"Nonsense, nonsense, nonsense!" Hugo could hardly believe it. Had Nicholas truly turned over a new leaf? Not only did he refrain from nitpicking Hugo again, but for the second time after Scent of a Woman, he gave Hugo's work an unbelievably outstanding review. This was simply too unexpected.
Although, before the release of A Few Good Men, Nicholas had already expressed optimism in his Los Angeles Times preview article, that was merely a prediction. But now, with the actual review in print, Nicholas had once again lavished praise upon the film, even awarding it a score of ninety. This tidal wave of joy surged instantly through Hugo, leaving him so ecstatic that he leapt straight into the air.
"I'm telling the truth!" Joseph pulled out the Los Angeles Times, still smelling faintly of ink. He flipped to the review section and handed it directly to Hugo.
Too excited, Hugo paced back and forth across the room before snatching the paper. His right foot still jittered anxiously, tapping the floor, while his eyes scanned across the pages at lightning speed.
"Courtroom films have always held a unique and important place among genre movies, because they can reflect profound social issues and the flaws or integrity of government and law from different perspectives. Works such as To Kill a Mockingbird, Kramer vs. Kramer, The Verdict, 12 Angry Men, and Witness for the Prosecution all, to varying degrees, involve courtroom debate, and have elevated the artistry of the genre to a new height.
Because these films downplay violence and instead highlight the clash of intellect and will, the psychological intensity reaches another peak, winning the admiration of many audiences. A Few Good Men is a particularly distinctive courtroom film, for it deals with a case within the military. The military has always carried an air of mystery, and its internal secrets are never revealed to outsiders, which has allowed many hidden evils to fester in its shadows.
The strict hierarchy makes justice difficult to uphold within the military. Right and wrong cannot be defined in simple terms, and moral boundaries blur, filling military cases with more thorns. This quality allows the audience, while watching A Few Good Men, to immerse themselves fully, participating passionately in every step of the courtroom debate. Thus, by the time the colonel—who, under the excuse of defending the nation, acted recklessly according to his own whims—is finally brought to justice, the victory feels so exhilarating that it compels applause.
In A Few Good Men, the cast is dazzling. Hugo Lancaster successfully embodies the image of a righteous lawyer—calm, steadfast, and devoted to the truth. In court he argues eloquently, pressing forward step by step until the true criminal is left with nowhere to hide. Jack Nicholson once again plays a classic villain—cunning, sinister, brutal, and vicious—yet ultimately unable to escape the law's judgment. Demi Moore sheds her gentle-lady persona, leaving instead the valiant figure of a woman in uniform upon the screen.
The film makes a grave and profound revelation of human rights, the abuse of power, and the darkness of human nature. After the credits roll, it leaves audiences with infinite room for reflection. It is without a doubt a rare masterpiece!"
Having read Nicholas's review, Hugo once again double-checked the score. The bold "ninety" leapt immediately into his vision, causing his smile to burst forth like sunlight powerful enough to melt ice and snow, radiating across December in Los Angeles.
"Nonsense! Nonsense!" Hugo shouted in excitement. Even after reading the review, he still could not believe Nicholas had sung his praises. This was so rare that his mind could not summon a more accurate word to describe his thrill.
"Hugo, pass it here, pass it here." Alex too was swept up in the rising tide of excitement, waving furiously. Hugo rolled the newspaper into a tube, leapt slightly onto his toes, mimicked a basketball shot, and tossed it to Alex, adding an uncontrollable "hoo-ha!" sound effect from his mouth.
Seeing Hugo's triumphant display, everyone laughed aloud. It truly was something worth celebrating. After all, the Los Angeles Times was not only the best-selling newspaper on the West Coast but also, alongside the New York Times and the Washington Post, one of the three most influential papers in the United States. For A Few Good Men to receive such a glowing review there was nothing short of a perfect beginning.
Indeed, the good news kept rolling in all day Thursday. Before release, A Few Good Men had been widely underestimated, but in a flash, it had become the hottest property around.
Among the first eleven media reviews released, eight were positive and only three were negative. Such a ratio could only be described as overwhelming.
Britain's professional film magazine Empire not only awarded the film a score of eighty-five but also wrote in its review: "This is like an eternal spark of excitement, reminding us constantly how stars are born and how classics are forged. A brilliant director, an excellent script, and a cast of outstanding actors never fails. Nicholson is as superb as always, while Lancaster delivers the finest performance of his career!"
Meanwhile, the famed critic Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times was relatively more conservative, giving it seventy. He felt, "This film is somewhat lacking, for it does not leave us enough space to extend our thoughts. Some subtle details are insufficient to deepen our reflection." Yet he also praised: "But Lancaster saved the film and became the greatest discovery of the year."
Moreover, USA Today—which had panned Scent of a Woman—once again published a review by Mike Clark. But this time his attitude changed: "Outstanding performances make this film. Kiefer Sutherland, Kevin Pollak, and Kevin Bacon all deserve recognition, and Jack Nicholson's brilliance goes without saying. But most notably, Hugo Lancaster's exceptional performance lifts this film from merely passable to truly good." In the end, Mike awarded a score of seventy-five, placing it firmly in the favorable column.
On the opposing side of A Few Good Men, it came as no surprise to see the name of Vanity Fair. Also, Toronto's Globe and Mail, which had mercilessly criticized Scent of a Woman, once again consigned A Few Good Men to the abyss.
Vanity Fair wrote: "This is a watchable film, with certain gripping moments, but unfortunately it ends up shallow. Reiner may have mastered surface-level filmmaking skills, but deep down he continues to evade true substance. The performances of Nicholson and Lancaster are buried." They gave it a fifty, though at least the final line offered partial recognition of the actors.
The Globe and Mail, however, showed no such restraint. "Such powerless performances have produced this dying courtroom film… utterly soporific." Its score of twenty-five was nearly at rock bottom. Clearly, they had hated Scent of a Woman, but they despised A Few Good Men even more.
"Did I ever offend the Globe and Mail?" Hugo frowned as he stared at the glaring red "twenty-five." Even though eight media outlets had given favorable reviews, he simply could not tear his eyes away from the three negative ones.
This feeling was strange. Perhaps a hundred words of praise could be destroyed by a single unreasonable criticism. Hugo tried to keep his focus on the positive reviews, but he failed—his gaze kept drifting back toward the Globe and Mail and Vanity Fair—even though Joseph had already tossed that newspaper into the trash.
"Hey, buddy, you need to realize seven of those outlets rated the film seventy-five or higher." Among the eight positive reviews, only the Chicago Sun-Times had given a seventy; the rest were all outstanding. Joseph stressed this point, trying to console Hugo.
Hugo let out a long breath. He still cared a lot about those three negative reviews. But finally, after closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he pulled his attention back. "Yes, we should focus on the positive side."
Charlize smiled from the side. "No one can please everyone, right? Even God has people who hate him." Don't waste time trying to please everyone, for no one is perfect. That truth is universal, and for public figures, it's especially vital to remember.
Hugo looked at Charlize, savoring her words. He knew the truth of them, but since he was only just stepping into this world, he still needed time to process it—more experience to truly understand. Hugo flashed Charlize a wide grin. "That really is the truth. After all, I'm far from perfect, aren't I? Compared with God, well, that's a pretty tough assignment."
At last, Hugo's tone lightened, and the others all smiled too. Hugo lifted his right hand with a small wave. "I plan to head to a theater tomorrow to watch A Few Good Men. Anyone want to join me?"
Tomorrow marked the official wide release of A Few Good Men across North America. Hugo wanted to personally sit in a theater: partly to experience firsthand the audience's perception of the film—not the cheering of fans at a premiere, but the real reactions of ordinary moviegoers; partly to gauge the box office turnout, to see how heavy the financial pressure on his shoulders really was.
There were many differences between A Few Good Men and Scent of a Woman. Most important of all: Universal had never pinned hopes on Scent of a Woman, and the result was an unexpected surprise. Columbia, however, from the very beginning expected A Few Good Men to be a box-office success, which made the box office a subject Hugo couldn't avoid.
He already felt that pressure now. Perhaps that was why he cared so much about the negative reviews.
"Me!" Joseph, Kal, Alex, and Charlize all raised their hands. But immediately Charlize added, "You're buying." She paused, then added with a grin, "And popcorn and Coke too."
That last part made all four men turn to look at her. Charlize, as a model, usually kept far away from Coke, not to mention popcorn. But Charlize only shrugged and said matter-of-factly, "Without popcorn and Coke, going to the movies isn't really watching a movie."
The four men wholeheartedly agreed.
....
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