Review: A Few Good Men (1992)

'You can't handle the truth.'

★★★

"A Few Good Men (1992)" stars Tom Cruise as Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee. A lawyer in the navy who is a smart, initially laid-back Navy lawyer who evolves into a determined and morally driven advocate as he takes on a challenging military case. Joining him is Demi Moore who plays Lt. Cmdr. JoAnne Galloway, who is is a dedicated and principled Navy lawyer who is passionate about justice, often more concerned with doing what is right than with following protocol, and she persistently pushes for a thorough investigation in the case, even when others are hesitant. They seem to not like each other in the beginning, but towards the end, they seem to have warmed up to each other and become friends. But I did get the sense there was a possible romantic subplot between them, however, that's only a theory.

"A Few Good Men” (1992)" is a courtroom drama that centers around the trial of two U.S. Marines accused of murdering a fellow Marine at Guantanamo Bay. Lt. Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise), a Navy lawyer known for settling cases out of court, is assigned to defend them, along with Lt. Cmdr. JoAnne Galloway (Demi Moore). As they dig deeper, they uncover a dangerous conspiracy and the controversial practice of "Code Red," an unofficial disciplinary action. The case culminates in a tense courtroom showdown where Col. Nathan Jessup (Jack Nicholson) famously declares, “You can’t handle the truth!” The film explores themes of duty, honor, and the moral complexities within the military justice system.

Tom Cruise gives it all in this film. You can tell he's really comitted to the role and is having fun what with he's given. He works well among his costars, both as partners and as friends. The courtroom scene at the end with Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson is the best part of the movie. Both Cruise and Nicholson gave 110% in that scene. I guess it's true what they say, the best is always for last.

Jack Nicholson, who appears in the beginning and end, plays Col. Nathan Jessup and honestly, while watching him, I got the feeling that he was following a script, but felt like he was improvising. Maybe he's just that damn good as an actor, who knows, but recently, I've discovered that Jack Nicholson improvised the line, "You can't handle the truth." So, I guess my gut feeling was somewhat correct. Regardless, him alone is worth watching. He and Cruise especially at the end give it all, as I mentioned earlier.