Kaitlin Alfvin

A Few Good Men

Director: Rob Reiner

Year: 1992

This movie from 1992 stars quite a few famous actors such as Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore, and Kevin Bacon. They portray the story of a Marine murder case very well and I found myself on the edge of my seat through the majority of the movie. Very well filmed.

To show strong emotion during scenes using just facial expressions a close up shot was used to help directly connect the audience with the subject, and to eliminate all other distractions. Landscape and wide angel shots were used frequently as well to show location because the movie switched between the United States and the Marines stationed in Cuba frequently. Nearly all the court scenes were over the shoulder shots to show the witness’s expression and the shoulder of the lawyer.

The last two big scenes of the movie were very well done in the way they were shot and stuck out to me the most of any scene in the movie. After Lt. Kaffee wins the case and has put aside his differences with his client, their final scene shot together is a close up of his client saluting Lt. kaffee, who in return is shot close up saluting him back. This was meant to be a strong moment in the movie showing that they have learned to respect one another despite their very different jobs and lifestyles in the military.

The movie was ended with a top shot showing the whole court and Lt. Kaffee played by Tom Cruise looking around at the empty court as he walks out. Proud that he won his first real case in a court that no one thought he would win, including himself. A proud moment, and a great movie.