Ludzie honoru

The cast full of quality actors was the main reason why I decided to give this movie a go. In the end, however, it felt like a lost episode of JAG, so I wasn’t having too much fun. Not even the young Tom Cruise, beautiful Demi Moore and great Jack Nicholson could salvage that. (29.09.2021)

With the approaching end of the twentieth century, there was an explosion in courtroom dramas, and just about every major star added a piece of that ilk to their repertoire. I distinctly remember how I somewhat despised the genre as something that only revealed the most obvious, because the rest would just be a mere variation on the same. But first of all, that's not true, and second of all, the genre disappeared from film into the realm of the TV series and proper big-budget drama with emotional shouts of "Objection!" for the audience to gape at. And it is exactly Aaron Sorkin's military detour that is the forgotten gem, with its average rating indicating that memories of it are relatively positive, but that the audience did not appreciate it at the time because something similar was sure to come along shortly. And yet A Few Good Men is both a thrilling combination of all imaginable genres and a gathering of brilliant actors, where the 90s star power in the form of Tom Cruise and Demi Moore clashes with Jack Nicholson in what may be his career-best performance, meticulously chewing on each of his lines and where an unguarded moment can turn into the most chilling scene. A treasure that opened the doors to new television phenomena like JAG or NCIS, whose legacy goes on even decades later. (18.07.2022)

Funny story: I needed to keep my daughter bored until she fell asleep in front of the TV and tried this classic courtroom drama I'd been saving for a long time and hit the jackpot. In both ways. A perfect Nicholson and an energetic Cruise, who in his younger days rolled in dialogue as much as he does now when he jumps out of planes and off cliffs on his motorcycle. A first-rate drama, with terrific Sorkin dialogue, that spawned many followers from JAG to NCIS. (26.03.2023)

The director and the excellent actors in leading and supporting roles deserve the most credit (no wonder considering the cast). The film is basically nothing more than a two-hour conversation, but the dialogues are so dynamic and cleverly written that it is not a detriment at all. The script is quite simple and easy to understand, but it becomes interesting when the investigation regarding Colonel Jesep (Jack Nicholson) begins. His arrogant figure is flawless and the final courtroom duel with the young lawyer (Tom Cruise) is undeniably fantastic. The military tribunal sequences are surprisingly witty (very much unlike JAG) and can captivate even an ordinary civilian. Last but not least, Demi Moore in a white uniform also catches the eye. (27.12.2006)

A proper courtroom thriller. The performances are nicely lined up, from the decent (Cruise) to the superb (Nicholson), the script is interesting and imaginative enough, and the strong aroma of seafaring pride and dignity that drips from every one of those few good men adds a lot more dimension to the film. The Oscar nomination for Best Picture was not entirely deserved perhaps, but Rob Reiner has nonetheless created an impressive movie that is worthy of the same privileged status within the genre as Jack Nicholson's final speech in the acting books. 80% (09.08.2012)

The film builds up very well and the best part is at its end, where its strong weapon - Jack Nicholson - is displayed. His performance is incredible, as he manages to steal the film for himself even in just a few minutes. Tom Cruise, Kevin Bacon, Demi Moore, and Kiefer Sutherland are all excellent, but Jack is the king. (09.02.2017)