A few good men, with a few good names (Few Good Men, A (DVD))

Member Name: kirstenc

Product:	Few Good Men, A (DVD)
Date:	31/08/09 (7 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: cast, story, dialogue

Disadvantages: Demi Moore

I had not watched this movie for ages, had it on video and have only just repurchased on DVD. So I watched it for the first time in years the other week.

It is still simply brilliant. I watch most genres of film, but oarticularly like the ones that give you a chance to think about yourelf, how would I act, would I have done it etc. This one does that with style and finesse and I loved it.

Brief plot is as follows...2 marines are accused of killing a fellow soldier in guantanamo bay. Tom cruise character is a hotshot JAG corp lawyer who is brouht into the case as he has a tendancy to plea bargain. However this time he gets the bigger picture and an excellent courtroom drama unfolds.

Usually I don not really rate Tom Cruise, I find him really full of himself taking up too much of the valuable movie minutes, but he does tend to pick some good movies to be in! It shows that being pretty isnt the only kill you need as an actor, you need taste! now the fact that Jack Nicholson is also in this movie indicates the caliber, that the acting should be pretty easy sailing...Kevin Bacon and Demi Moore also feature.

Nicholson is amazing I have to say, I am genuinely frightened of him, and th power that he has within the miltary. I feel for Cruises character when he is about to ask the set of questions that could make or break his career. I think that Nicholson was the only person who could have been considered for this part, and the delivery and timing of his lines is exceptional, the hairs on the back of my neck are on end when he talks, he just menacing, its hard to describe, as not of his lines are particularly harsh or threatening, and the movie is not a thriller, but he scares me!

Now Demi, she just grates on me, and I dont know why, her lines seem forced and she comes accross as uncomfortable. Not just this film I must add, but in general I just cant get past it. It had a slightly negative impact on the movie for me, but it was short lived as the other characters manage to pull her out from it and her scenes are not as bad as long as you dont focus on her too much.

Some of the lines in this movie are unbelievably over quoted and therefore not being able to handle the truth in the movie doesnt have the same ring to it any more, its not quite as mindblowing or bomb-dropping as it was when the movie was first released. However the dialogue is great, and needs to be for a courtroom drama, I certainly wasnt let down by this aspect of the movie.

The story is very easy to follow, although a couple of the flashbacks, I wasnt sure were flashbacks until I took a moment to think about what had happened.

Another thing that impressed me is the fact that the director didnt feel the need to have the male and female leads sleep together in order to make a decent movie. Their relationship is platonic and proffessional, and means that there is nothing to take away from the wonderful dalogue and acting that goes on, and the story that plays out beautifully at a steady pace.

So there you have it, a great courtroom drama with a HUGE cast. it really is a must see.

Summary: fantastic movie, provokes enough thought to be decent, not so much that you end up confused or bored