Written by Ari Turobiner
Photo Courtesy of All the Classics
A Few Good Men is a 1992 courtroom drama written by Aaron Sorkin and directed by Rob Reiner. A Few Good Men was met with critical acclaim, was hugely successful in the box office and has since been recognized for it’s fantastic directing, sharp acting and excellent writing. The film even earned a nomination for Best Picture. The famous line, “You can’t handle the truth!” has made its way over time to become one of the most iconic lines ever put on film. A Few Good Men has reshaped the “courtroom drama'' genre of film and has become a classic over time. What made A Few Good Men so great? I believe at the film's core, it has to do with the theme of “Truth versus Honor.”
A Few Good Men tells the story of Lieutenant Daniel Kaffe (played by Tom Cruise), a lawyer who starts off biding his time in the Navy to please the memory of his dead father, Lionel Kaffe, recognized as one of the best lawyers in the world. Kaffe has an affinity to plea-bargaining his cases, as he is reluctant to ever go to trial.
To his surprise, Kaffe is later tasked with defending two Marines, Private First Class Louden Downey (James Marshall) and Lance Corporal Harold W. Dawson (Wolfgang Bodison) on the charge of murdering Private First Class William T. Santiago (Michael DeLorenzo) at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. With the help of Kaffe’s colleagues, Lieutenant Sam Weinberg (Kevin Pollak) and Lieutenant Commander JoAnne Galloway (Demi Moore), the trio search for information and form a case to help prove the innocence of their clients. A Few Good Men features a wide variety of layered characters all with their own sets of morals and values. The writing of these characters is not only easily quotable but also elevates the characters to feel authentic and driven.
After meeting with Captain Jack Ross (Kevin Bacon), a friend of Kaffe’s on the opposing side of the case, the two friends discuss how much time Dawson and Downey should serve. The trio then travels to Guantanamo Bay to meet with Colonel Nathan R. Jessup (Jack Nicholson), the commanding officer on the base to talk to witnesses and investigate the death of Santiago, including a visit to his room where the death occurred. Along with Jessup, Kaffe and crew meet with Lieutenant Jonathan Kendrick (Keifer Sutherland) and Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Markinson (J.T Walsh) over lunch to discuss anything out of the ordinary. It is in this instance where the first clashing of Kaffe and Jessup comes into play. Galloway believes that the practice of Code Red still goes on in Guantanamo Bay, and asks Jessup his thoughts. The audience gets to see Jessup’s morally questionable values and he says that “off the record” instituting a Code Red is necessary to effectively run a unit. Kaffe and Jessup talk for some time, until Kaffe casually asks for some papers for the file on Santiago. Jessup then scolds him and verbally jabs at him, name calling then saying that Kaffe must “ask nicely” if he wants the papers. There is a brief pause and we see Jessup’s power over Kaffe in that moment. Kaffe and Jessup represent two things; Kaffe is trying to search for the truth behind the situation while Jessup is trying to keep his honor at all costs. After the events in Cuba, Kaffe and team travel back to work and after deep thought, Kaffe decides he wants his clients to plead not guilty in a very memorable scene where Kaffe grows more motivated and begins to care about his clients. Kaffe wants them to go to trial despite the odds stacked against him. The trio get to work to find more information, researching and building a case.
A Few Good Men excels in highlighting American values, namely patriotism, and throughout the film there are moments where truth and honor are constantly being brought up and the characters who represent these values are put to the test. In these moments, the audience sees just how much these characters truly say what they mean. In the courtroom scenes this is specifically apparent. A Few Good Men succeeds in allowing the audience to care for the struggle and lives of the characters. A good example of this is in the scene where Kaffe “thunders away” at Kendrick, believing he lied about ordering the Code Red. The incredible acting helps make these moments during cross-examinations more believable. Another memorable moment is when the doctor is on the stand and Kaffe proves that it could have been a medical condition that killed Santiago, not just poison. In these scenes, we see people in power holding back the truth just to keep their reputation and honor. In the most iconic scene of the film, Colonel Jessup is on the stand and Kaffe’s main goal is to lead Jessup into telling the truth.
After seeing Kaffe and the trio struggle with getting information from the flight logs and the death of an important character, the film comes to a final battle between Jessup and Kaffe. Jessup has an answer for everything in his signature condescending fashion, and even on the stand he still manages to insult the judge and the system he’s running. Kaffe’s search for the truth by allowing Jessup to say two conflicting things on the stand is an outstanding dialogue flowing into the “You can’t handle the truth!” moment. This is one of the classic scenes that emphasizes the idea of “truth versus honor.” Jessup, a man so upheld by his values which in his mind are right, tries to keep his honor and reputation all the way up into his final moments on the stand until finally yelling that he ordered the Code Red and the eventual death of Santiago. Jessup’s arrest leads to him lashing out and using the word “son” as a jab at him and his family. Kaffe counters and steps into his own and says, “Don’t call me son. I’m a lawyer and officer in the United States Navy ..and you’re under arrest, you son of a bitch.” Kaffe grows into the shoes of his father at that moment. Later, Dawson and Downey are found not guilty on all but one charge. Downey, at first confused, is then told by Dawson that they “were supposed to fight for people who couldn’t fight for themselves….they were supposed to fight for Willie.” As the courtroom clears out, Kaffe says to Dawson, “You don’t need to wear a patch on your arm to have honor”, they both salute and Kaffe and Ross joke for a moment. In the final scene, Kaffe leaves the empty courtroom proud of his accomplishment and the film is brought to a close.
A Few Good Men is fast, quotable, sharp and memorable throughout making it a highly rewatchable film. A Few Good Men is a landmark in courtroom drama films and has become a classic over time. Personally, this is my favorite Tom Cruise movie and it holds a rightfully-deserved spot as one of my top 3 favorite movies. A Few Good Men is an inspiring story of ideals, values, and beliefs tied to people and the government legal system. Aaron Sorkin’s first feature film is one to remember and remains a 90s must-watch essential.
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