A Few Good Men is a film that will last long after we are all dead and gone. It has a great story, and a superior cast to help tell that story. I have always enjoyed films that take place inside a courtroom. There is something about watching the dramatic elements of a movie unfold in a confined space that make these films quite compelling to watch.
A Few Good Men is the story of a military lawyer who defends Marines who are accused of murder. This film does a couple of things very well that are excellent examples of great film-making. A Few Good Men takes the time to set up the characters and the story so that we actually care what happens. The pace of the film is also incredibly well done. You can feel the tension slowly and methodically build towards the climax and, even though the movie does not necessarily have a storybook ending, you are literally on the edge of your seat taking a deep breath. There are a couple of plot holes in the movie that I would like to address. Towards the beginning of the film, it is mentioned that the characters have to travel on a boat to get where they need to go. Lt. Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise) then mentions that he does not like traveling on boats. It would have been nice to actually see a scene with them on the boat. I think a scene like that would have added some comic relief as the majority of the film is wrought with dramatic tension. Also, about three-quarters of the way into the movie, Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson (J.T. Walsh) commits suicide. We then see a scene where Lt. Daniel Kaffee tells Lt. Cdr. JoAnne Galloway (Demi Moore) and Lt. Sam Weinberg (Kevin Pollack) what happened. It would have been nice to actually see a scene where Kaffee finds out this information. All in all, though, this is a great film that will keep you glued to your television the entire way through.
Tom Cruise is electric as Lt. Daniel Kaffee. Kaffee is smart-mouthed, cocky and a bit of a procrastinator. Of course, if you were the best litigator in the military you would probably exhibit these characteristics as well. Cruise displays these characteristics with perfection. Also, even though there is no character in the movie that is the "comic relief", Cruise does display quite a few humorous moments simply because of the nature of his character. There is also a great character arc for Cruise in this movie. In the climax of the film, Daniel Kaffee confronts his fears of being an actual courtroom lawyer that is quite dramatic and makes you cheer for the character. Overall, this is a very fine performance from Tom Cruise.
The legendary Jack Nicholson brings a pure icy demeanor to his role as Col. Nathan R. Jessup. Jessup is a man with a corrupt conscience. He believes what he does saves lives, even if it means the death of an officer. This legitimization of why he does this is what is truly scary about the character. Nicholson commands the screen like never before, and makes you downright afraid of his character. Watching Nicholson and Cruise go at each in the courtroom almost makes you tremble because of the tension. This is one of Nicholson's best performances, and his deliverance of "You can't handle the truth!" is one of the most coldly-uttered lines in cinema history.
Demi Moore shines as Lt. Cdr. JoAnne Galloway. Even though Galloway outranks Kaffee, Kaffee is very much her equal and the chemistry between Cruise and Moore is one of the highlights of the film. I love female characters in films that are not just eye candy and Demi Moore, while she is obviously stunningly beautiful, is a crucial part in the telling of this story. Moore also has a couple of beautiful moments where she encourages Kaffee to really be the lawyer that he is afraid of being. Moore gives an exceptionally good performance in this movie.
Rob Reiner is the director of A Few Good Men. This movie thrives on the relationships and interactions between the characters, and every single frame of this film is filled with dramatic tension. The scenes in the courtroom are particularly well done. This is film that, in the wrong hands, could have been quite boring. However, Reiner paces the film in such a masterful way that you cannot wait to see what the next scene will bring. Personally, I believe that Rob Reiner is one of the industry's most under-rated directors. If you get the chance, look up his filmography and check out his films. They are all wonderful.
A Few Good Men is one of those rare films that you can watch over and over again. Not a single frame is wasted in the telling of this story. If you just love good movies, A Few Good Men is definitely for you.
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