A Few Good Men (1992)
87%RT Audience Score: 89%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 4 Oscars
10 wins & 30 nominations total
An old-fashioned courtroom drama with a contemporary edge, A Few Good Men succeeds on the strength of its stars, with Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, and especially Jack Nicholson delivering powerful performances that more than compensate for the predictable plot
A Few Good Men” is a classic courtroom drama that will have you on the edge of your seat. With an all-star cast, including Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson, the film pits two notions of masculinity against each other in a battle of wits and wills. And who could forget Nicholson’s iconic line, “You can’t handle the truth!”? It’s a movie that’s both suspenseful and powerful, with a poignant message that will stay with you long after the credits roll. So grab some popcorn and settle in for a few good hours of entertainment.
Production Company(ies)
Lurker
Distributor
Columbia Pictures, Columbia Tristar
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Naval Air Station Point Mugu, Point Mugu, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language
Year of Release
1992
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Stereo Dolby Atmos
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Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
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Runtime:2h 18m
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Language(s):English, French
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 11, 1992 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 6, 2003
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Jack Nicholson, Kevin Bacon, Kiefer Sutherland, Kevin Pollak, directed by Rob Reiner, written by Aaron Sorkin, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by David Ansen, Dave Kehr, Kenneth Turan, Michael Sragow, Steven Rea, Gene Siskel, Mark Jackson, Mike Massie, Tom Meek, Federico Furzan, Leigh Paatsch, MPAA rating R, military lawyer, courtroom drama, Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba, U.S Marines, killing, fellow Marine, plea bargains, commanding officer, conspiracy, patriotism, security, truth, honor, ethics, critical thinking, JAG officer, murder, intrigue, intensity, quick-witted script
Worldwide gross: $243,240,178
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $520,661,816
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 272
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 56,778,824
US/Canada gross: $141,340,178
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $302,542,262
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 188
US/Canada opening weekend: $15,517,468
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $33,215,537
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 398
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $41,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $87,761,548
Production budget ranking: 472
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $47,259,593
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $385,640,675
ROI to date (est.): 286%
ROI ranking: 475
Jack Nicholson – Col. Nathan R. Jessup
Demi Moore – Lt. Cmdr. JoAnne Galloway
Kevin Bacon – Capt. Jack Ross
Kiefer Sutherland – Lt. Jonathan Kendrick
Kevin Pollak – Lt. Sam Weinberg
Director(s)
Rob Reiner
Writer(s)
Aaron Sorkin
Producer(s)
Rob Reiner, Andrew Scheinman, David Brown
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 4 Oscars
10 wins & 30 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (66) | Top Critics (21) | Fresh (55) | Rotten (11)
Designed to get the audience rooting for this upper-class underdog, the movie accomplishes its task with military efficiency. But since the deck is stacked and the cards well worn, it hardly seems a victory to cherish.
February 8, 2018
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
By pitting Cruise against Nicholson in the film`s final courtroom confrontation, Sorkin and Reiner are pitting two notions of masculinity and two notions of stardom against each other.
April 30, 2014 | Rating: 3/4
Dave Kehr
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
A brisk and familiar courtroom drama of the old school, as pleasant to watch as it is predictable, Men more than anything else is a tribute to pure star power.
April 30, 2014
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
The whole film, with its steady, important-picture pacing, its foursquare visual style, and its pseudo-profundity, is a piece of glorified banality.
April 30, 2014
Michael Sragow
New Yorker
TOP CRITIC
The literally in-your-face camera work can easily expose an actor’s weaknesses, but, with the lens framed on Nicholson’s bulldog visage, he lets loose with volcanic fury. His demagoguery and gung-ho self-righteousness are something to behold.
April 30, 2014 | Rating: 3/4
Steven Rea
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
The driving force of the story is watching Cruise`s character develop some backbone and staying power.
April 30, 2014 | Rating: 3/4
Gene Siskel
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
The Cruise-Nicholson courtroom showdown that immediately lit up our American cinematic archive of great lines, with Nicholson’s “You can’t handle the truth!!”-still reverberates all these years later.
July 13, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Mark Jackson
Epoch Times
Suspenseful, powerful, poignant, unforgettable, and sharply directed.
September 11, 2020 | Rating: 10/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
A bit stilted and an unlikely alignment of parts, “A Few Good Men” maintains a taut, compelling hold from start to finish.
April 6, 2020 | Rating: 3/4
Tom Meek
Cambridge Day
A star packed cast is actually pretty effective in this court drama presenting an awesome villain. Fantastic script. [Full review in Spanish].
February 18, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
Federico Furzan
Cinelipsis
As speechy and preachy a courtroom drama as you’ll ever find, detailing the secret manoeuvring that shadows a naval court-martial.
August 2, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Leigh Paatsch
Herald Sun (Australia)
There are more than a few excellent men in the cast, and a fine woman, too. But Rob Reiner’s A Few Good Men roars with excitement only when Jack Nicholson seizes the drama between his sneering, snarling teeth.
May 31, 2018
Malcolm Johnson
Hartford Courant…
Plot
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.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Jack Nicholson’s performance as Col. Nathan R. Jessep is considered a standout in A Few Good Men.
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