after viewing "Patton" several times, would be emboldened to invade Cambodia, and that generations of West Point grads would consider the film a virtual primer.

Set right after the 1991 Persian Gulf War, "A Few Good Men" tries to show why officers from the "Patton school" were out-dated. The beauty of the script is in the character arc of Lieutenant Daniel Caffey (Tom Cruise). His father is the former Attorney General of the United States, and in this capacity he was a civil rights hero. Caffey never lived up to his dad's high expectations, although he graduated from Harvard Law School. He is skating by in the Navy JAG corps to satisfy family tradition. Demi Moore is a dedicated JAG lawyer who wants to do great things. Kevin Pollack (Lieutenant Sam Weinberg) is the guy who got picked on when he was a kid. The three of them get assigned to a case involving two "poster" Marines accused of murder at Guantanamo Bay. The Commander at Gitmo is Lieutenant Colonel Nathan Jessup (Jack Nicholson), in a role he did not win the Academy Award for, which is unbelievable. Jessup is about to be Assistant National Security Advisor, so he is very high up the Pentagon food chain.
Cruise is a slacker who pleads his cases, and is offered a sweetheart deal by the prosecutor, a Marine buddy played by Kevin Bacon. If the Marines plead out, the case goes away and after six months they are out of jail. The Marines are straight up and down, and say no. Demi, a so-so actress who rises to Oscar performance in a role she was born to play, takes Cruise to task. Normally a sexpot, she is not portrayed as anything but a professional officer and lawyer, and she wears it well. There is sexual tension with Cruise, but nicely underplayed. The elephant in the corner is the "code red" that everybody knows Nicholson ordered, but nobody can ask about. If he ordered the "code red," the boys are free, which leaves a slight fact discrepancy because a Marine died because of a hazing they administered. It is fair to ask why they are free if they were ordered, hung if not, since their actions are still the same.
Demi gets Cruise to stage two of his character arc by committing him to the case and to get Nicholson to admit to the "code red," which Cruise plans to do because he knows Jack does not like "hiding" from him. Pollack has been shuffling along with his "I have no responsibilities here whatsoever" act, but his role in the script is made clear. He backs up Demi's earlier faith in Cruise, and for the first time Cruise realizes he has special talent and can win. The finale is a doozie with Nicholson thundering away with a speech that Sorkin and Reiner must have really agonized over.
Nicholson represents Plato's "warrior spirit," protecting America's liberal peaceniks like'Reiner and Sorkin. He gives an incredible dissertation on what it takes to do the heavy lifting that protects our cherished freedoms. Reiner and Sorkin resisted the chance to demonize Nicholson into the tired old conservative boogieman; the racist white officer (one of the Marines is black), stupid, a war glorifier. Instead, they let Nicholson make a speech that has been memorized and made into legend by'conservatives and military officers. But Jack makes a mistake and lets Cruise lead him one step too far, admitting to the "code red" that wins the day. The twist, and the message, is in the final verdict in which the Marines are declared "not guilty" but are dishonorably discharged for "conduct unbecoming Marines." The black Marine gives the film its intended meaning by saying their conduct was unbecoming because they were not supposed to follow an illegal "code red" order (given to them by a Southern racist Christian, Kiefer Sutherland), against a weaker man, despite the consequences. Cruise tells them they do not need a patch to have honor, a line of pure gold. Pollack, who identified with the weaker man and did not like the macho Marines, melts because he sees his childhood tormentors symbolically apologize to him. Cruise has now earned his spurs and is no longer just Lionel Caffey's son.
"A Few Good Men" is a barnburner. The Sutherland role is its most heavy-handed bias. When he is told Cruise's father "made a lot of enemies in your neck of the woods" - Dixie - by letting "a little black girl" go to an all-white school, the subtle message is that he is a racist. Sutherland is further painted as a Bible thumper, the kind who have little patience for those who are not. Hollywood just brutalizes Christians. Nicholson also sneers at Pollack's screen name, Lieutenant Weinberg, a point that probably worked more against the Sorkin/Reiner message than for it. Nicholson is pointing out that Jews tend to be lawyers, while the Anglos do the fighting. The effect of the reference, however, causes people to make mental note of the fact that he is not entirely wrong. Reiner and Sorkin's "mistake" was in making Nicholson's character the real deal. In so doing, Jack thunders away with some of the best lines ever written.
"'You both rise and sleep under the very blanket of freedom that I provide, then criticize the way I provide it," he tells Cruise. "I'd just as soon you said 'thank you' and went on your way, or picked up a weapon and stood a post. Either way, I don't give damn what it is you think you're entitled to."
The producers, like Coppola before them, likely failed to recognize that by not demonizing Nicholson enough, they left the door open to a point of view that runs counter-productive to their own. Nicholson speaks about "honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something'"
Stone was horrified to discover that after excoriating "Wall Street" (1987), corporate hotshots for years thanked him for making a film that inspired their careers in high finance. Similarly, Reiner and Sorkin created a "monster" (Nicholson) who has inspired many to hear the words of Nathan Jessup and say, "Right on!"

(Screenwriter Steven Travers studied in the University of Southern California School of Cinema-Television. He is the author of "Barry Bonds: Baseball's Superman" and "God's Country: A conservative, Christian worldview of how history formed the United States Empire and America's Manifest Destiny for the 21st Century".)

Rating:
Summary: A Few Good Men
Review: A Few Good Men released in 1992, Directed by Rob Riner, and starring Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, and AAN Jack NIcholson is a powerful film about a arogant navy attorney who is scared of the courtroom and must face his fears to try to save two marines from facing murder charges. Tom Cruise who places Kaffety the Legal Aide,who is apponted to defend the two marines,and Kevin Bacon,the DA, go head to head to prove the difference between right and wrong in the military. Demi Moore, the Chief Councel plays Cruises right hand woman in the case. When two Marines on the Guatanimo Bay marine base performe a Code Red on a Marine who performes below average the prank backfires and the marine ends up dead. Nicholson who is the CO Jessup plays the Marine mixed up in the whole ordeal. Cruise, Nicholson, and Moore display powerful performances the almost make the film seem like a real life military trial. Just when you think you have it all figured out the tabels turn for an ending that you just have to see to believe.

Rating:
Summary: Nicholson keeps the film alive...
Review: For fans of the TV show JAG, 'A Few Good Men' may seem no better than an ordinary episode that goes for two hours and has different actors. But 'A Few Good Men' is an interesting look at the brotherhood that exists inside the US Marine Corps.
Tom Cruise is an ambitious albeit inexperienced Naval lawyer, assigned to defend two Marines who have killed another soldier in their Unit. The movie focuses on the idea of a Code Red, a form of Marine punishment whereby little mistakes receive big consequences so as not to forget what the rules are.
The movie is unfortunately severely dragged out before the court case, and Demi Moore shows the world that she is no more than Bruce Willis' former trophy wife with some terrible acting. Cruise's character acts cocky and invincible, before falling back on his assistants when he realises his case is a losing one.
Undoubtedly the strongest performance given in this film is by Jack Nicholson. While rarely on screen prior to the trial, Nicholson is forced to carry the film early on in his role as the commanding officer on the alleged-murderers' base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. He delivers the most powerful lines ('YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH') and brings an other brief and uneventful climax to boiling point with his explosive acting and naturally devilish characteristics.
This is not the best courtroom drama ever made (see Philadelphia), but it is an interesting story to watch unfold and one that is worth watching twice to fully understand.

Rating:
Summary: A gripping courtroom drama...
Review: Certainly, a Few Good Men is one of the more ambitious movies made during the 1990s. Take some of the biggest stars in Hollywood -- Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson and Demi Moore; add in a solid supporting layer -- Kiefer Sutherland, Kevin Bacon, Kevin Pollack and Christopher Guest; throw in a couple of up-and-coming stars -- Cuba Gooding Jr. and Noah Wyle. Now, add one of the industry's most recognizable directors -- Rob Reiner. And to top it all off, tackle not one major topic but two -- a major courtroom case AND the role of the military in society.

That's quite a recipe for a movie, but it's one that works incredibly well. Cruise and Nicholson are at the top of their game, and Moore's sensitive performance is a nice contrast to the other two sometimes over-the-top portrayals. There are few, if any, lulls in the action as key details are revealed in almost every scene. As a Broadway play, A Few Good Men was one of the hottest tickets in town. As a movie, it's something worth watching frequently, and certainly worth adding to your library.

Rating:
Summary: A superb military courtroom drama. Thoughtful and powerful.
Review: This is one of the best military courtroom dramas that you will find. Tom Cruz and Jack Nicholson lead the superb cast in what has become a classic story of military justice. Other cast members who turn in fine performances include Kevin Bacon (he really shines in this one as the hard-ass Marine prosecutor) Kiefer Southerland, and JT Walsh. Cuba Gooding Jr. appears as a minor character and does his usual good job. I watched this film when it came out, and recently watched it again for the first time in many years. It has aged well, and has lost none of its punch.

This is the story of a group of US Marines at the US base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, circa 1990 (before the War Against Terror). The story is simple (no spoiler here). Two Marines are accused of murdering one of their comrades and are put on trial for murder. Cruz plays the military attorney assigned to their defense, Demi Moore (in one of her better performances) plays his co-counsel. Both do well. Jack Nicholson has a relatively brief part in the film, but turns in what has become a legendary performance--he dominates utterly every scene in which he appears. This is truly an awesome performance by Nicholson.

A few minor complaints. The Cruz character (Lt. JG Caffee) is supposedly only a year or so out of law school. It is inconceivable that someone that junior would be assigned to a capital murder trial. Further, Moore (who plays a somewhat more experienced, albeit inept lawyer) implores Caffee not to withdraw from the case because "they need you...you know how to win...") Come again? A first-year lawyer (who in the story has never tried a case) knows how to win? Sorry, no. Even if Daddy was a famous lawyer, as the story indicates, first-year lawyers don't know how to try murder cases and are not assigned by the JAG Corps to do so. Whatever.

This minor quibble aside, the film does an excellent job of telling a complex and compelling story with clarity. This is a very good film. Although I rated it 4 stars, it probably deserves 4 1/2 stars, or 9/10. The DVD print is excellent. The musical score compliments the story very well, and makes this an even better viewing experience.

Overall an excellent film.

Rating:
Summary: A Few Good Stars
Review: A tour de force military courtroom drama by director Rob Reiner with a superb ensemble cast headed by Tom Cruise. Along with that there's the ultimate cameo by Jack Nicholson and his now classic "You can't handle the truth!" line that's been repeated in parodies and comedies from SEINFELD to SNL. Again Tom Cruise gives another Oscar worthy performance about a Navy Officer Lawyer defending two Marines accused of killing a fellow recruit because of his shortcomings unworthy of being a Marine. Then, the 'truth' behind who gave them the orders to carry out the murder. The star studded ensemble includes Demi Moore, Kevin Bacon,Cuba Gooden,Jr.,Kiefer Sutherland, the late Jt Walsh, and Kevin Pollack. Good script, direction, and casting. One noteworthy aspect is staying with the main plot of the story of the lawyers investigation and research of the military murder case. The movie stays clear and avoids a love story between Cruise's and Moore's characters. Instead, they focus on their professional relationship which could have been a calcuable risk for the filmakers if some viewers were expecting more than a courtroom drama. Overall, a certified classic and one of Tom Cruise's signature films. Excellent!!

Rating:
Summary: Can You Handle This Truth? This Film Is Great!
Review: This movie is one amazing piece of work. A Few Good Men leaves you sitting in astonishment, as you can't believe the remarkable movie you just had the absolute pleasure of watching.

I am not a big Tom Cruise fan, but he truly performed on Oscar level in this film. I really enjoyed watching his character mature as the moive progressed. Jack Nicholson was simply "Jack" - enough said. This role was seriously made for him. Throw in Demi Moore, Kevin Bacon, and an exceptional performance by Kevin Pollack, and you have one blockbuster of a film. Cuba Gooding Jr. and ER's Noah Wiley also had minor roles in this film, and if that wasn't enough, add in the directing genius of Rob Reiner. Need I say more?

The film flowed extremely well, and the acting was far better than superb. The storyline was forever changing, allowing the suspense to be overwhelmingly good. The courtroom scenes, although slightly unbelievable, were so dramatic and enticing that you couldn't help but feel like you were on that jury witnessing all of the theatrics involved.

A Few Good Men will leave you wanting more, and the ending, somewhat unpredictable, will knock you out of your seat. This is one great film, and would make an excellent addition to anyone's film library.

Rating:
Summary: Another Good Jack Nicholson Film
Review: A good adaptation of Aaron Sorkin's play, A Few Good Men. Rob Reiner does a great job creating a suspenseful, entertaining tale of a fence line shooting at a Guantanimo Bay marine base. Sorkins dialogue sparkles as it always does. The sound is particularly strong technical high point. Jack Nicholson does a great job as Col. Nathan Jessup, the base commander. This role earned him a well-deserved Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination. Tom Cruise, Keifer Sutherland, and Kevin Bacon all have respectable performances. The only true weak spot in the film is yet another wooden, one-dimensional performance by Demi Moore.