A Few Good Men (1992)

I've actually been in a military court room a couple of times... not because I ever served, not because I was testifying or charged with anything... but mainly because historian. Sure, the court wasn't in session at the time but. Wow, A Few Good Men found the nicest, prettiest, and best decorated courtroom on Earth.
Top Gun actually did it better.
But, it was based on a true story that everyone that watched Unsolved Mysteries would become familiar with. And the acting is excellent, right down to Tom's impersonation of Jack.
The story is compelling. In fact, it kind of draws you in from start to finish. The message is strong.
You wrap that all up and it makes for one heck of a memorable film.

“You can’t handle the truth!”
RELEASED IN 1992 and directed by Rob Reiner, "A Few Good Men” is a military drama about a smart-axx young Navy Lawyer (Tom Cruise) who’s never seen a courtroom because he lazily arranges plea bargains. Perhaps this is why he’s assigned to defending two young Marines stationed at Guantanamo Bay who are accused of murdering a fellow Marine. They maintain that they were ordered to enact a “Code Red,” which took an unforeseen turn. Demi Moore and Kevin Pollak co-star as the lawyer’s partners while Kevin Bacon heads the prosecution and Jack Nicholson plays the arrogant commanding officer of Guantanamo. J.T. Walsh is on hand as the Colonel’s weak subordinate.
The movie does a good job of depicting the honor code of hardcore Marines, particularly in the sequence where Lance Cpl. Dawson (Wolfgang Bodison) refuses to confess to something he didn’t do in order to get a minor sentence. The characters are well written and casted, e.g. Kaffee (Cruise) and his penchant for baseball. The story is dialog-driven and maintains your attention without action/thrills.
Nicholson is commanding and intimidating as the pompous colonel. Kaffee discovers his talent as a courtroom lawyer and realizes that the only way to take him down is to use his egotism against him. Other than the cringe-inducing “A Ten Hut” scene at the end, this is a gripping drama.
THE FILM RUNS 2 hours, 18 minutes and was shot entirely in Southern Cal (Point Mugu, Crystal Cove, etc.) and Washington DC. WRITERS: Aaron Sorkin (play) and Aaron Sorkin (screenplay).
GRADE: B+