A Few Good Men (Special Edition)

Galloway persists, however, believing that Santiago's death may have resulted from a "Code Red," a method of disciplinary hazing employed in certain circles of the Corps, though illegal. And if this was a Code Red, the real question is, who gave the order? Ultimately, her tenacity prevails, but though Galloway is a seasoned lawyer, she has little actual courtroom experience, so Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee (Cruise) is assigned to the case, along with Lieutenant Sam Weinberg (Kevin Pollak), with Galloway, as ranking officer, to assist. Kaffee, the son of a legendary lawyer, has skated through the first nine months of his Naval career, successfully plea bargaining forty-four cases. Outwardly upbeat and personable, Kaffee seems more concerned with his softball game than he does with the time he has to spend on the job. But underneath, he's coping with living his life in the shadow of his late father's reputation, which is an issue with which he must come to terms if he is to successfully effect the outcome of this case. And on this one he will have a formidable opponent: Colonel Nathan R. Jessup (Nicholson), who commands the base at Guantanamo.

As Jessup, Nicholson gives a commanding performance, and once he enters the film you can sense the tension he brings to it, which begins to swell immediately, and which Reiner does a great job of maintaining right up to the end. Jessup is a soldier of the old guard, a man of narrow vision and a particular sense of duty; to Jessup there's two ways of doing things: His way and the wrong way. He's a man who-- as he says-- eats breakfast three hundred yards away from the enemy, and he's not about to let a couple of lawyers in dress whites intimidate him. And that's exactly the attitude Nicholson brings to this role. When he speaks, you not only hear him loud and clear, you believe him. It's a powerful performance and, as you would expect from Nicholson, entirely convincing and believable.

Cruise, also, gives what is arguably one of the best performances of his career as Kaffee. He perfectly captures the aloofness with which Kaffee initially regards the case, as well as the determination with which he pursues it later. Cruise is convincing in the role, and some of the best scenes in the film are the ones he plays opposite Nicholson in the courtroom, the most memorable being one in which Kaffee exclaims to Jessup, "I want the truth!" to which Jessup replies, "You can't handle the truth!" And the atmosphere fairly crackles.

Moore is outstanding, as well, and she manages to hold her own and make her presence felt even in the scenes dominated by Nicholson and Cruise. It's a fine piece of acting by Moore, who deserves more than just a passing mention for it. Also turning in notable performances are Pollak, whose dry humor adds such an extra touch to the film, and Wolfgang Bodison, who makes an impressive screen debut as Lance Corporal Dawson, on of the Marines on trial for the murder of Santiago.

The supporting cast includes Kiefer Sutherland (Kendrick), Kevin Bacon (Ross), James Marshall (Downey), J.T. Walsh (Markinson), Cuba Gooding Jr. (Hammaker) and Christopher Guest (Dr. Stone). A powerful drama, superbly delivered by Reiner, "A Few Good Men" is a thought provoking, unforgettable motion picture that makes you take pause for a moment to consider some things that are for the most part out of sight and out of mind. Like who is on that wall tonight, and are we safe because of him. And it makes you reflect upon some things perhaps too often taken for granted. And that's what really makes this film so good; and it's all a part of the magic of the movies.


Can You Handle This Truth? This Film Is Great!   August 9, 2000
Chad Spivak (North Miami Beach, Florida)
11 out of 15 found this review helpful

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.


One of the best court room dramas   November 23, 1999
15 out of 21 found this review helpful

This is one of those movies that leaves you breathless at the film's conclusion because what you just saw was so magnificant. Rob Reiner has directed what is easily his second best movie after "The Princess Bride".

Tom Cruise is the hot shot lawyer and at first you almost think your watching "Top Gun" in the court house. His character develops well as the film goes on. Cruise is assigned to defend two murders that claimed they were ordered to perform a Code Red. Cruise, Demi Moore, and Kevin Pollak all put in their finest performances as the defense.

The real treat in this film however is Jack Nicholson. He is the colonel at Guantamalo Bay in Cuba and he gives what is easily his best performance (there are so many). The scene between him and Cruise in the court room is one of the most brilliant and tense court room scenes ever filmed.

Kevin Bacon also puts in a good performance. And watch for Cuba Gooding Jr. who would later appear with Cruise again yelling "SHOW ME THE MONEY". This is a great film and deserves to be seen by anyone who likes movies the least bit. Check it out.


Accurate Portrayal of a Fanatic Weasel   April 2, 2003
4 out of 5 found this review helpful

Colonel Jessup's appraisal of LT Kendrick as a "weasel" was on the mark, and Kiefer Sutherland played the roled perfectly -- the young Marine fanatic, dedicated only to the cause. Note how dismissive he was with the Navy officers: "When we need to go somewhere to fight, you boys give us a ride." See how he strode, marched down the exact center of the barracks hallway when escorting the group to PVT Santiago's room, military all the way. I met several like him during my time in the armed forces, and Sutherland had their type pegged exactly (except, perhaps, for the piercings in his earlobes visible in close-ups while he was on the witness stand... but hey, nobody's perfect). And, I never never ever saw any Naval officers like Demi Moore.


Can You Handle A Truly Terrific Movie?   July 25, 2002
Barron Laycock (Temple, New Hampshire United States)
6 out of 8 found this review helpful

Few movie produced in the 1990s had the sheer acting or star power enjoyed by "A Few Good Men". From Jack Nicholson commanding presence as the tough-as-nails Marine Colonel who had been in control just a little too long to Tom Cruise's young, conflicted, and over-achieving lawyer to Demi Moore's lovely presence acting as the brains, brawn, and conscience behind Cruise's efforts, this was a movie with unbelievable star power! It is also a well-crafted courtroom thriller, and superb acting on the part of supporting actors such as Kevin Bacon, Kiefer Sutherland, and Christopher Guest help to propel this story along its way to an unexpected conclusion.

The story revolves around a young and unpopular marine's mysterious murder while off-duty at the American military base at Guantanamo in Cuba. The issue under urgent exploration is whether the two young recruits who are accused of the murder are guilty of a wanton act of homicide or uncritically following orders. Anyone familiar with the military understands the critical difference the defense team composed of Cruise, Moore and Guest must discover and convince the military judge of. Thus the stage is set for a dangerous game of cat and mouse between the defense team and the prosecutor well played by a swaggeringly convincing Kevin Bacon, even while Cruise tries to get the details of what seems to be a conspiracy of silence within the Marine command structure.

This is an excellent drama, and showcases Cruise, Moore and Nicholson at their very best. The drama skates quickly and meaningfully along from its skeletal beginnings in the heat and humidity of the Marine barracks in Cuba to the backdrop of the Navy base at Bethesda. The characters are realistic and therefore believable, and the twists and turns of the plot keep the viewer guessing as to where it is all heading. This is an intriguing and suspenseful thriller that has both a great storyline and great acting. Enjoy!