Going Against Guidelines

Good Morning, Vietnam is the movie that makes me miss Robin Williams the most.  It is the ultimate Robin Williams showcase which is why I love it so dearly.  It is a movie that makes you laugh, but it can also make you cry.

Good Morning, Vietnam is the story of Adrian Cronauer who shakes things up on the radio waves in Vietnam.  We clearly see at the beginning of the movie that the radio broadcasts are quite boring and very monotone.  As soon as Adrian Cronauer arrives, Vietnam’s airwaves are filled with his energetic comedy that gives the country a completely different vibe.  If you keep a keen eye, you can catch the cutaway to the radio loudness meter being overblown that signals Cronauer’s arrival.  I love the fact that Cronauer’s superior officers do not like his humor except for the man who hired him, General Taylor.  Cronauer knows this too, which leads to some brilliant rebelliousness.  There is also a moment in the film where “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong is wonderfully set against the violent backdrop of the conflict of Vietnam.

Robin Williams plays Adrian Cronauer.  He is tour de force in this movie, perhaps more than any other movie he is in.  While this movie is certainly driven by William’s comedy, there are also a number of wonderful moments where he displays his talent as a dramatic actor.  We see that Vietnam is a bit of a culture shock for Cronauer.  He has never seen violence like this, and it is hard for him to deal with it.  In a moment of brilliance, he reports “unofficial” news on the air.  Why?  Because he was there.  It DID happen.  However, the army does not want the world to know how violent the conflict in Vietnam really is.  This leads to a couple of moments where Cronauer says that he is tired of being told what he can and can’t say.  These are ironic moments from an actor who got his start in stand-up comedy, where you get away with saying almost anything.

Barry Levinson is the director of Good Morning, Vietnam.  He does a very good job of capturing the culture and the violent world of Vietnam.  He also realizes that Robin Williams is the focal point of the movie.  You really get the feeling that Levinson put a microphone in front of Williams and just let him go.

Robin Williams gives one of his greatest performances in this movie, and I am sure he is rocking the airwaves up in the Big House.  I miss him every day, almost as if I have lost a member of my own family.  Good Morning, Vietnam is a classic, and if you have not seen it you should do so immediately.