A Few Good Men (1992)

A Few Good Men (1992)

 

9/10

 Starring

Tom Cruise

Jack Nicholson

Demi Moore

Kevin Bacon

Kevin Pollak

 

Directed by Rob Reiner

 

Memory often fails when recalling movies. I remember this one quite differently from when I first saw it sometime in the late '90s. Watching it now, I must confess the movie is even more amazing, crazier, and more airtight than I remembered. It plays on the pride of soldiers, with Tom Cruise’s character, Kaffee, winning his case against a high-ranking colonel by exploiting the man’s arrogance.

Based on Aaron Sorkin’s 1989 play of the same name, this movie was both a critical and commercial success. It’s widely regarded as one of the best courtroom dramas you can watch.

The power of the movie lies in the way Cruise, Demi Moore, and Jack Nicholson portrayed their characters. Each actor makes you dislike their character from the start, and it’s not until halfway through the movie that the lines are drawn and you start rooting for the good guys. One of the most iconic scenes is when Kaffee faces off against Colonel Jessup (Nicholson), putting his career—and possibly his freedom—on the line. This is the moment when Jessup delivers the unforgettable line, “You can’t handle the truth.”

The story begins with the death of a marine named Santiago, who died after his colleagues, Lance Corporal Dawson and Private Downey, gagged and tied him up. Initially, the movie places us on the side of the deceased marine. Santiago is dead, and these two seem guilty. What I love about the script is how it lures us into this perspective and makes us question why Galloway (Moore) and Kaffee are okay with defending these men.

As the story unfolds in Guantanamo, we learn that Dawson and Downey’s actions stemmed from orders given through the chain of command. They maintain their innocence, claiming the gagging and other actions were ordered as part of an effort to "toughen up" Santiago. At this point, the narrative shifts, revealing that the true villains aren’t Dawson or Downey but their superiors—people who have covered their tracks so thoroughly that it seems impossible to hold them accountable.

Kaffee is tasked with the challenge of finding a way to prevent Dawson and Downey from being prosecuted for murder.

Although the movie didn’t win any Oscars or Golden Globes, it earned four and five nominations, respectively, including Best Picture at both ceremonies.

Highly recommended and it is a fantastic film to watch any day, so if you have not seen this movie by now, your list of best of the best is missing an entry.