A Few Good Men (1992) * * * 1/2

Directed by:  Rob Reiner

Starring:  Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore, Kiefer Sutherland, Kevin Bacon, JT Walsh

A Few Good Men is an above average courtroom drama focusing on the deadly hazing of a ne'er-do-well Marine at the Guatanamo Bay base.  Two Marines perform a "code red" on a hapless private which results in his accidental death.  A code red is a Marine term for extrajudicial punishment used by Marines to police themselves.  The Marines are charged with murder, but insist the code red was carried out on orders of their superior Lt. Jonathan Kendrick (Sutherland).   Kendrick and base commander Col. Jessup (Nicholson) claim they ordered the private not to be disciplined and the two Marines acted of their own accord.  

Because Jessup is soon to be appointed to a top-level government position, the Washington JAG corps wants the case assigned to plea-bargain happy attorney Lt. Daniel Kaffee (Cruise).  The original attorney assigned to the case, Lt. Joanne Galloway (Moore) believes in her clients' innocence and urges Kaffee to make a case, which is something very much outside his comfort zone.   Kaffee would rather cop a plea for his clients and go on coaching the local softball team.     His clients would prefer to be judged than accept a plea bargain, much to the consternation of Kaffee, who wishes they would make his life easier by agreeing to six months in jail.

As evidence presents itself, Kaffee becomes convinced that the Marines' story may hold water and decides to allow them their day in court.   Kaffee's father was a famed trial lawyer and casts a large shadow over his son.  At first, Kaffee shrinks from the challenge of having such a famous father, but then rises to the occasion.  Cruise is authoritative and effective as the attorney who learns how to actually be a lawyer, especially in the face of intimidating Col. Jessup, who defends his methods ferociously and fearlessly: "I run my unit how I run my unit.   You want to investigate me?  Roll the dice and take your chances. I eat breakfast every morning 300 yards from 4,000 Cubans who are trained to kill me." 

The Marines, especially Kendrick and Jessup, deal in absolutes.  Orders are always followed and should never be questioned.   This makes it is somewhat easy for the defense team to trap them in lies.    "They are fanatical about being Marines," says Galloway.   Soon it becomes apparent that Jessup may have been the source behind the code red order to Kendrick.  This results in the final courtroom showdown between Kaffee and Jessup, which results in the famed "You can't handle the truth" speech by Jessup.    Nicholson is gruff and arrogant as Jessup, resulting from years of Marine Corps life and his belief that the ends justify the means.  It's thrilling to watch as Kaffee gets under Jessup's skin.   

A Few Good Men is not a deep drama, but it takes the inherent suspense of courtroom drama and heightens it with craftsmanship and strong performances.     Director Reiner knows how to move scenes along swiftly.    The film is more famous for many of Jessup's lines, but it rises above a generic genre picture and delivers in entertaining fashion.