Traxan

I've watched this movie several times on A&E and in time, the flaws have become glaring. We tend to be sucked in by Nicholson's performance, and to some degree Tom's, too. This was his best outside of "Magnolia," I think. But the murder case wouldn't make it past the first round of NCIS or CSI readings.

* Where was the murder weapon? Duh. The allegation was Dawson and Downey soaked a rag in poison and shoved it down Santiago's throat. So where was it? They should have opened the trial with that question.

* Does Gitmo have the facilities to do a forensic exam? I would think not. They would have to get toxicology from Santiago and those tests take days. Yet they had a claim of "poison" within a day. But WHICH poison?

(Any ex-Marines here? Help me out. I would think if there was a death at Gitmo, the body would be sent to Parris Island for examination.)

* Why didn't Santiago's family demand a proper autopsy? Or Kaffee and company? They accepted the "poison soaked rag" claim without so much as asking "which poison?"

* Don't get me started on passing off a regular MD as a coroner. That is as nuts as a bomb disposal expert suddenly becoming a marksman with a 50 caliber rifle (yes, 'Hurt Locker' dig. Lotta snipers didn't like that scene). As soon as Kaffee and Galloway saw the "autopsy" was done by the base physician, they should have told Santiago's family to get an autopsy done.

The trial scene where the judge argued for an MD as a qualified medical examiner to perform an autopsy was utter bullshit. Especially when Kaffee pointed out Santiago's health problems, which a proper autopsy would have determined.

* Other illogic: Jessup is up for a Pentagon job. That means a Senate confirmation. Why in the world would he make a big deal of a court martial involving his soldiers, when something like the two pleading not guilty and fighting it court (like played out in the script) could happen? That would bring this to the attention of the committee holding his hearings. The military has covered up way worse. They could have buried this with ease. Throwing the book at Downey and Dawson was the last thing they should have done.

Dawson and Downey initially tell Kaffee and Galloway they did the Code Red on their own, not that Kendrick ordered it. So... they were going to take the fall for the order, but plead not guilty??

How did Markinson get off that island? I don't care if he's a spook, traffic in and out of that island is heavily regulated. It wasn't like he disappeared off Parris Island from the mainland. And I just don't buy someone in his position choosing suicide over honor. (God bless you J.T. Walsh, you scene stealer)

Does anyone believe a disciplined Marine colonel up for a Pentagon job would mouth off at a judge in a court room or go off like Jessup does at the end?

Sorry but it doesn't work. Sorkin's a typical Hollywood liberal who hates the military and it shows in this movie in his portrayal of characters like Jessup and Kendrick, and making Downey a near-retard. I've read military people laughed out loud at Demi Moore's whole "They stand on a wall" speech.

And the bottom line is this fails utterly as a crime movie. A lawyer with half a brain would have asked "Where is the murder weapon," at which it all falls apart.

PopcornTreeCt

I can't disagree but to me I don't know if it's overrated or not. It's an interesting thing to watch when you're flipping through the channels and there's nothing else on. It's not "ownable" in my opinion, and I don't think it won any Oscars either.

Also, I don't know if anybody ever read the article titled The Kill Team about US soldiers killing innocent farmers in Afghanistan. It reads almost like a Few Good Men but the stakes are a hell of a lot higher.

MoviePage

I don't think there are any serious critics or knowledgeable film lovers who overrate this movie at all.

Solid Snake

I'm sorry but...I fail to see the OP's argument at how this is "most overrated" whatever. Do I need to clear my cache for this too?

jfoobar

A Few Good Men is the quintessential "3 star" movie. Good, fairly entertaining, nowhere near great. There are some plot holes and a few moments of really poorly-written dialogue. I especially love how Demi's character tells Cruise that she thinks he is "an exceptional lawyer" and five minutes later accuses him of knowing "nothing of the law" and calling him (if my memory serves) a "used car salesman with a rank."
Also, and even as proud as Marines tend to be, the Corporal Dawson character in general was substantially overcooked.

Demi Moore was also somewhat miscast. I would argue that Nicholson was as well although many will strongly disagree. On the other hand, Sutherland played a great character and I liked Bacon's performance quite a bit as well.

Trout

I think Parris Island is just for recruit training. I would think examinations would be done at Bethesda or Walter Reed. I never served so I'm not positive if this is true.

I felt the same thing. It was a film that fit in perfectly with the PC/Liberal/Clinton 1990's.

inri222

Outside of Magnolia, Cruise's best performances IMO are :
Born on the 4th of July, Eyes Wide Shut, Rain Man & Collateral.

Besides Nicholson's performance I never really thought much of A Few Good Men.
Rob Reiner's films are hit or miss for me.
I like his first 6 films but I can't say the same for the ones after Misery.

2010 Flipped

2007 The Bucket List

2005 Rumor Has It...

2003 Alex & Emma

1999 The Story of Us

1996 Ghosts of Mississippi

1995 The American President

1994 North

1992 A Few Good Men

1990 Misery

1989 When Harry Met Sally...

1987 The Princess Bride

1986 Stand by Me

1985 The Sure Thing

1984 This Is Spinal Tap

RichC2

Good movie in a very time capsule sense. You have some of the most famous actors of the time (Cruise, Moore, Nicholson), as well as Sutherland and Bacon, in a movie directed by a director on a "hot" streak (Stand By Me -> Princess Bride -> Pretty Woman -> Misery -> A Few Good Men... North followed.) in Aaron Sorkin's first screenplay (adapted from his own play).

It's sort of a perfect slice of 1992 movie nostalgia - from military bias (as mentioned above) to famous lines. But yeah, not a classic though I don't know anyone who says it is.

slimdude

I didn't think: A Few Good Men, was all that great of a movie either. Although, the performances from the entire cast (especially Jack Nicholson) were stellar, but certainly not worthy of the rave reviews it received! Actually, A Few Good Men almost put me to sleep, by it being a predominately dialog driven movie, and 2:20 minutes long. It's one of those movies, I wouldn't want to watch repeatedly, just one time only.

mcnabb

Love the movie, and of course the courtroom drama is drummed up, but who cares? The movie is entertaining, Nicolson is great, Cruise is great as an asshole, and a great supporting cast of Pollack, Sutherland, Bacon, even Demi Moore is good. Its funny, dramatic, and the movie moves for 2+ hours.

I never looked too much into the plot holes, or it can spoil alot of movies

New-AgeOutlaw

I will answer the OPs questions as best I can

1. The had the murder weapon. The rag. Not actually scene in the trial scenes but talked about including that there are virtually dozens of poison that can not be detected on the rag or in the body

2. Gitmo probably couldn't do a forensic exam. That is probably why Cruise went after the doctor so much and again an undetectable posion. (You call BS and so did cruise, but that was the doctors story for the cover up)

3. They may have had an autopsy done (off screen), but again undetectable posion gets ya every time

4. The pentagon could have tried to cover it up and did put forth some effort. An inexperieced lawyer, Bacon offered a rediculous plea agreement considering it was the murder of a marine by marines -Tom Cruise =" so this is what the inside of a courtroom looks like."

5. Dawson was not directly asked if he was ordered to give a code red. He did not respect Cruise and was not going to work with him or offer information. Once directly asked about the order, he confirmed it.

6. Markinson probably took a plane. He was not being held at Gitmo. He was a high ranking office. If he jumped on a plane, no one would would be in a position to question it. I am sure in his position he had need to travel to the mainland from time to time, just as Jessup would.

7. Jessup definatly had a god complex thing going on. I could totally see him mouthing off to anyone he felt disrespected by other than a superior. "Nothing like getting a BJ from someone you have to salute in the morning, but I'll have to take cold shows until the put a lady in the white house" That line shows his mindset atleast to me.

Now that I have answered theose items let me point out.

-Dawson was poorly written. Anyone would be cooperative with someone even if they didn't care for them to save their oun butt.
-I really can't think of any legitamate reason for Markison to kill himself, except he would be courtmarshalled for forging documents if he came forward. but then why talk to Cruise at all in that case.
-Jessup is too smart to confess in court like that. I know they tried to show my #7 point above as his downfall, but that is still hard to buy. mouthing off, yes, confess, probably not. Still an intense scene, I think.


The movie has its flaws, but it is still one of my favorites

Groucho

Overrated by whom, exactly? Like you, I'll watch it if it's on. It's entertaining and well-acted, but my no means is anybody considering it a "great" film.

TomOpus

Pretty much every crime/courtroom drama will be riddled with inaccuracies...with the exception of My Cousin Vinny.

Dvdlovr24

Garry Marshall directed Pretty Woman.

Boba Fett

It was definitely an overrated movie, winding up nominated for Best Picture (but not Screenplay or Director).

GoldenJCJ

I would never claim that it's great but I do enjoy watching it from time to time. I consider it a perfect Saturday Afternoon movie. For some reason a lot of Rob Reiner's movies fall into that category.


Heck, if you don't like it just consider it a "given" when playing Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.

whoopdido

That's pretty much what I think of it too. It's one of those movies I always find myself stopping on for a few minutes while flipping around and always seem to throw into the dvd player when I can't think of anything else to watch.

It's almost like background noise. I enjoy it though. I have a thing for courtroom/investigation movies.

RichC2

I meant When Harry Met Sally, for some reason I typed Prett Woman.

dvdjunkie32

Enjoyable movie, but not one I would want to watch over and over. I saw the blu-ray on sale for 5 bucks, and even took a pass. It was a nice showcase for the late great JT Walsh as well!

Hokeyboy

There it is

Dr Mabuse

I can't stand that film.

I can't take even a few minutes of Jack's cartoonish, ridiculous 'acting' in that. It's sickening.

Solid Snake

did the OP die or something? I still want to know why the film is the most overrated...

Ash Ketchum

I saw it on Broadway with Thomas Hulce, Marg Helgenberger and Stephen Lang in the Cruise, Moore and Nicholson roles. The play was really good, the movie mediocre.

FlickMan

That doesnt really bug me...who here hasnt had their wife say what a great guy you are and then 5 minutes later flip and call you a lazy dumbass for failing to do something on her wacked out "honeydo" list

Neeb

I didn't buy this movie for minute when I saw it in early 1993. And to the OP, it came out in December 1992- when Bush 1 was still in office. It fits with the bubble-headed 90s idiot liberalism of the time, but it gestated much earlier. (this is from someone who voted for Kerry and Obama and sent money to fight Prop 8 in CA).
Most of the movie only works if you accept that everybody went with the worst course of action whenever possible. Otherwise you're wasting your time when you could be doing something useful, like wondering how much TRANSFORMERS 3 is going to suck.
The movie is interesting to me, since it begins the period of Rob Reiner's career called Absolute Shit. How do you start with THIS IS SPINAL TAP and PRINCESS BRIDE and then take a quality nosedive right after A FEW GOOD MEN?