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A hotshot young Navy lawyer named Lt. Dan Kaffee (Tom Cruise) teams up, rather grudgingly, with a female officer named Lt. Cdr. JoAnne Galloway (Demi Moore), to defend two soldiers accused of murder, in the death of a Marine trainee at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The film captures two stories in sync; accusations of murder against, and the subsequent trial of, the defendants, and the change in Kaffee that these events inspire. At the outset we learn that Kaffee is the son of a famous military man. As a result, Kaffee comes across as smug and flippant in the film's first half. Not much is demanded of him; his life as a routine Navy lawyer is easy enough. But as he sets out to defend the soldiers, his courage is tested when he must confront Marine VIPs, especially the dreaded and intimidating Col. Nathan Jessep (Jack Nicholson). As much a character study of Kaffee as a story of military justice, the film is about taking risks, and going beyond one's fears.
"A Few Good Men" is a topnotch, command production. The plot is riveting, especially in the second half courtroom scenes wherein Kaffee must spar with the prosecuting attorney (Kevin Bacon), and present his case before a very imposing judge. The film's color cinematography is excellent. The use of anamorphic optics inside the courtroom creates the perception of grand spaciousness, a visual depth and scope normally reserved for outdoor epics.
The film's detailed production design and costumes are highly credible. Background music is haunting and low-key. The cast contains some Hollywood big guns ... so to speak. And the acting is wonderful. There's not a weak performance in the bunch. Some of the acting by Tom Cruise may be a tad over-the-top, but it's entertaining. I was pleasantly surprised by his overall high caliber performance. Nicholson does a very good imitation of Jack Nicholson and as such, is fun to watch. And Director Rob Reiner gets terrific performances from Kevin Pollak, Kiefer Sutherland, and Noah Wylie, in support roles.
Marine Corps life at Gitmo during peacetime is not a subject that I would normally be interested in. And I could have done without all that ceremonial pomp at the beginning. But "A Few Good Men" is so well made overall that the film practically sells itself, despite the subject matter. The characters are interesting, the plot is absorbing, and I enjoyed watching Tom Cruise give a highly animated Perry Mason courtroom performance.
score 9/10
Lechuguilla 31 March 2008
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1849969/ |
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29-11-2019 22:26:02
