A Few Good Men 1992
I have seen this movie a few times, but never wrote a review. It is definitely one of my favorites and I watched again when I was able to borrow a 4k version through a Movies Anywhere Screen Pass. Like a lot of older movies, I don’t know that 4k helps that much and for some reason there was some clicking in the audio. Still, this is just a pleasure to watch. Aaron Sorkin would go on to win tons of awards writing The West Wing and many movie screenplays. This movie has all of that dense but also light dialogue he is famous for, plus great characters, and actors who knock it out of the park, even in the supporting roles. Plus give Rob Reiner some credit for making it all work, in one of his best achievements in directing. Throw in United States Marines, a murder investigation, conspiracy, and courtroom drama and it is a complete package. Reading up on it, reviews were solid, but not stellar, despite Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Supporting Actor (Jack Nicholson), while the screenplay, based on a play by Sorkin, was somehow overlooked. However audiences loved the movie. I can see how critics might think it was just another courtroom drama, but they must have missed all of the things that go well. A friend of mine loved quoting this movie, not just the famous “You can’t handle the truth,” but all of the wry lines about finding the mess hall or being charged with possession of a condiment. Parts of the movie may be overplayed, one of the most annoying being at the end when one of the marines salutes Tom Cruise as he leaves the courtroom, even though marines don’t salute indoors. Still, that’s maybe just a personal thing and easily forgiven. For me this is one of the greats.
Written: 01 Feb 2021
Owned on: DVD, Digital