A Few Good Men (1992)

 This is a solid film if it is about a depressing topic and the film title sums up the amount of men I actually believe are good in this world. 

Though the term hate crime is never used, a young Hispanic marine is hazed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba where he dies shortly after the tragic incident. Naturally, the young marines are charged with many crimes even though they claim they were only acting on orders from their superior officers. Cavalier young, hot-shot attorney, Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise) is assigned to defend them and, quite frankly, he doesn't take the job that seriously, certainly not at first much to the chagrin of interior affairs investigator Joanne Galloway (Demi Moore, proving that she's more than just a pretty face). Now, do they have proof that the coronels ordered this 'Code Red'? Not at all, but that doesn't stop them from putting their life on hold, burning the midnight oil along with Danny's 'assistant' Sam (Kevin Pollak) to win this case and there are plenty of holes none of which are made clear until Coronel Nathan Jessup (Jack Nicholson), conceited, sexist and an asshole who both ordered his men not to touch Santiago (the victim) but also ordered a transfer (which actually wasn't the case) as Santiago's life was in grave danger, so Danny argues that both couldn't be the case. And eventually Jessup admits that he ordered the code red so Santiago could be whipped into shape so people's lives weren't going to be in danger, as Jessup's job of protecting the country is far superior to all other jobs so he should get a free pass but he doesn't. However, the men doesn't completely get away with the hazing, they're still found guilty of conduct unbecoming of a marine, which is accurate and receive dishonorable discharges which is exactly what they wished to avoid, but they still killed a man. And Danny gets to be the hero, which is a position he never imagined he'd find himself in. But he's the oddball hero of the story nonetheless.

Smartly written by Aaron Sorkin, this is a tight screenplay and the acting is superb considering this film is packed wall to wall with talent and it forces you to think, should Jessup have made that order for the 'greater good'? Grade: A-

Side Notes:

-Jessup is also extremely sexist, telling Danny that Joanne outranks him and that there is nothing sexier than getting a blow job from your superior officer. Gross, but nobody calls him out on it.

-Danny really does think better with his bat. He's a huge baseball fan, it appears to be all he watches and plays on a softball league. 

-Do Danny and Joanne get together, we'll never know.