It was based on a play he had written in 1988.
The script was so good that it sold to Hollywood before the play ever debuted.
It’s not like there wasn’t room.
Scent Of A Woman got screenplay nomination for fuck’s sake!
It’s the opposite of The Verdict.
In that movie, Paul Newman elevates it into greatness.
He makes you care about and believe in someone that we really shouldn’t.
It’s always clear who the good guys and bad guys are in this.
Jack Nicholson is perfect and so believable as Col. Jessup.
He also makes some fair counterpoints to the ideal perspective coming from Kaffee (Tom Cruise).
Who are we to judge something we don’t understand?
As Americans, we all want safety and the military to provide that.
But then, is it also fair to criticize or judge how we achieve that safety?
Jessup believes we can’t have it both ways.
Jessup is obviously wrong in that overarching black and white belief but there is nuance here.
In A Few Good Men, Private Santiago dies.
I love an intelligent movie where you have have discussions like this afterwards.
This is a complicated and pretty evergreen issue.
I think that’s why it feels more modern than a 30 year old movie should.
A lot of that credit should also go to director Rob Reiner.
He would also direct An American President a couple years later but he lost his touch after that.
But in that 1986-92 run, there weren’t many better directors.
I’ve glossed over the great acting in this and that’s pretty unfair.
This is Demi Moore’s best work.
She’s also idealistic but believable.
Kevin Bacon gives yet another great 1990’s performance here.
He’s not just some evil guy.
He’s actually a good guy doing his job and has his reasons for doing so.
You also have great character actors like JT Walsh, Christopher Guest and Keifer Sutherland nailing this great dialogue.
A Few Good Men does the impossible.
It’s a courtroom movie that’s exciting.
It has this big, loud characters that are believable and have some nuance.
I know it’s cliche but they really don’t make movies like this anymore.
Look at The Trial Of The Chicago 7 (written and directed by Sorkin).
It’s so one-sided and needs to paint certain characters as bumbling idiots and/or evildoers.
A Few Good Men
14.
The Truman Show
16.
There’s Something About Mary
20.
Schindler’s List
22.
Saving Private Ryan
25.
Dumb & Dumber
27.
Terminator 2: Judgement Day
31.
Out Of Sight
36.
Carlito’s Way
37.
Wayne’s World
45.
Back To The Future Part III
47.
A Bronx Tale
48.
The People Vs. Larry Flynt
49.
Eyes Wide Shut
50.
The Green Mile
54.
Man On The Moon
55.
Boyz N The Hood
56.
Grosse Pointe Blank
57.
The Talented Mr. Ripley
63.
The Usual Suspects
65.
In The Line Of Fire
66.
My Cousin Vinny
67.
The River Wild
79.
What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?
Stir Of Echoes
82.
Mission: Impossible
83.
For Love Of The Game
86.
Being John Malkovich
87.
Men In Black
88.
Glengarry Glen Ross
92.
Die Hard With A Vengeance
93.
The Blair Witch Project
94.
Any Given Sunday
99.
The Wedding Singer
100.
