A Few Good Men
1992 · Directed by Rob Reiner
Tom Cruise vs Jack Nicholson in a Guantanamo court-martial. Sorkin's first big screen, directed by Reiner. You know the line. Everyone knows the line.
Why It's Cult
A Few Good Men is the West Wing in dress whites — Aaron Sorkin's machine-gun dialogue applied to a Marine cover-up. Cruise at his cocky-prosecutor peak. Nicholson does five days of work and walks off with the movie and an Oscar nom. The famous line on its own is just a famous line. In context — pressed against the rest of the cross-examination — it still levels you.
The Plot, Officially
In this dramatic courtroom thriller, LT Daniel Kaffee, a Navy lawyer who has never seen the inside of the courtroom, defends two stubborn Marines who have been accused of murdering a colleague. Kaffee is known as being lazy and had arranged for a plea bargain. Downey's Aunt Ginny appoints Cmdr. Galloway to represent him. Also on the legal staff is LTJG Sam Weinberg. The team rounds up many facts and Kaffee is discovering that he is really cut out for trial work. The defense is originally based upon the fact that PFC Santiago, the victim, was given a "CODE RED". Santiago was basically a screw-up. At Gitmo, screw-ups aren't tolerated. Especially by Col. Nathan Jessup. In Cuba, Jessup and two senior officers try to give all the help they can, but Kaffee knows something's fishy. In the conclusion of the film, the fireworks are set off by a confrontation between Jessup and Kaffee.
Starring
Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore
Where to Watch
via JustWatch →
