Rob Reiner said: "Before we started shooting, I asked Jack if he wanted me to shoot his angles first or Cruise's reaction shots first so that he'd be off-camera," Reiner explains, adding that Nicholson initially requested the off-camera option so that he'd have time to rehearse his delivery. As it turned out, though, the actor couldn’t resist delivering a camera-ready performance on every off-camera take. "Every time we did the scene, Jack did it perfectly," Reiner says, laughing. "After a couple of takes, I said, 'Jack, maybe you want to save a little bit for when we've got the camera on you.' And he replied, 'Rob, you don't understand - I love to act.'"
Everyone rightfully loves to quote "you can't handle the truth" but for me, its the buildup that makes it even better. Watching Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson chew the scenery to pieces in that finale is something I wish I could see for the first time all over again!
One of the things I love about this movie is that it does not play into your typical Hollywood tale where the two leads fall for one another. It stays a normal courtroom drama without doing what the audience expects; it allows the audience to focus on the story rather than the star power.
As a former Commander in the USAF and AFROTC instructor, ever since the Nuremberg trials where the Nazi's said they were just following orders. American servicemen are trained to know that you are required to DISobey any order that is illegal, immoral, or unethical. This is still the case today under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (which is more strict than civilian laws. we have laws about behavior called "unbecoming, etc) The code red was an illegal order no matter who gave it or who followed it. All were culpable.
I really love in the beginning.when the judge asks if they want to enter a plea he doesn’t just say “not guilty” he says “they’re not guilty”. As if he’s telling the judge that they’re not and he also believes them.
Apparently when this movie was being made and they were doing takes of the last court scenes, actors from other movies being made nearby would pop in and sit in the court, to watch Tom and Jack - a masterclass on how to act.
That's where this movie is largely fantasy. Illegal orders are given all the time, and almost always obeyed without question. There probably wouldn't even have been a trial, but if there were, there's no chance it would have been allowed to happen like this. Nicholson's character would have been promoted.
@@dudermcdudeface3674 So, while I generally agree that the first part of your statement is true (unlawful orders are issued all the time, and almost always obeyed without question), whether or not the person obeying the order is court martialed or punished for it largely depends on what the order was, and even more specifically the impact of said order. If the order was something seen as routine or resulting in a mundane outcome (misappropriation of funds, fraud/waste/abuse, etc) then the person following the order is usually not punished. However, if obeying such an order resulted in the death of a servicemember, then they most likely would be punished, and this is something that I've actually witnessed during my time in the Air Force. If for example an Airman is ordered to do an unsafe/illegal maintenance task on an aircraft which resulted in the death of someone else, then both the Airman and the person who issued the order (NCO/officer/etc) would be held accountable, commensurate with their level of responsibility. The determination of guilt and the ensuing punishment would largely rest with whether or not the person obeying the order knew it was unlawful at the time. Although it is often said "ignorance is no excuse", in reality this is a lie. Ignorance is almost always an sufficient excuse to prevent or mitigate severe punishment. But if the Airman in this scenario knew that they were violating regulations or safety protocols and performed the procedure anyway, and that procedure resulted in a fatal outcome, they are absolutely going to be punished. At best, this would result in an Article 15 (non-judicial punishment), at worst a court martial resulting in a dishonorable discharge. Which is exactly what happens in this movie. There is no such charge as "Conduct Unbecoming a United States Marine" in the Uniformed Code of Military Justice. However, there is Article 92 (failure to obey a lawful general order or regulation) which Dawson and Downey would both be charged with, and most likely convicted of in real life. So the outcome in the movie is very realistic, although the details and explanation for why is incorrect. In doing the Code Red on Santiago, Dawson and Downey are both guilty of violating Article 92 of the UCMJ.
There’s an old TV show called Columbo where we see a murder and then watch as the detective tries to figure out what happened. Similar formula to this film.
In any type of court proceedings regardless if it's civilian or military the lawyers are required to disclose their evidence to each other. Failure to do so can be considered a mistral. Disobeying an order in the military is considered insubordination and that is a crime. If you question a order the smart thing to do is go to a higher ranking officer rather than put yourself at risk. This movie was based on real life events. Only difference is victim didn't die. There is a book that tells all. Tom Cruise impersonating Jessep was completely improvised and Demi Moore laughing was a legitimate reaction
@miller-joel I'd say that's fairly well covered by the "If you question a order the smart thing to do is..." part of the post; Pretty much what you're supposed to do when you receive an illegal order.
@@jamesvonborcke You don't always have the luxury of taking it to a superior officer, so you do have to have the ability and the spine to make a decision in the moment.
Sorkin wrote this of course, and apparently the studio people wanted him to put in a love scene between Tom Cruise and Demi Moore. When he refused, they said, "Well than why is she in the movie?" He said something along the lines of, "There are more reasons for women to exist than to sleep with Tom Cruise."
Add to that list Charlie Wilson's War, Molly's Game and Steve Jobs (the one with Fassbender). Everything Sorkin wrote is worth watching. I'm biased, haha,
'Courage Under Fire' (Denzel Washington, Meg Ryan, Matt Damn, Many more...) and 'Rules of Engagement' (Samuel L. Jackson, Tommy Lee Jones, Ben Kingsley, Many more) are also great military/courtroom type movies. Give them a look!
Born on the Fourth of July is by far one of THE BEST Tom Cruise films. This movie convinced me the man can really act his arse off, I highly recommend it!
The telling of the other lawyer is called discovery. Both sides need to be aware of the evidence that's going to be presented so that they can prepare. Springing things without their knowledge would be unjust.
Needed to leave a few comments. Although I rarely do, I think a few points should be made. In no way did Sam Weinberg ("no responsibilities whatsoever") need anymore of a role than he played. I would go as far as to say he had the perfect amount of screen time and lines. Also, the audience knowing that Jessup ordered the code red, IMHO, makes the movie better. This movie is NOT a whodunit, it is a gripping courtroom drama. I truly think knowing he gave the order, but still not being able to prove it without a brilliant defense strategy makes it very compelling and suspenseful. Remember, Jessup had a lot of power and was a very high ranking officer with a lot of connections and pull. Finally, the Markinson role was not "cliche' in anyway IMO. If it was a cliche, he would have testified and it would have been the way to prosecute Jessup and save the 2 defendants. P.S. The guy on the left hand side said he wished their was more mystery. That makes no sense to me. This is not a mystery, it is a drama. What makes this an Academy Award deserving movie is there are no tricks or cliches, and they would take away from the brilliance of the writing. I wish they made more movies like this today.
Did you guys note the actor playing the doctor that testified is Christopher Guest...he was in Spinal Tap, has directed some hilarious movies and most importantly he's been married to Jamie Lee Curtis (True Lies, Halloween) forever.
You underestimate the importance of Galloway. She did all the collecting of information, she knew all the details, and challenged Kaffee to go for it. Without her, those two Marines would've gone to jail for 12 years. Yes, she made mistakes, I think the point here is that you need different perspectives to come together to win.
While not a rom com, Galloway plays the heart of the defense team. As in she is the extra drive the defense team needed to keep going when it looked impossible. Tom Crusie plays the brain and his other lawyer is support.
I don't know if you recognize the doctor on the stand, but he waa the six fingered man in Princess Bride, also was a Spinal Tap band member. Y'all should check out Waiting For Guffman! He's in that as well. I wouldn't steer you wrong!
Why did Kaffee (Cruise) tell Ross (Bacon) that he found Markinson, and was going to call him as a witness? He had to. It is required to share your general plan of winning a case, what you intend to argue, and about new witnesses to introduce or rebut evidence. Lawyers want to win, but the system is made to let the truth come out.
👨✈️A Few Good Men is the recruitment motto that has been used by the U.S. Marine Corps has used for over 100 years. Jack Nicholson is one of the best actors of his generation.He has so many classic performances. Check out Chinatown and Five Easy Pieces.....some of his best early roles.
I know movies like to do the thing where one side presents some new evidence in court to surprise the other side, but that isn't really a thing. When one party uncovers evidence they're legally obligated to share that information with the other side. So, when Tom Cruise is telling Kevin Bacon about having Markinson and the transfer order being phony: that's what he HAS to do.
Two words: Aaron Sorkin. One of the best movie and TV writers of our time. He did the Zuckerburg movie... He wrote The West Wing, an iconic TV show. Yeah, I'm old. Best movies, though. Also you must react to "America is not the best country in the world" from an HBO series called the Network with Jeff Bridges. IT still hits hard today. It's just a small part of the show. Aaron Sorkin never wrote for the MCU, I'm pretty sure.
…building on what was said earlier, Aaron Sorkin wrote this, and also the movie “The American President” which you guys should definitely react to. He also created the show “The West Wing” and wrote almost every one of the episodes for the first 4 seasons. That show is also very worth your time.
This is in my top three movies all time. Aaron Sorkin is a master of dialogue. (Btw in a cameo he's the attorney in the bar telling the other one he would go blind on paperwork, etc.)
I have made this point before but Tom Cruise plays the same character in this movie and Top Gun. In both he is an extremely talented but reckless Naval officer who is cocky to mask his insecurity of being in the massive shadow of his deceased father.
Didn’t know if you guys would like this one. It’s wildly melodramatic and would have felt more at home in the 50s or 60s than the 90s and I’m by no means talking about Nicholson. Thunder and rainstorms during tense moments? I personally like it less now than I use to because of this. Maybe its origin as a play accounts for that, but there’s also repeated instances of military personnel (including officers) being ridiculously naive. I know a movie has to often explain things but surely somehow getting a civilian audience surrogate in there would have worked better. The doctor on the stand is Tap’s Nigel Tufnel. The actor was actually member of the UK’s House of Lords.
great reaction and analysis guys! one of the best. Anyone notice that the movie didn't have to be visually dark like the movies these days to be tense and moody? Because the writing, directing, acting and overall film was top notch and didn't need to force that. This is hollywood at its finest in the 90s.
I'm just glad you two are not lawyers; you both were wrong about everything you said in the beginning. You threw Galagher under the bus when she was the most important and critical part of the success. She had more balls than Caffy. They needed to be told straight and gave him a lot to think about. I do agree that this was an amazing movie stacked with great actors.
There two other great courtroom drama/thrillers i've seen and highly recommend:- Class Action (1991) starring Gene Hackman & Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as father & daughter lawyers on opposite sides of a case... AND Presumed Innocent (1990) starring Harrison Ford as a lawyer investigating the murder of a colleague who finds himself more connected to the crime than anyone else.
The Verdict with Paul Newman A Time to Kill with Matthew McConaughey and Samuel L. Jackson 12 Angry Men with Henry Fonda The Rainmaker with Matt Damon (A few good courtroom dramas)
Jack Nicholson establishes himself as such a force to be reckoned with, that he intimidates you with barely even being on screen since you know he is in charge. Please watch the legal drama based on true events called Erin Brockovich. Heck of an investigation movie.
The 1990s was by far the best decade for great films. You have Shawshank Redemption, Forrest Gump, Jurassic Park, and about 50 other classics. I'm so happy to see the younger generation discover the greats.
Demi Moore did a phenomenal job in this film. Her character had courage, determination, and pure gut instinct. She never got enough credit from either of you in this reaction.
This is what you get with great writing and great actors at the top of their game. Another one in a similar vein as this you should check out is A Time To Kill. Written by John Grisham (who also wrote The Firm, The Client, The Pelican Brief, The Rainmaker, & Runaway Jury). It stars Samuel L Jackson, Matthew McConaughey, Kevin Spacey, Donald Sutherland, Kiefer Sutherland, Oliver Platt, & Ashley Judd. Excellent movie.
Great movie... actually Born on the 4th of July is the movie that really took the acting world by storm with Tom Cruise's stellar oscar-nominated performance.... well worth checking out!
‘Sup you guys!! Didn’t know yall hadn’t seen it!! So great!!! Phenomenal movie. Anxious to see you guys watch it and see the context of where that statement comes from. 😊 Is Zay a bobble head??😂😅
Another great Tom Cruise film to watch is "The Firm". Amazing movie!! It was the film that finally made me into a Cruise fan, lol. I didn't much care for him as an actor before that, I thought his earlier movies sucked (just a personal opinion, nothing more folks, relax). But after watching The Firm, and A Few Good Men, I was on board the "Cruise" liner ever since, lol. :D
Exactly. Every time I see a reaction to this movie, the viewers are confused as to why Kaffee is telling Ross about Markinson and the further evidence he discovered.
This is the script that launched Aaron Sorkins's legendary career. He went on to do The West Wing and The Social Network amongst other projects. One nitpick that lawyers will point out is that McCaffrey would not be in any trouble (legal or otherwise) for questioning Jessup. Its unlikely that a defense atty would pursue that line of questioning, but only because it almost never works out and would make you look foolish. Lastly, this is arguably Jack Nicholson's last great role but I hope younger people don't know him just for this and The Shining where he's basically a psycho. Check out Carnal Knowledge, Five Easy Pieces, Chinatown, and of course, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest if you want to see what made him a star.
One little moment I've always appreciated, especially in regards to Cruise being a better actor than just the as a maverick (including Maverick of course) cocky acerbic character he'd done most of the 80s. Right after Jessep admits to the order, Kaffee addresses the court. He kinda is acting a little odd physically, not seen before from with choppy gestures, and he pulls one arm back and looks like he's almost struggling to keep it there. Cruise plays the moment like he's been running on adrenaline, and possibly got a hit of dopamine from getting Jessep to crack. That's the demeanor of someone buzzing on hormones and is trying to keep from visibly vibrating. He didn't have to do it, but he did, and like I said that was a pretty good sign he was capable of more. He still tends to those roles, including Mission Impossible. Just doesn't feel like it because we're on like the 30th installment and the character has grown. But he's also done stuff like Collateral, Oblivion, and Tropic Thunder. Hell, the "it's time to let go" scene in Top Gun:Maverick is so good and shows how he could have played his wheelhouse archetype with much more depth.
If you want to see another phenomenal court case movie, you should watch Runaway Jury with John Cusack, Rachel Weisz, Gene Hackman, and Dustin Hoffman! You’re going to love it! Another phenomenal court movie is A Time To Kill with Matthew McConaughey, Samuel L Jackson, and Sandra Bullock… And a few others you probably know. And weirdly enough, Legally Blonde is a good court case movie. It centers less of the case itself and more of the people working the case. It’s silly and fun, but it is so good at actually demonstrating how in court arguments are done that they actually show it in law schools as an example of the correct way to litigate, along with My Cousin Vinny. Enjoy! 💙💙💙
I think it's interesting that you both were so convinced they were going to go with a romance between Tom Cruise and Demi Moore, and I absolutely love the fact that the filmmakers didn't go that route.
The thing about the complexity of Jack Nicholson as the "bad guy" here is that he actually had a good point if we're willing to consider what he shared... kinda reminiscent of Magneto from XMen, but I digress ~~
Actually Galloway trying to pin down Jessup on Code Reds A) was an incredibly important question that Kafee wouldn't even have asked, and B) showed that Jessup was incredibly arrogant and whose ego was so big that he'd go off at the smallest provocation. It serves as the basis of Kafee's strategy to question Jessup on the stand. She screws up some things (not knowing Downey wasn't in the room when Kendrickngave the order, "strenuously objecting", etc.) but in my opinion kind of saved their trip to Guantanamo with her direct questioning of Jessup at lunch.
I think you guys would like another Cruise film called "The Firm" another 90s legal drama. Vanilla Sky was great too. Wish Cruise did more movies like this (and more scifi)
Do you guys like to act in plays, like Hamlet, or Waiting For Godot ??? You should really check that out, I'm pretty sure yall will have a fun time, staying late at school, writing the newspaper, being in the Media Lab eating pizza, drinking soda, some fun times.
This is such a good movie, excellent screen play and an outstanding cast. I am so glad this showed professionalism and passion without the need for throwing in a romance. When it comes to excellent screenplays and directors who works with top notch actors I greatly respect John Sayles and recommend checking out two movies he wrote and directed, Lone Star (1996), and Matewan (1987).
Evidence has to be shared by both sides so that each party can prepare their arguments on the evidence. Mistrial is possible if evidence isn’t shared 29:06
The school year is going to start pretty soon, make sure you sleep at regular hours, and that you are somehow prepared. It's good to anticipate the coming school year, so that when you are in face of adversity, you know how to handle it. Of course, the choice is yours, but school is necessary to secure your future, if you want to be the guy that sits at a bar or on a bench doing who knows what, then I don't know what your parents have taught you. They say the love of a parent is unconditional, but of course that's a citation with many different interpretations, would you be so kind as to do well in school for your parent's and society's sake.
Sure Cam & Zay I'll give your video a "like." I'll go and watch other videos you've done and give you all the "likes" that you want. But you have to ask me nicely.
FYI!! This was actually based off a Play before it was a movie 💯❤️💪🏾 Great Job Rob Reiner!!! You’re a Legend Jack Nicholson and Demi Moore You’re Still a Demi God! Kevin Pollak You’re The Freakin Man!! And Tommy Boy Cruise Is Always Awesome in the 90s and Kevin Bacon a Great Double Agent and Great All Around Otherwise with The Non-Stop Stacked Cast!! 💯❤️💪🏾
Rob Reiner said: "Before we started shooting, I asked Jack if he wanted me to shoot his angles first or Cruise's reaction shots first so that he'd be off-camera," Reiner explains, adding that Nicholson initially requested the off-camera option so that he'd have time to rehearse his delivery.
As it turned out, though, the actor couldn’t resist delivering a camera-ready performance on every off-camera take. "Every time we did the scene, Jack did it perfectly," Reiner says, laughing. "After a couple of takes, I said, 'Jack, maybe you want to save a little bit for when we've got the camera on you.' And he replied, 'Rob, you don't understand - I love to act.'"
Everyone rightfully loves to quote "you can't handle the truth" but for me, its the buildup that makes it even better. Watching Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson chew the scenery to pieces in that finale is something I wish I could see for the first time all over again!
Same! The battle they had was intense! All the details, questioning, looks from other people, it was amazing!
Jack was on the losing side and knew it as soon as he entered the courtroom
I was in the service in South Korea when this came to the theater on base. when Dawson put his hands in his pocket, the whole theater did an "oh shit"
So refreshing that there was no romance.
same as robocop.
wrong. Caffey and Weinberg. they clearly had a bromance.
@@jyesucevitz how about jessep and kendrick.
Right
@@bikingchupei2447 many a reach around were accomplished between Dawson and Downey
One of the things I love about this movie is that it does not play into your typical Hollywood tale where the two leads fall for one another. It stays a normal courtroom drama without doing what the audience expects; it allows the audience to focus on the story rather than the star power.
As a former Commander in the USAF and AFROTC instructor, ever since the Nuremberg trials where the Nazi's said they were just following orders. American servicemen are trained to know that you are required to DISobey any order that is illegal, immoral, or unethical. This is still the case today under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (which is more strict than civilian laws. we have laws about behavior called "unbecoming, etc) The code red was an illegal order no matter who gave it or who followed it. All were culpable.
I really love in the beginning.when the judge asks if they want to enter a plea he doesn’t just say “not guilty” he says “they’re not guilty”. As if he’s telling the judge that they’re not and he also believes them.
Apparently when this movie was being made and they were doing takes of the last court scenes, actors from other movies being made nearby would pop in and sit in the court, to watch Tom and Jack - a masterclass on how to act.
Jack Nicholson is always amazing, this cast is so good.
A service member is only required to follow the "lawful" orders of their superiors. The code red was not a lawful order.
Imagine Lt. Kendrick testifying: "I know the Code Red order was illegal, but I never really expected they would follow it anyway."
That's where this movie is largely fantasy. Illegal orders are given all the time, and almost always obeyed without question. There probably wouldn't even have been a trial, but if there were, there's no chance it would have been allowed to happen like this. Nicholson's character would have been promoted.
@@dudermcdudeface3674 So, while I generally agree that the first part of your statement is true (unlawful orders are issued all the time, and almost always obeyed without question), whether or not the person obeying the order is court martialed or punished for it largely depends on what the order was, and even more specifically the impact of said order. If the order was something seen as routine or resulting in a mundane outcome (misappropriation of funds, fraud/waste/abuse, etc) then the person following the order is usually not punished.
However, if obeying such an order resulted in the death of a servicemember, then they most likely would be punished, and this is something that I've actually witnessed during my time in the Air Force. If for example an Airman is ordered to do an unsafe/illegal maintenance task on an aircraft which resulted in the death of someone else, then both the Airman and the person who issued the order (NCO/officer/etc) would be held accountable, commensurate with their level of responsibility.
The determination of guilt and the ensuing punishment would largely rest with whether or not the person obeying the order knew it was unlawful at the time. Although it is often said "ignorance is no excuse", in reality this is a lie. Ignorance is almost always an sufficient excuse to prevent or mitigate severe punishment. But if the Airman in this scenario knew that they were violating regulations or safety protocols and performed the procedure anyway, and that procedure resulted in a fatal outcome, they are absolutely going to be punished. At best, this would result in an Article 15 (non-judicial punishment), at worst a court martial resulting in a dishonorable discharge. Which is exactly what happens in this movie.
There is no such charge as "Conduct Unbecoming a United States Marine" in the Uniformed Code of Military Justice. However, there is Article 92 (failure to obey a lawful general order or regulation) which Dawson and Downey would both be charged with, and most likely convicted of in real life. So the outcome in the movie is very realistic, although the details and explanation for why is incorrect. In doing the Code Red on Santiago, Dawson and Downey are both guilty of violating Article 92 of the UCMJ.
Exactly it’s an illegal order.
@@dudermcdudeface3674It's based on a real story.
OMG! I saw this pop up in my feed, stopped the vid I was watching and clicked over immediately! So STOKED y'all're finally getting to this!! 👏👏👏
There’s an old TV show called Columbo where we see a murder and then watch as the detective tries to figure out what happened. Similar formula to this film.
By the way, Doctor Stone was also Nigel, the lead guitarist for Spinal Tap.
Dont know who the Rosenbergs are? Look it up. Important part of history
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were convicted of passing critical information to the USSR and were executed in 1953 at Sing Sing prison.
Declassified Kremlin documents later revealed that the Rosenbergs had in fact worked as Communist spies to pass along atomic secrets to the Russians.
In any type of court proceedings regardless if it's civilian or military the lawyers are required to disclose their evidence to each other. Failure to do so can be considered a mistral. Disobeying an order in the military is considered insubordination and that is a crime. If you question a order the smart thing to do is go to a higher ranking officer rather than put yourself at risk. This movie was based on real life events. Only difference is victim didn't die. There is a book that tells all. Tom Cruise impersonating Jessep was completely improvised and Demi Moore laughing was a legitimate reaction
Disobeying an ILLEGAL order is not a crime.
@miller-joel I'd say that's fairly well covered by the "If you question a order the smart thing to do is..." part of the post; Pretty much what you're supposed to do when you receive an illegal order.
@@jamesvonborcke You don't always have the luxury of taking it to a superior officer, so you do have to have the ability and the spine to make a decision in the moment.
Sorkin wrote this of course, and apparently the studio people wanted him to put in a love scene between Tom Cruise and Demi Moore. When he refused, they said, "Well than why is she in the movie?" He said something along the lines of, "There are more reasons for women to exist than to sleep with Tom Cruise."
And everybody clapped.
Written by Aaron Sorkin. Amazing writer. West Wing, The Newsroom, The Social Network, Moneyball,
Add to that list Charlie Wilson's War, Molly's Game and Steve Jobs (the one with Fassbender). Everything Sorkin wrote is worth watching. I'm biased, haha,
Americas Shakespeare
I WANT THE TRUTH!
YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!
Nominated for 4 Oscars including Best Picture but lost to Unforgiven.
Great film! I do believe Unforgiven was the better film so they got it right that year..
@@kevinehle6637
Agreed.
'Courage Under Fire' (Denzel Washington, Meg Ryan, Matt Damn, Many more...) and 'Rules of Engagement' (Samuel L. Jackson, Tommy Lee Jones, Ben Kingsley, Many more) are also great military/courtroom type movies. Give them a look!
Another great performance by Cruise was in Born on the Fourth of July (1989). He was nominated for an Oscar for his performance in that movie.
Agreed....probably Tom's best
Born on the Fourth of July is by far one of THE BEST Tom Cruise films. This movie convinced me the man can really act his arse off, I highly recommend it!
For me, it was Rain Man
@savage_skirt5386 You're right,he is great in that too.😊
One I liked him in was Valkyrie
Nicholson’s scariest role.
Jessep would eat Jack Torrance and Joker for lunch.
Maybe his character in The Departed?
This WAS the Joker playing a military officer.
Wouldn’t be hard to take out jack Torrance since he’s a bum without the overlook hotel influencing his actions throughout his employment.
The telling of the other lawyer is called discovery. Both sides need to be aware of the evidence that's going to be presented so that they can prepare. Springing things without their knowledge would be unjust.
Needed to leave a few comments. Although I rarely do, I think a few points should be made.
In no way did Sam Weinberg ("no responsibilities whatsoever") need anymore of a role than he played. I would go as far as to say he had the perfect amount of screen time and lines.
Also, the audience knowing that Jessup ordered the code red, IMHO, makes the movie better. This movie is NOT a whodunit, it is a gripping courtroom drama. I truly think knowing he gave the order, but still not being able to prove it without a brilliant defense strategy makes it very compelling and suspenseful. Remember, Jessup had a lot of power and was a very high ranking officer with a lot of connections and pull.
Finally, the Markinson role was not "cliche' in anyway IMO. If it was a cliche, he would have testified and it would have been the way to prosecute Jessup and save the 2 defendants.
P.S. The guy on the left hand side said he wished their was more mystery. That makes no sense to me. This is not a mystery, it is a drama. What makes this an Academy Award deserving movie is there are no tricks or cliches, and they would take away from the brilliance of the writing. I wish they made more movies like this today.
Did you guys note the actor playing the doctor that testified is Christopher Guest...he was in Spinal Tap, has directed some hilarious movies and most importantly he's been married to Jamie Lee Curtis (True Lies, Halloween) forever.
You underestimate the importance of Galloway. She did all the collecting of information, she knew all the details, and challenged Kaffee to go for it. Without her, those two Marines would've gone to jail for 12 years. Yes, she made mistakes, I think the point here is that you need different perspectives to come together to win.
While not a rom com, Galloway plays the heart of the defense team. As in she is the extra drive the defense team needed to keep going when it looked impossible. Tom Crusie plays the brain and his other lawyer is support.
I don't know if you recognize the doctor on the stand, but he waa the six fingered man in Princess Bride, also was a Spinal Tap band member. Y'all should check out Waiting For Guffman! He's in that as well. I wouldn't steer you wrong!
Why did Kaffee (Cruise) tell Ross (Bacon) that he found Markinson, and was going to call him as a witness? He had to. It is required to share your general plan of winning a case, what you intend to argue, and about new witnesses to introduce or rebut evidence.
Lawyers want to win, but the system is made to let the truth come out.
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. Very famous espionage case in 1951. It's referenced a lot in pop culture in the 80s & 90s.
👨✈️A Few Good Men is the recruitment motto that has been used by the U.S. Marine Corps has used for over 100 years. Jack Nicholson is one of the best actors of his generation.He has so many classic performances. Check out Chinatown and Five Easy Pieces.....some of his best early roles.
I know movies like to do the thing where one side presents some new evidence in court to surprise the other side, but that isn't really a thing. When one party uncovers evidence they're legally obligated to share that information with the other side. So, when Tom Cruise is telling Kevin Bacon about having Markinson and the transfer order being phony: that's what he HAS to do.
Two words: Aaron Sorkin. One of the best movie and TV writers of our time. He did the Zuckerburg movie... He wrote The West Wing, an iconic TV show. Yeah, I'm old. Best movies, though. Also you must react to "America is not the best country in the world" from an HBO series called the Network with Jeff Bridges. IT still hits hard today. It's just a small part of the show.
Aaron Sorkin never wrote for the MCU, I'm pretty sure.
“Even if you are a minority of one; the truth is the truth.”
- Gandhi
(A great movie as well)
If you guys like this 100% check out 'Trial of the Chicago 7'- Same writer Aaron Sorkin, but it's him directing too. Great GREAT movie
…building on what was said earlier, Aaron Sorkin wrote this, and also the movie “The American President” which you guys should definitely react to. He also created the show “The West Wing” and wrote almost every one of the episodes for the first 4 seasons. That show is also very worth your time.
I always love that Rob Reiner put Christopher Guest in the movie. Just a fun little meta Easter egg
This is in my top three movies all time. Aaron Sorkin is a master of dialogue. (Btw in a cameo he's the attorney in the bar telling the other one he would go blind on paperwork, etc.)
The 90s was one of the best decades for really memorable movies. So many gems came out of that decade.
Lawyers have to reveal all the evidence. No surprise, it's called full disclosure
I have made this point before but Tom Cruise plays the same character in this movie and Top Gun. In both he is an extremely talented but reckless Naval officer who is cocky to mask his insecurity of being in the massive shadow of his deceased father.
Just FYI, in the military, disobeying orders is absolutely 100% a crime.
Didn’t know if you guys would like this one. It’s wildly melodramatic and would have felt more at home in the 50s or 60s than the 90s and I’m by no means talking about Nicholson. Thunder and rainstorms during tense moments?
I personally like it less now than I use to because of this.
Maybe its origin as a play accounts for that, but there’s also repeated instances of military personnel (including officers) being ridiculously naive. I know a movie has to often explain things but surely somehow getting a civilian audience surrogate in there would have worked better.
The doctor on the stand is Tap’s Nigel Tufnel. The actor was actually member of the UK’s House of Lords.
great reaction and analysis guys! one of the best. Anyone notice that the movie didn't have to be visually dark like the movies these days to be tense and moody? Because the writing, directing, acting and overall film was top notch and didn't need to force that. This is hollywood at its finest in the 90s.
I'm just glad you two are not lawyers; you both were wrong about everything you said in the beginning. You threw Galagher under the bus when she was the most important and critical part of the success. She had more balls than Caffy. They needed to be told straight and gave him a lot to think about. I do agree that this was an amazing movie stacked with great actors.
Exactly my thought
Defense and prosecutor have to show all their evidence to each other, disclosure. So you can't surprise them in court
Zay rocking the curly do😂😂😂😂😂😂
Quema Ca look, he is going for the Edgar look
Zoomer Brocolli cut 🥦
"not following an order isn't a crime" Many people have rotted in prison for their non crimes of disobeying orders.
How have they not yet reacted to "The Sixth Sense???? A fabulous movie!
My favorite courtroom drama, this is such an amazing film
This movie made the Kevin Bacon game easy.
There two other great courtroom drama/thrillers i've seen and highly recommend:-
Class Action (1991) starring Gene Hackman & Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as father & daughter lawyers on opposite sides of a case... AND Presumed Innocent (1990) starring Harrison Ford as a lawyer investigating the murder of a colleague who finds himself more connected to the crime than anyone else.
The Verdict with Paul Newman
A Time to Kill with Matthew McConaughey and Samuel L. Jackson
12 Angry Men with Henry Fonda
The Rainmaker with Matt Damon
(A few good courtroom dramas)
I believe that legally they have to divulge their witnesses
Jack Nicholson establishes himself as such a force to be reckoned with, that he intimidates you with barely even being on screen since you know he is in charge. Please watch the legal drama based on true events called Erin Brockovich. Heck of an investigation movie.
The 1990s was by far the best decade for great films. You have Shawshank Redemption, Forrest Gump, Jurassic Park, and about 50 other classics. I'm so happy to see the younger generation discover the greats.
Demi Moore did a phenomenal job in this film. Her character had courage, determination, and pure gut instinct. She never got enough credit from either of you in this reaction.
Excited that you guys are making another review, keep up the good fight.
Another great older military movie in a similar vein is The Caine Mutiny starring Humphrey Bogart.
This is what you get with great writing and great actors at the top of their game.
Another one in a similar vein as this you should check out is A Time To Kill. Written by John Grisham (who also wrote The Firm, The Client, The Pelican Brief, The Rainmaker, & Runaway Jury). It stars Samuel L Jackson, Matthew McConaughey, Kevin Spacey, Donald Sutherland, Kiefer Sutherland, Oliver Platt, & Ashley Judd. Excellent movie.
Another cool movie to react to would be, "Dead Calm" (1989), starring Nicole Kidman, Billy Zane, and Sam Neill.
I’ve seen this one 180 times. I can do the YOU CANT HANDLE THE TRUTH monologue from memory. Probably the best courtroom drama of all time. ❤
Cam with the auctioneer plug for the Patreon before the start of the reaction was hilarious!
Yessssss....this movie is a must for everyone!
Great movie... actually Born on the 4th of July is the movie that really took the acting world by storm with Tom Cruise's stellar oscar-nominated performance.... well worth checking out!
Great reaction guys! I always appreciate your after-thoughts. For younger people you both articulate your thoughts very well. Keep it up, and thanks.
Ya need to react to Men of Honor with Cuba Gooding and Robert Deniro
FOR SURE!!! Excellent movie!
Barely anyone reacts to Men of Honor. It's so good. Deserves more eyes on it.
@@jessecortez9449 Absolutely!
Dawson and Downey were screwed the second they were told to give the code red. Do it, dishonorable discharge. Don’t do it, prob receive one themselves
‘Sup you guys!! Didn’t know yall hadn’t seen it!! So great!!! Phenomenal movie. Anxious to see you guys watch it and see the context of where that statement comes from. 😊 Is Zay a bobble head??😂😅
For Tom Cruise his Fallout traits are Gifted (has always been good) and Small Frame (a tiny little man).
Another great courtroom drama is the 1996 movie Primal Fear. It stars Richard Gere and Edward Norton
Another great Tom Cruise film to watch is "The Firm". Amazing movie!! It was the film that finally made me into a Cruise fan, lol. I didn't much care for him as an actor before that, I thought his earlier movies sucked (just a personal opinion, nothing more folks, relax). But after watching The Firm, and A Few Good Men, I was on board the "Cruise" liner ever since, lol. :D
28:19, little fact about law, you're not allowed any surprises in a court room, it's called disclosure.
Exactly. Every time I see a reaction to this movie, the viewers are confused as to why Kaffee is telling Ross about Markinson and the further evidence he discovered.
Brady law
Aaron Sorkin writes some of the best dialogue of all time...
Always thought someone should make a parody of this movie with John Goodman playing a few of the characters.
Thanks, Cameron! Thanks, Isaiah! ⚖
This is the script that launched Aaron Sorkins's legendary career. He went on to do The West Wing and The Social Network amongst other projects. One nitpick that lawyers will point out is that McCaffrey would not be in any trouble (legal or otherwise) for questioning Jessup. Its unlikely that a defense atty would pursue that line of questioning, but only because it almost never works out and would make you look foolish.
Lastly, this is arguably Jack Nicholson's last great role but I hope younger people don't know him just for this and The Shining where he's basically a psycho. Check out Carnal Knowledge, Five Easy Pieces, Chinatown, and of course, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest if you want to see what made him a star.
Amistad is another great history-courtroom drama that doesn't get the credit it deserves, I recommend you guys watch it!
One little moment I've always appreciated, especially in regards to Cruise being a better actor than just the as a maverick (including Maverick of course) cocky acerbic character he'd done most of the 80s. Right after Jessep admits to the order, Kaffee addresses the court. He kinda is acting a little odd physically, not seen before from with choppy gestures, and he pulls one arm back and looks like he's almost struggling to keep it there. Cruise plays the moment like he's been running on adrenaline, and possibly got a hit of dopamine from getting Jessep to crack. That's the demeanor of someone buzzing on hormones and is trying to keep from visibly vibrating. He didn't have to do it, but he did, and like I said that was a pretty good sign he was capable of more. He still tends to those roles, including Mission Impossible. Just doesn't feel like it because we're on like the 30th installment and the character has grown. But he's also done stuff like Collateral, Oblivion, and Tropic Thunder. Hell, the "it's time to let go" scene in Top Gun:Maverick is so good and shows how he could have played his wheelhouse archetype with much more depth.
If you want to see another phenomenal court case movie, you should watch Runaway Jury with John Cusack, Rachel Weisz, Gene Hackman, and Dustin Hoffman! You’re going to love it! Another phenomenal court movie is A Time To Kill with Matthew McConaughey, Samuel L Jackson, and Sandra Bullock… And a few others you probably know. And weirdly enough, Legally Blonde is a good court case movie. It centers less of the case itself and more of the people working the case. It’s silly and fun, but it is so good at actually demonstrating how in court arguments are done that they actually show it in law schools as an example of the correct way to litigate, along with My Cousin Vinny. Enjoy! 💙💙💙
I think it's interesting that you both were so convinced they were going to go with a romance between Tom Cruise and Demi Moore, and I absolutely love the fact that the filmmakers didn't go that route.
Its amazing how many lines are getting stepped on.
You two are the kings of terrible predictions and early judgements.
The thing about the complexity of Jack Nicholson as the "bad guy" here is that he actually had a good point if we're willing to consider what he shared... kinda reminiscent of Magneto from XMen, but I digress ~~
You guys CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!
Actually Galloway trying to pin down Jessup on Code Reds A) was an incredibly important question that Kafee wouldn't even have asked, and B) showed that Jessup was incredibly arrogant and whose ego was so big that he'd go off at the smallest provocation. It serves as the basis of Kafee's strategy to question Jessup on the stand.
She screws up some things (not knowing Downey wasn't in the room when Kendrickngave the order, "strenuously objecting", etc.) but in my opinion kind of saved their trip to Guantanamo with her direct questioning of Jessup at lunch.
I think you guys would like another Cruise film called "The Firm" another 90s legal drama. Vanilla Sky was great too. Wish Cruise did more movies like this (and more scifi)
I just saw this for the first time recently. I have no idea why I didn’t watch it sooner. Such a good movie 😊
Do you guys like to act in plays, like Hamlet, or Waiting For Godot ??? You should really check that out, I'm pretty sure yall will have a fun time, staying late at school, writing the newspaper, being in the Media Lab eating pizza, drinking soda, some fun times.
This is such a good movie, excellent screen play and an outstanding cast.
I am so glad this showed professionalism and passion without the need for throwing in a romance.
When it comes to excellent screenplays and directors who works with top notch actors I greatly respect John Sayles and recommend checking out two movies he wrote and directed, Lone Star (1996), and Matewan (1987).
Evidence has to be shared by both sides so that each party can prepare their arguments on the evidence. Mistrial is possible if evidence isn’t shared 29:06
❤Tom Cruise gives an amazing performance in Jerry Maguire......you guys would love it. He is so good.....not just an action star.
Make sure to check To. Cruise out in “Interview with the Vampire”. 2 other good movies to react to would be, “Interstellar” and “Meet Joe Black”
The school year is going to start pretty soon, make sure you sleep at regular hours, and that you are somehow prepared.
It's good to anticipate the coming school year, so that when you are in face of adversity, you know how to handle it.
Of course, the choice is yours, but school is necessary to secure your future, if you want to be the guy that sits at a bar or on a bench doing who knows what, then I don't know what your parents have taught you. They say the love of a parent is unconditional, but of course that's a citation with many different interpretations, would you be so kind as to do well in school for your parent's and society's sake.
Sure Cam & Zay I'll give your video a "like." I'll go and watch other videos you've done and give you all the "likes" that you want.
But you have to ask me nicely.
FYI!! This was actually based off a Play before it was a movie 💯❤️💪🏾 Great Job Rob Reiner!!! You’re a Legend Jack Nicholson and Demi Moore You’re Still a Demi God! Kevin Pollak You’re The Freakin Man!! And Tommy Boy Cruise Is Always Awesome in the 90s and Kevin Bacon a Great Double Agent and Great All Around Otherwise with The Non-Stop Stacked Cast!! 💯❤️💪🏾
The Devil’s Advocate is another great court room drama/thriller/horror. Starring Keanu Reeves, Al Pacino, and Charlize Theron.
UA-cam.. why are you hiding my comments?
My mom took me to see the original play on Broadway in the early 90s. Pretty great.
Please react to A Time To Kill❤
So glad you’ve discovered this classic highly rewatchable masterpiece.
Watch any movie written by Aaron Sorkin.
One of my favourite Tom Cruise movies is Rain Man. A very different kind of movie from what you’d expect of action hero Tom but it’s SO good.