A Reel 25: A FEW GOOD MEN

“You can’t handle the truth!”

This month marks the 25^th anniversary of Rob Reiner’s A FEW GOOD MEN



Adapted for the screen by Aaron Sorkin from his play of the same name, A FEW GOOD MEN was a genre-setting, military-courtroom drama with influence that can still be seen today. Centered around two U.S. Marines charged with murder and their reluctant lawyer who defends them, A FEW GOOD MEN explored issues of law and order and military ethics in a clever mash-up.



Rob Reiner, fresh off the success of his film MISERY (1990), put together an all-star cast. It’s headliners were Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, and Demi Moore, along with an excellent supporting cast of Kevin Bacon, Kevin Pollack, Kiefer Sutherland, Cuba Gooding, Jr., and Noah Wyle…who would later go on to television fame in ER.



The film was a critical and commercial success, and would go on to receive four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Jack Nicholson. Nicholson’s screen-time was limited to a handful of scenes, but his impact was immediate and memorable enough to rightfully earn that nomination, and also a ranking in the American Film Institute’s Top 100 Movie Villains. AFI would also rank the film in its Top Courtroom Dramas, and Top 100 Movie Quotes. Rob Reiner would go on to direct and produce the beloved THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT (1995), and Aaron Sorkin would become one of the most coveted screenwriters in the business; penning scripts for TV’s THE WEST WING, along with the feature films THE SOCIAL NETWORK (2010), and MONEYBALL (2011).



*



As a former soldier and a sucker for court-room dramas, this Blogger has always had a high level of admiration for A FEW GOOD MEN. As a legal thriller it is tight and deep with the ability to explore the dusty old law books in a way that is interesting and engaging. The exploration of military ethics, from the age-old debate of soldiers following questionable orders, to the even older debate of what duty to country really means…raise questions that are still debated in classrooms, lecture halls, and Basic Training to this day. A FEW GOOD MEN is one of Aaron Sorkin’s best works, and Rob Reiner’s finest achievement in directing.



“You don’t need to have a patch on your arm to have honor.”