Siskel & Ebert - A Few Good Men

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cisio64123

cisio64123

15 жыл бұрын

A review of A Few Good Men starring Tom Cruise , Jack Nicholson , Demi Moore , Kevin Pollack and Kevin Bacon . Director Rob Reiner

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@EyeMixMusic
@EyeMixMusic 3 жыл бұрын
The whole point of Cruise's character laying out his strategy in advance is to show that a) he doesn't think it will work, and b) he knows that if he tries and fails it will cost him his career. It's absolutely necessary to build up the high stakes for the final showdown. Without the "obvious" buildup, that scene loses a great deal of its dramatic tension. Geez, when these guys got it wrong, they REALLY got it wrong.
@frankielambardo9268
@frankielambardo9268 3 жыл бұрын
Thank you, finally, somebody gets it! I was surprised by Ebert, usually he get it correctly and the other knucklehead doesn't.
@JustinArnhikes
@JustinArnhikes Жыл бұрын
Exactly. It's about laying out the stakes.
@GT-wo2oj
@GT-wo2oj Жыл бұрын
I think I just found Aaron Sorkin’s burner account 😂
@jameswilliams-zr8co
@jameswilliams-zr8co Жыл бұрын
wrong, coz you still want the audience to be surprised, not spoil the big court room scene before it happens, ebert is right
@Andrew-qu7lq
@Andrew-qu7lq Жыл бұрын
Indeed, and even more than just costing him his career, it could even be criminal to do what he was outlining to try to do against the base commander. So it set up a self-sacrifice in a way for him to so vigorously defend his clients that he would risk everything for them by going after him and accusing him of a crime with no proof to hopefully have him provide it for him. It's a predictable movie, but done well enough that it's still highly engaging and draws you in. But also, nearly all court room dramas are predictable.
@DS-wk1kn
@DS-wk1kn 5 жыл бұрын
I never had a problem with Cruise's character laying out his strategy. He still had to make it happen.
@zacharysiple783
@zacharysiple783 4 жыл бұрын
Exactly!
@VtRD
@VtRD 4 жыл бұрын
Neither did I--the Nicholson character was smart--the strategy wasn't necessarily a slam dunk.
@cygnustsp
@cygnustsp 4 жыл бұрын
And at one point you thought for sure it was gonna fail
@soakingbook
@soakingbook 3 жыл бұрын
Yes, an odd take by Ebert. Their formulation of strategy throughout the trial was integral to the plot. We also did not know for certain that Kendrick would fold or in what manner. I think Ebert just didn't like the movie and was grasping at straws.
@jefflandreneau7027
@jefflandreneau7027 3 жыл бұрын
Exactly. Ebert's an ass
@evangelitssachancey1791
@evangelitssachancey1791 3 жыл бұрын
I disagree with Mr Ebert here. Having Cruise's character lay out his prediction isn't an insult to the intelligence of the audience, rather it's a moment that shows us exactly why he is the right man for the case. Earlier in the film he says it doesn't matter what he thinks, it matters what he can prove. Well here, what he thinks gave way to what he was able to prove. He thought that with the application of pressure, he could get it out of him, and he succeeded.
@sidviscious10
@sidviscious10 3 жыл бұрын
Agreed, seemed improbable that the Colonel would actually admit to a code red under oath
@robbie192
@robbie192 2 жыл бұрын
Nah...the whole movie is improbable...the courtroom scenes are stupid and not realistic
@sellcryptonow6806
@sellcryptonow6806 Жыл бұрын
I would assume that was a studio decision to dumb down the movie because Sorkin is a brilliant screen writer and I doubt that was his idea.
@crobarus
@crobarus 9 жыл бұрын
How can anyone thumbs down this classic?
@danielmaler4722
@danielmaler4722 10 жыл бұрын
This is one of my favorite movies of all time.
@Presley3
@Presley3 4 жыл бұрын
and Me too.
@sunnyv5718
@sunnyv5718 3 жыл бұрын
Excellent film. The purpose of explaining the strategy had more to do with the transformation in Cruise’s character. When he shared the strategy, we also learned what would happen to him if he failed (court martial, etc). Cruise’s character would go from the guy who always had an easy life and negotiated other people’s lives with no risk to his to finally taking a stand for truth and his clients and risking everything he held dear (his career). The joy was in watching his character develop.
@ysamuel88
@ysamuel88 2 жыл бұрын
Exactly!! So spot on
@jaykraft9523
@jaykraft9523 5 жыл бұрын
Nobody had any idea HOW Kaffey was going to lead Jessup exactly where he wanted to go. That was the surprise (obviously).
@dynamicvoltage9765
@dynamicvoltage9765 3 жыл бұрын
100% this. That's where Ebert got it so wrong. If you just go into that final scene and they call Jessup to the stand randomly then there's no intensity. If he just confesses then you're like "oh, ok" - but the entire time you know what Kaffey wants to happen, but no idea how he will pull it off.
@jasonmarcel4823
@jasonmarcel4823 2 жыл бұрын
No it wasn't. The whole point of calling Jessup was to exploit his stubborn pride even if Cruise's character says, "I have no idea" how he was going to elicit the info out of him.
@chuckr9938
@chuckr9938 6 жыл бұрын
I served in the Marine Corps in the mid to late 90's. One of my instructors at my MOS's school and one of his Marine buddy's played the two Airmen witness's that walk into the courtroom but never testify. One was black, one was white, the black guy was my instructor. He was such a prankster and jokester when he said he was in the movie I didn't believe him and re watched that part and sure enough he was in it.
@patrickdoyle3525
@patrickdoyle3525 8 ай бұрын
Semper Fidelis
@RC19786
@RC19786 4 жыл бұрын
Still one of the best court room dramas ever made...Cruise was unfairly ignored Oscar time!
@deliman
@deliman 11 жыл бұрын
the screenplay didn't give away the ending, Roger. You did.
@munckymagic
@munckymagic 3 жыл бұрын
Yes that was an outrageous spoiler
@kennethlatham3133
@kennethlatham3133 2 жыл бұрын
He was a NOTORIOUS spoiler of movie endings. His metièr was to say the ending was a surprise, or it was the opposite of what you expect, which TELLS YOU the ending.
@Sportz4Seth
@Sportz4Seth 7 жыл бұрын
This movie is f'n AWESOME!
@adamzanzie
@adamzanzie 10 жыл бұрын
If we didn't have that scene of Kaffee predicting Jessup would outright confess he ordered the Code Red, Jessup's confession wouldn't make as much sense to us. He confesses out of pride. Sorkin and Reiner want to make that clear.
@SingMeSomethingGood
@SingMeSomethingGood 8 жыл бұрын
I loved Ebert, reading his reviews, he was a great writer and made me appreciate many films. I agree that the set-up scene was unneeded, but this was still one of the great screenplays IMO, along with performances. It was also beautifully filmed. Court rooms never look like that in real-life, with big windows, comfortable lighting, nice wood...rather, they're generally awfully lit, have no windows, and fake looking wood...but since it's a film, it works OK, and the rainy court scenes are great cinema.
@camtron
@camtron 4 жыл бұрын
Well, it became a classic. Predictable or not, it's one of my favorite legal films.
@fuzzytabby4304
@fuzzytabby4304 4 жыл бұрын
Ebert was wrong on this one, the characters were so interesting you still wanted to watch everything happen. All good guy vs bad guy movies are predictable at the start of the third act.
@asianmalaysian
@asianmalaysian 3 жыл бұрын
He does gets things wrong now and then. Like he did with Jurassic Park which he gave a meh review
@isuriadireja91
@isuriadireja91 3 жыл бұрын
@@asianmalaysian aside from the groundbreaking digital fx, Jurassic Park IS just 'meh'. especially as a Spielberg movie.
@Ryooken
@Ryooken 3 жыл бұрын
Ebert has been wrong about a lot of movies. This one in particular. Yes, the story is predictable to a point but here is the hook. Until Jack Nicholson falls for the hook we don't know if it will work. Lawyers pre-trial strategy sessions are a mainstay in most courtroom dramas going all the way back to kill a mocking bird. What makes the story interesting is if the drama in the courtroom will play out according to the attorney's plans. Where I have always had an issue with this story was even though they get it at the end that they had a responsibility to their fellow soldier, the story fails to truly demonstrate what a hard place these guys were in. Throwing them out of the Marines and jail time served was harsh. Something else I have a problem with in this critique this was not an incident of hazing gone bad but a military tradition of using soldiers to self discipline their own. The fact that these two critics don't know this is part of the problem is them rating this movie.
@michaelwainscott2633
@michaelwainscott2633 3 жыл бұрын
I'm glad you liked the movie. However, it was way too predictable even before they told the audience what was going to happen in the court room.
@4seeableTV
@4seeableTV 3 жыл бұрын
Plus, Ebert seems to have WANTED Cruise and Moore to have hooked up. But that goes against what he usually complained about when a love story was added unnecessarily.
@tommonk7651
@tommonk7651 3 жыл бұрын
I’m an attorney, and this movie has some of the best courtroom scenes I’ve ever seen on film. Bacon’s opening statement at trial was great. I usually agree with Ebert on most of his opinions, but he missed on this one.
@kyrieeleison8645
@kyrieeleison8645 2 жыл бұрын
The courtroom scenes were ridiculous. No military judge would ever allow a lawyer to grandstand in his court, like Cruise's character did. This movie was awful, and nothing like the real Marine Corps, as a former Marine, I know.
@tommonk7651
@tommonk7651 2 жыл бұрын
@@kyrieeleison8645 I never said that a judge would allow what went on in this courtroom; I just said the scenes were great. And there was nothing improper about Bacon's opening statement. I don't agree that the movie was awful. It was inaccurate in some ways, but not awful.
@toddleroux4745
@toddleroux4745 Жыл бұрын
Oh, yeah ... prove you're an attorney (wink).
@Paul-vf2wl
@Paul-vf2wl Жыл бұрын
@@kyrieeleison8645 The only point that was accurate was how the Corp hypocritically covered their asses with the decision.
@LesiureBoy
@LesiureBoy 3 жыл бұрын
I really thought long and hard on this movie and why it's so goddam re-watchable. I mean I've literally seen this movie more than a dozen times and in fact I just recently downloaded the movie and watched it in its entirety two days in a row. I NEVER DO THIS WITH OTHER MOVIES, LIKE EVER! So why? Why is this movie so re-watchable for me? Because it's safe. It masterfully uncovers every possible question/problem before it enters out minds. We're cradled and held tight as a viewer telling us "Don't woooorrrrry, we got you...so just sit back, relax and enjoy." I thought Tom Cruise was absolutely brilliant. 9/10.
@mikefields2243
@mikefields2243 3 жыл бұрын
Love the movie and watching Jack on the stand is worth the price of admission.
@pts5217
@pts5217 3 жыл бұрын
Tom Cruise 1988-1994 was an all-time great run which is under-appreciated. So deserved multiple Oscars.
@johnstrawb3521
@johnstrawb3521 2 жыл бұрын
Good actor, a solid actor, but never a great actor. MAYBE, if he'd been interested in being a great actor and not just a star, then maybe... but it didn't happen. Granted he's probably not losing a ton of sleep over this...
@markozbunjol625
@markozbunjol625 2 жыл бұрын
sorry but no, he is never great actor, never all time great. i love his movies but he is good actor. nicholson is god tier actor, i mean nicholson 5 milion dollar for this movie, only three scenes, 5 minutes and movie is clasic because of him, not cruise lol
@warriormanmaxx8991
@warriormanmaxx8991 Жыл бұрын
@@markozbunjol625 - re: "lol" In daily life, do you end serious statements with "laughing out loud" ... to not offend another? re: "sorry but no." Same ... a need to write "sorry" before disagreeing?
@GQElvie
@GQElvie Жыл бұрын
@@warriormanmaxx8991 great point, warrior. why do people think it is ok to put lol in there? I guess because everyone does it, they think its cool. agreed, one would never say it if that person were in their company, but they feel it is okay if you are hiding behind the computer. it also makes the "sorry but no" very disingenuous, as you implied. that all said, I do agree that Cruise NEVER had a great run, and was never a great actor. he largely just plays himself. he is likeable (at least as an actor) and finds very good scripts. Nicholson still stole the show....
@davidcoombsbestmegadethalb9780
@davidcoombsbestmegadethalb9780 Жыл бұрын
this was wen he made good movies just does mission impossible films now Nicholson made this film and the supporting actors
@LawoftheLandPA
@LawoftheLandPA 10 жыл бұрын
If this movie isnt great...I dont know what is.
@markdeady2194
@markdeady2194 8 жыл бұрын
Grow up.
@nysguy07
@nysguy07 5 жыл бұрын
Movie is good but far from great.
@nbadraft08
@nbadraft08 4 жыл бұрын
Lots of bad in this movie.
@asianmalaysian
@asianmalaysian 3 жыл бұрын
Yes its a great movie.
@Gitfiddle
@Gitfiddle 3 жыл бұрын
Not a bad movie but not good either. At least a bad movie is an attempt at something. This movie is lukewarm coffee that’s been sitting in the pot for 5 hours.
@robotpanda77
@robotpanda77 9 жыл бұрын
A lot of court films celebrate the law but the ending of this film just makes it so clear how little justice there is in the world and that politics reigns supreme.
@rochelle123ist
@rochelle123ist 5 жыл бұрын
A few good men is one of the greatest movies of all time!
@PlaceItHereOrThere
@PlaceItHereOrThere 13 жыл бұрын
This is why I loved At the Movies: these kinds of discussions about the films were stimulating and a lot of fun to watch without being a complete shouting match. Good points on both sides. I personally liked this movie a lot, but I agree with a lot of what Roger was saying.
@gheller2261
@gheller2261 3 жыл бұрын
How anyone can give a thumbs down, even if he thought it was predictable, is beyond any reasonable comprehension. First and foremost, a movie must entertain. A Few Good Men is one of a handful of films where, if you are channel surfing and come across it, the search for something to watch ends no matter how many times you have seen it.
@natepeace1737
@natepeace1737 5 жыл бұрын
“Becwause.” Lol Elbert. RIP gentleman. I would so love to have seen you in the balcony in 2020 and beyond!
@jamminjackhammer
@jamminjackhammer 12 жыл бұрын
one of the best scenes in history
@kdmdlo
@kdmdlo 3 жыл бұрын
I so miss Siskel & Ebert. Great movie reviews. Good men.
@nongthip
@nongthip 2 жыл бұрын
There's a lot of star power in that courtroom. - Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Kevin Bacon, Kiefer Sutherland, Kevin Pollack, AND Jack Nicholson, plus a bunch of other heavy hitters delivering an Aaron Sorkin screenplay and directed by Rob Reiner.
@jus3278
@jus3278 2 жыл бұрын
Classic film. R.I.P Siskel and Ebert
@ronaldshank7589
@ronaldshank7589 3 жыл бұрын
I love this movie! I've seen it several times. These two could be such killjoys at times... and this is one of them, even though Gene Siskel gave this movie kind of a thumbs up.
@66HTown
@66HTown 4 жыл бұрын
I loved this movie when it came out and to this day, I still love it. I thought Demi's performance was uneven. At times, I thought she was reading more than acting. I thought she was a bad ass in the movie w/Michael Douglas & G.I. Jane movie. Tom and Jack were incredible. My daughter watched this movie with me 3 years ago. She loved Jack's performance. It's funny to see a then 10 yr old recite Jack's "you need me on that wall" speech.
@tellurye
@tellurye 2 жыл бұрын
You mean the movie 'Disclosure'. Yeah that ws good as well. One thing a friend of mine noticed, is Demi Moore cries in EVERY movie she does LOL. Or at least her eyes tear up. Its crazy.
@toptab
@toptab 6 жыл бұрын
If Roger Ebert ever missed a couple of critical points of a movie they were in " A Few Good Men", a favorite of mine. First, a romance in this film would've have been totally distracting from the story and main point of the movie. Second, I think the fact that Kaffey explains his strategy toward Jessup the night before is just brilliant, because with the help of next few scenes like losing his star witness and then being advised by his aid not to go after Jessup just before entering the court room, the one who dared him to do it in the first place, builds interest and suspense, is he going to do it? is he going to be able to pull it off?... you could hear a pin drop in the theater during the whole court room scene......and then what a climax. It shows the best can make mistakes as well
@9MilNorm
@9MilNorm Жыл бұрын
Exactly. Kaffey would never have called Galloway “galacticly stupid” with the venom he did, if they had been involved.
@taroman7100
@taroman7100 Жыл бұрын
yes, just because we had Demi Moore we didnt need a predicatable romance.
@kensmith7048
@kensmith7048 5 жыл бұрын
I think the one problem with this movie is that in real life, Jack Nicholson's character never would have admitted to giving the order no matter how good a lawyer Tom Cruise's character was.
@cat-lw6kq
@cat-lw6kq 4 жыл бұрын
I think jessep dislikes tom as hes a navy lawyer a desk jockey. Jessep then loses his temper and admits to it.
@paulhart2021
@paulhart2021 2 жыл бұрын
He was to smart to admit it
@shredd5705
@shredd5705 Жыл бұрын
You're forgetting the 2 soldiers (in blue unifoms, airfield personnel) that were to testify that there was a flight, that Jessep claimed didn't exist, because he had changed the log books. He got nervous about that, and was certain the airmen will expose his lie. Even when they didn't remember a thing, but Jessep didn't know that. Without the 2 phony witnesses, yes it would have been impossible to get him to admit... maybe even with them, but anyway that's how we as audience are supposed to believe it. Pressure and his ego alone wouldn't be enough, it was the 2 fake witnesses that pushed him over the brink
@saljablo2767
@saljablo2767 Жыл бұрын
Probably
@LeoWhalen1933
@LeoWhalen1933 Жыл бұрын
I disagree. I think his Marine Corp morality is what made him admit it.
@theivory1
@theivory1 Жыл бұрын
He's has a point about giving the trick away but when the trick is this good it still works. I haven't seen it in awhile. I would like to see it again with the kids.
@WastedPo
@WastedPo 10 ай бұрын
I loved Roger Ebert and I loved this show. But this is one of those times when I felt he got something completely wrong. By Cruise laying the plan out for the audience it created tension and anticipation that carried through to the rest of the movie. If that setup had NOT been there, not only would that anticipation have been gone, but when Nicholson's character finally confessed, it would've potentially felt like dumb luck, rather than the fruition of a plan.
@GaryHMan
@GaryHMan 10 жыл бұрын
I definitely side with Gene on this one. It's a very solid movie.
@TheSoundOutside
@TheSoundOutside Жыл бұрын
If he was still around, I'll bet Roger would like to have this review back. This is a terrific film in every sense of the word. AFGM is easily one of the best films of the 1990's.
@jeepthing98
@jeepthing98 Жыл бұрын
Roger pretty much stuck to his guns as far as I've seen. Even with Cop and a Half where he got a lot of flack from Gene. Road House review sticks out because I think both Gene and Roger wanted to give it thumbs up as they kept bringing it up during that episode. I think they "kinda" both took back their bad review of the original Home Alone because it was a huge hit and almost universally praised by actual movie goers.
@LukeLovesRose
@LukeLovesRose Жыл бұрын
I think A Few Good Men is a great movie. Tom proves once again how great he is
@wildwest1832
@wildwest1832 3 жыл бұрын
IDK I thought the whole point was they had a plan, but the best plans dont always work out. Watching the plan unfold, and be executed was what it made it still exciting I think this is one of the best movies of its kind ever made. Well executed
@jasoncase9481
@jasoncase9481 8 жыл бұрын
So Horrid that Tom Cruise did not win a academy award for a brilliant first rate performance. This is a undeniable amazing movie.
@awesome420ication
@awesome420ication 7 жыл бұрын
if you look at the nominees, it was a tough year. Pacino(scent of a woman), Eastwood(unforgiven), rdj(chaplin) and denzel (malcolm x). Nothing "horrid", just a tough year.
@jasoncase9481
@jasoncase9481 7 жыл бұрын
awesome420ication Ok but still it's a undeniable academy award winning performance I really never heard of scent of a woman so I would have to look up what the movie is about.
@linkbiff1054
@linkbiff1054 7 жыл бұрын
Pacino: Scent of a Woman, Robert Downey Jr.: Chaplin, Denzel Washington: Malcolm X, Clint Eastwood: Unforgiven, Stephen Rea: The Crying Game; all of these were better than Cruise, who was undeniably brilliant. And I agree, the movie was awesome as hell!
@jasoncase9481
@jasoncase9481 7 жыл бұрын
link biff Ok better than cruise not really this is a amazing performance every scene he is in including the climax.
@linkbiff1054
@linkbiff1054 7 жыл бұрын
But believe it or not, the nominees were better. Not the movies, but the dudes. Just shows how stacked 1992 was
@buffalobraves9
@buffalobraves9 8 жыл бұрын
Totally disagree with their assessment of giving away their plan to get Nicholson to admit his guilt. It was reminiscent of the Columbo series where you are shown the murderer and have to figure out how Columbo was going to catch him. It was brilliant for Columbo and I think it works brilliantly here.
@robertfreedman6651
@robertfreedman6651 4 жыл бұрын
Roger called it right. No surprise and predictable. We know right away that Jack is the bad guy and responsible for Santiago's death.
@Bill-jc1fy
@Bill-jc1fy 4 жыл бұрын
Great movie, the cast is great, especially Cruise & Nicholson
@STONESGAM
@STONESGAM 3 жыл бұрын
Caffey laying out his strategy did not spoil anything. We didn't know if he was actually going to go for it when he could get in major trouble or if Jessup would take the bait. The genius was how Caffey riled him up before that when he told him he wasn't done examining him and to "sit down". He knew Jessup didn't like him and his cocky "harvard mouth" and he knew how to push his buttons. I don't normally like courtroom movies that much but this was top notch with a terrific cast. Nicholson was worth every penny they paid him and the movie wouldn't have been the same with a weaker actor in that role.
@elsierich935
@elsierich935 2 жыл бұрын
This movie is approximately 30 years old; I enjoy it as much now as when it was originally released, the chemistry. I feel, is very profound. Surprisingly to me, Tom Cruise was more than equal to the task, when confronting Jack Nickolson, this movie, I feel, is one of the great ones, all the actor involved Under the direction of Rob Reiner, contributed to this.
@9MilNorm
@9MilNorm Жыл бұрын
Thumbs down? That is insane. This movie has some of the greatest acting ever done in it. Stodgy buzzard.
@machngunjoe
@machngunjoe 9 жыл бұрын
Ebert is overly harsh here
@mitchclark1532
@mitchclark1532 7 жыл бұрын
Absolutely. I agree with him about that part being too expository but not that it ruined the entire film. lol He gave the whole movie thumbs down just for that one part. Very shallow analysis.
@asianmalaysian
@asianmalaysian 3 жыл бұрын
@80's guy Read ebert's review of Jurassic Park. The man has been known to drop the ball and he has here.
@JuanRodriguez-im6ul
@JuanRodriguez-im6ul 3 жыл бұрын
@80's guy You mean the guy who liked "Benji the hunted"?
@davidhazera9851
@davidhazera9851 3 жыл бұрын
Ebert made a great point. I never thought about that.
@malafakka8530
@malafakka8530 3 жыл бұрын
@@asianmalaysian the man was also known for recognizing soon to be classics when nobody else did. Just because he sometimes didn't agree on movies that became generally popular or classics in their own right doesn't mean anything. Or are you going to tell me that you never err with movies or that your taste is obbjectively impeccable?
@bman342a
@bman342a 10 жыл бұрын
Thumbs down on this from Ebert? This is one of the greatest courtroom dramas of all time. I think Ebert misses the point in his complaint that Cruise gave away the climactic scene the night before. It was about Jessup admitting to the code red, it was not about how Kaffee was going to get him there. So many movies we know the good guy wins, but it's about the journey not the destination
@GnCFilms
@GnCFilms 8 жыл бұрын
So well put!
@trewhite7903
@trewhite7903 5 жыл бұрын
But at the time, they don't know they're watching a classic.
@gunkulator1
@gunkulator1 5 жыл бұрын
Ebert is just wrong here. Of course Kaffee has to get Jessup to admit he ordered the code red - that's the entire defense strategy! It's not a spoiler at all. When the rest of the team asks Kaffee how he's going to do it, he admits he has no idea. That's where the drama comes in. It's not until Jessup is on the stand and he gets the measure of the man and sees which buttons to push that he figures it out. At that point Kaffee brilliantly improvises the way to get what he needs.
@squatch570
@squatch570 5 жыл бұрын
@@gunkulator1 He did have an idea about Jessup's buttons at Gitmo with the whole transfer order bit and also Jessup clearly showing he's not easily intimidated or rattled. Kaffee knew then that pressing Jessup was the way to go since there wasn't much else in the defense's favor.
@jameswilliams-zr8co
@jameswilliams-zr8co Жыл бұрын
ebert was correct.. the movie tells you what its gonna do, does it, than tells us what it did lol.. its decent at best,, and insults the audiences intelligence
@jcarlmark
@jcarlmark 3 жыл бұрын
Fun to watch one of the greatest movies and performances being criticized back in the days, little did they know
@syracuse6651
@syracuse6651 4 жыл бұрын
I love this movie , Another 90's classic
@dashrirprock
@dashrirprock 11 жыл бұрын
That point is relevant to their discussion at the end, when they explicitly call out the screenplay for what it didn't do -- namely, the love connection between the characters played by Moore and Cruise. Now, maybe Ebert's correct that originally Moore's character was a man (I've never seen the play). But for awhile it was a woman, and the filmmakers DID go the conventional route to give the two the promise of a love-relationship, which was later dropped for one reason or another.
@bobzani
@bobzani 6 ай бұрын
My all-time favorite movie.
@jamierabinowitz7102
@jamierabinowitz7102 4 жыл бұрын
Saw this yesterday . Great film
@jonathanfunnell4167
@jonathanfunnell4167 3 жыл бұрын
JACK NICHOLSONS AT HIS BEST ALONG WITH SHINING
@michaelanderson2881
@michaelanderson2881 2 ай бұрын
I think Siskel and Ebert were among the first to realize what a very good actor Tom Cruise is, and has always been.
@NealX_Gaming
@NealX_Gaming 11 ай бұрын
I like Siskel pointing out that Cruise and Moore's characters don't have some cheap one-night stand -- if anyone else had written/directed this film it would have happened.
@Danimal77
@Danimal77 4 жыл бұрын
It's one of my favorite movies of all time.
@zacharysiple783
@zacharysiple783 4 жыл бұрын
Me too! :)
@jbrumundsmith
@jbrumundsmith 13 жыл бұрын
Great movie. Cruise in his best role ever; his personality was perfect for the character he was playing. And the writer/director were smart enough to not overuse Jack Nickolson.
@LeoWhalen1933
@LeoWhalen1933 5 ай бұрын
Wenall know the disney villain is going to meet its demise, yet we still watch because the ride is fun. This movie was one hell of a ride no matter what anyone says about it's predicability.
@StanleyKu
@StanleyKu 13 жыл бұрын
Im with Siskel on this one!
@RikerLovesWorf
@RikerLovesWorf 10 ай бұрын
The thing is, the surprise IS there. When Jack Nicholson's character maneuvers around Cruise's "why didn't he pack" argument.
@jasonh.2439
@jasonh.2439 6 жыл бұрын
I wonder how their reviews may have changed over time. Or if they did. I'd love to know what Ebert thought of the audience's reaction and how loved the movie became.
@mikeh4818
@mikeh4818 10 ай бұрын
There are many movies in which Ebert re-reviewed over his career. It can be hard to review a movie on one watch
@circuh1981
@circuh1981 6 жыл бұрын
ebert's not budging.. love it
@jackkitchen737
@jackkitchen737 3 жыл бұрын
This was a great review from both of them. LOL One gives a thumbs up, the other a thumbs down....yet their reasons are both good to hear.
@GasCityGuy
@GasCityGuy 10 жыл бұрын
Huh? Thumbs down to one of the iconic scenes in modern movie history? Must've been some bad popcorn at the concession stand that night.
@shogunblade
@shogunblade 9 жыл бұрын
On the other side of the coin, Gene Siskel didn't like Silence of the Lambs, and that movie has an academy winning performance from Anthony Hopkins. Either way, I agree to disagree.
@doublestrokeroll
@doublestrokeroll 9 жыл бұрын
It is a stupid ending though. No way he would have just admitted it. You don't get to that position of power by NOT knowing how to keep your cool in situations where you are obviously guilty. I like this movie....a lot.....but only as pure entertainment. as a concept...it's a pretty fucking stupid plot. The Firm was a much better story.
@DanRSL
@DanRSL 9 жыл бұрын
Iconic for how cheesy and terrible it is. Civilians can't handle the "truth" of beating up recruits to get them to work harder? That's just dumb, not profound. It's also painfully naive today in the brutal world we are more exposed to now where we have soldiers constantly killing themselves from PTSD (a truth the military and government can't handle) and beheadings of journalists broadcast online for everyone to see. But yeah, this movie's right, bullying in the marines is much harder for civilians to handle than beheadings and rampant suicide. Bullying's a LOT more hard core than public snuff videos.
@markdeady2194
@markdeady2194 8 жыл бұрын
It's cheesy. Overkill and unrealistic. See The Caine Mutiny
@bobbyellis5006
@bobbyellis5006 8 жыл бұрын
It's not cheesy if you grew up during the period were hazing was just becoming a taboo in the military. A Few Good Men is probably the best, if not the only, representation of the old military guard squirming in contempt and disgust at the younger generation attempting to "pussify" the military.
@jesusmetal92107
@jesusmetal92107 12 жыл бұрын
i love siskel and ebert as much as the next guy, but man am i glad i saw the movie before the review! this gave away so much!
@robertbotelho9702
@robertbotelho9702 9 жыл бұрын
Cruise's character did sarcastically say to Jo Anne, "I'm sexually aroused, Commander." So there's that.
@SparksDrinker
@SparksDrinker 8 жыл бұрын
+Robert Botelho could say that to a dude for same comedic effect.
@robertbotelho691
@robertbotelho691 8 жыл бұрын
+SparksDrinker True. But then you also have Nicholson's speech about "there's nothing sexier than a woman you have to salute in the morning".
@dynamicvoltage9765
@dynamicvoltage9765 3 жыл бұрын
@@robertbotelho691 promote 'em all, I say
@michaelrose1466
@michaelrose1466 3 жыл бұрын
And there was the, "are you asking me out on a date?" scene that implied there was some interest between the two. They went to dinner together and didn't bring Sam along, so not exactly a work dinner.
@geoycs
@geoycs 3 жыл бұрын
Thumbs down? It’s so compelling and interesting. No f%#ing way do you give it thumbs down. Roger is over thinking it.
@isuriadireja91
@isuriadireja91 3 жыл бұрын
my top 5 Tom Cruise performances: 1. Magnolia 2. A Few Good Men 3. Jerry Maguire 4. Collateral 5. Rain Man
@jameswilliams-zr8co
@jameswilliams-zr8co Жыл бұрын
1. born on the 4th of july, 2 magnolia, 3, minority report, 4, collateral, 5, the last samurai, 6. mission impossible ghost protcol
@thespotteddog
@thespotteddog 13 жыл бұрын
A great film. Period.
@MrBenMcLean
@MrBenMcLean 5 жыл бұрын
I wish there were more good law movies like this.
@canuck_gamer3359
@canuck_gamer3359 4 жыл бұрын
I find this review particularly interesting because I've watched a lot of these videos and I've heard Roger give a movie a lukewarm review and then say 'I recommend it but the ending (or this or that) was terrible'. If any movie deserved a pass from him on that basis, I would think it would be this one. He does make a valid point though, just imagine how much more drama there would have been if there was more ambiguity about the legal strategy and the options for defense.
@GQElvie
@GQElvie Жыл бұрын
I agree Canuck. the writers blew it in this case. it was still a very very good movie, but the one drawback is how it could have EVEN been greater with more drama....
@mckenna8663
@mckenna8663 11 жыл бұрын
One of the reasons that Cruise and Moore didn't have an love affair (or even that one would have been hinted at in the film) was that Moore's character was written for a man (in the play). I don't know why they went with a woman in the film - then again... it didn't seem to matter. But if they DID throw in a love story in this film it would have bee a cheap and un-needed shot. THANK YOU for sticking to the original story!
@saljablo2767
@saljablo2767 Жыл бұрын
It’s a great movie and a remote dropper no matter where it is.
@danzemacabre8899
@danzemacabre8899 4 жыл бұрын
Tom Cruise, a severely underrated actor due to his off screen antics and politics, is one actor I would love to see in a Quentin Tarantino movie, Tarantino's dialogue with Cruises just seems like a match made for each other.
@mikeh4818
@mikeh4818 10 ай бұрын
Cruise was Tarantino's first choice for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood(Leo's part)
@sexytyper88
@sexytyper88 4 жыл бұрын
this movie is INCREDIBLE! Ebert can eat SHOE!
@yaywhewclips242
@yaywhewclips242 5 жыл бұрын
Both Demi and cruise are quite good here. But Nicholson is fabulous and 1st class and deserved another Oscar.
@MsCaramello73
@MsCaramello73 12 жыл бұрын
I agree with you completely. It wasn't about surprise. It was about tension because the question is whether or not Jack Nicholson's character is going to let his ego get him into trouble and initially it doesn't look like he will. So, Tom Cruise's character is taking a huge risk and it doesn't seem like it's going to pay off.
@joeybagadonuts5774
@joeybagadonuts5774 2 жыл бұрын
This TV show (watched as a kid) was just brutal.
@johnloring3887
@johnloring3887 11 жыл бұрын
I didn't like this movie when it first came out, but now that it's been on cable so often I've seen it a few times more and I like it.
@taroman7100
@taroman7100 Жыл бұрын
I'm with Siskel on this one.
@rubenreyna2198
@rubenreyna2198 5 жыл бұрын
I was very & pleasantly surpised that Cruise & Moore didnt have a romance. Im glad the film was all "business." Great acting & the courtroom scenes were tense & heartbreaking.
@animalwillopus79
@animalwillopus79 2 жыл бұрын
OK script but the star power and performances are definitely what make this a must see.
@ltcolumbo9708
@ltcolumbo9708 Жыл бұрын
Oh wow I usually toe the line with Ebert reviews but not only I'm surprised with what he had to say about this movie but actually got me upset . Tom Cruise was incredible in the movie so was Jack. Aaron Sorkin words were like a symphony and Rob Reiner did a terrific job! I love this movie. Still watch it once every 5 years
@LegitLaughs1
@LegitLaughs1 4 жыл бұрын
How do you give this movie a thumbs down??
@gregoryfrancis3422
@gregoryfrancis3422 4 жыл бұрын
Progressive Talk Bernie took the money and ran 💰💰💰
@robertmarginean164
@robertmarginean164 Жыл бұрын
To think that this was someone's first script, GOD DAMN DID SORKIN DELIVER
@VideoMask93
@VideoMask93 10 жыл бұрын
Ebert is wrong about Galloway; she was female in the original play.
@sha11235
@sha11235 6 жыл бұрын
Yeah, I didn't know that originally either. I also found out the famous Nicholson line is in the play too.
@crystalward1444
@crystalward1444 4 жыл бұрын
Galloway is based on the writer's sister. It's in the bonus material of the DVD.
@citygirl5705
@citygirl5705 4 жыл бұрын
I really can't grasp Ebert's criticism. Maybe the film shouldn't have given away Cruise's strategy when he got Nicholson on the stand. But just because we knew what Cruise was doing, doesn't mean we knew it would work. So there was still a tremendous amount of suspense.
@ronaldh8446
@ronaldh8446 4 жыл бұрын
Ebert's first point is a valid one but I liked this movie. The performances are so good it's enough to enjoy the picture.
@mrwoods22
@mrwoods22 10 жыл бұрын
Gene keeps calling them soldiers. Aren't they marines?
@DanRSL
@DanRSL 9 жыл бұрын
I don't think a lot of people outside of the military care about title or rank. Which is actually one of the messages in this movie. Rank is bullshit. Who you are as a person is important, and rank is no excuse for being a criminal.
@mrwoods22
@mrwoods22 9 жыл бұрын
LOL Marine isn't a rank.
@DanRSL
@DanRSL 9 жыл бұрын
mrwoods22 That's exactly my point. No one outside of the military gives a shit. That's also why I wrote "TITLE or rank".
@mrwoods22
@mrwoods22 9 жыл бұрын
LOL I give a shit. And I'm not in the military.
@sha11235
@sha11235 6 жыл бұрын
Well, they are soldiers. Doesn't matter if they are in the Marines or the Army.
@Kylepersonal
@Kylepersonal 4 жыл бұрын
Outstanding movie, Jack should have won best support Oscar, had it not been given to Hackman for The Unforgiven.
@matthewbyrd2329
@matthewbyrd2329 3 жыл бұрын
Exactly why I NEVER listen to critics.
@davidmaddox8914
@davidmaddox8914 10 жыл бұрын
What are they talking about? Demi Moore's character practically asks him to go on a date. How do they not address that one is a man and one is a woman?
@Snoopies622
@Snoopies622 13 жыл бұрын
Well I liked it, Roger.
@willcorker763
@willcorker763 3 жыл бұрын
The ending works right when Cruise bring up the two orders. We know how he would get jack to say it.
@TheDeeFormed
@TheDeeFormed 12 жыл бұрын
Thanks honey. I just looked on your homepage: good advice
@Historian212
@Historian212 Ай бұрын
Ebert was wrong. Moore’s character was not originally a man. Aaron Sorkin, who wrote the original play - which won a Pulitzer Prize, so I guess Sorkin knows something about writing and storycraft that Ebert didn’t - has explained that the story is based on a true incident that he learned about from *his sister,* who was a lawyer in the JAG’s office, and upon whom Sorkin based Moore’s character. Honestly, did they do no research in those days? I’m sure that this wasn’t a big secret. Sorkin can be seen discussing it in multiple interviews after the play became a hit on Broadway and he won the Pulitzer. It was also the first play he ever wrote. RIP, Siskel and Ebert. I was a big fan back in the day, but you both dropped the ball on this wonderful movie.
@stevend.bennett427
@stevend.bennett427 4 жыл бұрын
A courtroom confessional is the cheap and easy way to go.
@emailatomic
@emailatomic 2 жыл бұрын
Roger is wrong as he so often was. This is proper story telling for like heist movie for people to have a rough idea of what is supposed to happen and then there are the moments when it looks like its not going to to to plan. The hero looks defeated. At times scared looking into the face of the monster. This was Rob Reiners second to the last classic movie. His series of This is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride When Harry Met Sally A Few Good Men, And Misery. You can add Stand By Me as well. Probably one of the longest unbroken straight runs of great films in history.. And possibly with the exception of When Harry Met Sally where it was more Hollywood and felt like a great film all the way through. His early films didn't obviously feel great as you were watching them. But at the end you think, what an amazingly enjoyable film that was. I felt the same with A Few Good Men. I thought Rob Reiner did it again. Congratulations Rob.
@scotthix2926
@scotthix2926 3 жыл бұрын
Laying out the plan was good. The tension is not to get general to confess, but should Cruise do the plan thus risking his career if general does not confess. Also liked the ending - where they are dishonorable discharged becuase "just following orders excuse" is not a valid argument for defense. Which I considered a surprise ending, this is not a fairy tale or 90's sitcom where everyone goes home happy.
@montieluckett7036
@montieluckett7036 3 жыл бұрын
They both agreed that the movie had no surprises. And after all these years with the greatness of the movie only becoming more and more apparent as time goes on; unsurprisingly they are both found to be wrong. Critics, who needs 'em.
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