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Hottip Cleanup
Changed line(s) 4,6 (click to see context) from:
'''Jessup:''' ''You can't '''handle''' the truth!''[[note]]The rest of the line is [[Quotes/AFewGoodMen here.[[/note]]
A 1989 play made into a 1992 movie directed by Rob Reiner, written by Creator/AaronSorkin and starring TomCruise and JackNicholson, ''A Few Good Men'' is a military-themed courtroom drama in which young lawyer Kaffee (Cruise) defends two Marines accused of murder, who say they were acting under orders from Col. Jessup (Nicholson). The movie is mainly famous today for its "You want the truth? You can't ''handle'' the truth!" MotiveRant at the end.[[note]]BeamMeUpScotty Even though the "You want the truth" part is never actually spoken.[[/note]]
A 1989 play made into a 1992 movie directed by Rob Reiner, written by Creator/AaronSorkin and starring TomCruise and JackNicholson, ''A Few Good Men'' is a military-themed courtroom drama in which young lawyer Kaffee (Cruise) defends two Marines accused of murder, who say they were acting under orders from Col. Jessup (Nicholson). The movie is mainly famous today for its "You want the truth? You can't ''handle'' the truth!" MotiveRant at the end.[[note]]BeamMeUpScotty Even though the "You want the truth" part is never actually spoken.[[/note]]
to:
'''Jessup:''' ''You can't '''handle''' the truth!''[[note]]The rest of the line is [[Quotes/AFewGoodMen here.[[/note]]
]][[/note]]
A 1989 play made into a 1992 movie directed by Rob Reiner, written by Creator/AaronSorkin and starring TomCruise and JackNicholson, ''A Few Good Men'' is a military-themed courtroom drama in which young lawyer Kaffee (Cruise) defends two Marines accused of murder, who say they were acting under orders from Col. Jessup (Nicholson). The movie is mainly famous today for its "You want the truth? You can't ''handle'' the truth!" MotiveRant at the end.[[note]]BeamMeUpScotty [[note]][[BeamMeUpScotty Even though the "You want the truth" part is never actually spoken.[[/note]]]][[/note]]
A 1989 play made into a 1992 movie directed by Rob Reiner, written by Creator/AaronSorkin and starring TomCruise and JackNicholson, ''A Few Good Men'' is a military-themed courtroom drama in which young lawyer Kaffee (Cruise) defends two Marines accused of murder, who say they were acting under orders from Col. Jessup (Nicholson). The movie is mainly famous today for its "You want the truth? You can't ''handle'' the truth!" MotiveRant at the end.
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Strictly Professional Relationship (cross-wicking)
Changed line(s) 92 (click to see context) from:
* ProfessionalRelationship: LT Kaffee and LCDR Galloway clearly seem attracted to each other, but focus more on solving the case at hand than pursuing a relationship. Once the trial ends, they both go their separate ways.
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* ProfessionalRelationship: StrictlyProfessionalRelationship: LT Kaffee and LCDR Galloway clearly seem attracted to each other, but focus more on solving the case at hand than pursuing a relationship. Once the trial ends, they both go their separate ways.
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Strictly Professional Relationship (cross-wicking)
Added DiffLines:
* ProfessionalRelationship: LT Kaffee and LCDR Galloway clearly seem attracted to each other, but focus more on solving the case at hand than pursuing a relationship. Once the trial ends, they both go their separate ways.
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Changed line(s) 4,6 (click to see context) from:
'''Jessup:''' ''You can't '''handle''' the truth!''[[hottip:*:The rest of the line is [[Quotes/AFewGoodMen here.]]
A 1989 play made into a 1992 movie directed by Rob Reiner, written by Creator/AaronSorkin and starring TomCruise and JackNicholson, ''A Few Good Men'' is a military-themed courtroom drama in which young lawyer Kaffee (Cruise) defends two Marines accused of murder, who say they were acting under orders from Col. Jessup (Nicholson). The movie is mainly famous today for its "You want the truth? You can't ''handle'' the truth!" MotiveRant at the end.[[hottip:*:[[BeamMeUpScotty Even though the "You want the truth" part is never actually spoken.]]
A 1989 play made into a 1992 movie directed by Rob Reiner, written by Creator/AaronSorkin and starring TomCruise and JackNicholson, ''A Few Good Men'' is a military-themed courtroom drama in which young lawyer Kaffee (Cruise) defends two Marines accused of murder, who say they were acting under orders from Col. Jessup (Nicholson). The movie is mainly famous today for its "You want the truth? You can't ''handle'' the truth!" MotiveRant at the end.[[hottip:*:[[BeamMeUpScotty Even though the "You want the truth" part is never actually spoken.]]
to:
'''Jessup:''' ''You can't '''handle''' the truth!''[[hottip:*:The truth!''[[note]]The rest of the line is [[Quotes/AFewGoodMen here.]]
[[/note]]
A 1989 play made into a 1992 movie directed by Rob Reiner, written by Creator/AaronSorkin and starring TomCruise and JackNicholson, ''A Few Good Men'' is a military-themed courtroom drama in which young lawyer Kaffee (Cruise) defends two Marines accused of murder, who say they were acting under orders from Col. Jessup (Nicholson). The movie is mainly famous today for its "You want the truth? You can't ''handle'' the truth!" MotiveRant at the end.[[hottip:*:[[BeamMeUpScotty [[note]]BeamMeUpScotty Even though the "You want the truth" part is never actually spoken.]][[/note]]
A 1989 play made into a 1992 movie directed by Rob Reiner, written by Creator/AaronSorkin and starring TomCruise and JackNicholson, ''A Few Good Men'' is a military-themed courtroom drama in which young lawyer Kaffee (Cruise) defends two Marines accused of murder, who say they were acting under orders from Col. Jessup (Nicholson). The movie is mainly famous today for its "You want the truth? You can't ''handle'' the truth!" MotiveRant at the end.
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Changed line(s) 60 (click to see context) from:
* IWontSayImGuilty: Dawson's position on the Code Red -- yes, he did it, but since his commander ordered him to do it, he won't allow himself to plead. Unusually for this trope, Dawson changes his mind at the end. Having been acquitted for the major crimes, he accepts a dishonorable discharge for "conduct unbecoming a Marine," admitting that he should have stood up for Santiago. This is is partially foreshadowed when he refuses to plea bargain:
to:
* IWontSayImGuilty: Dawson's position on the Code Red -- yes, he did it, but since his commander ordered him to do it, he won't allow himself to plead. Unusually for this trope, Dawson [[spoiler:Dawson changes his mind at the end. Having been acquitted for the major crimes, he accepts a dishonorable discharge for "conduct unbecoming a Marine," admitting that he should have stood up for Santiago.Santiago]]. This is is partially foreshadowed when he refuses to plea bargain:
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Changed line(s) 6 (click to see context) from:
A 1989 play made into a 1992 movie directed by Rob Reiner, written by Creator/AaronSorkin and starring TomCruise and JackNicholson, ''A Few Good Men'' is a military-themed courtroom drama in which young lawyer Kaffee (Cruise) defends two Marines accused of murder, who say they were acting under orders from Col. Jessup (Nicholson). The movie is mainly famous today for its "You want the truth? You can't ''handle'' the truth!" MotiveRant at the end.
to:
A 1989 play made into a 1992 movie directed by Rob Reiner, written by Creator/AaronSorkin and starring TomCruise and JackNicholson, ''A Few Good Men'' is a military-themed courtroom drama in which young lawyer Kaffee (Cruise) defends two Marines accused of murder, who say they were acting under orders from Col. Jessup (Nicholson). The movie is mainly famous today for its "You want the truth? You can't ''handle'' the truth!" MotiveRant at the end.[[hottip:*:[[BeamMeUpScotty Even though the "You want the truth" part is never actually spoken.]]
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Changed line(s) 14 (click to see context) from:
* AwfulTruth: [[YouCantHandleTheParody"YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!"
to:
* AwfulTruth: [[YouCantHandleTheParody"YOU [[YouCantHandleTheParody "YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!"TRUTH!"]]
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Changed line(s) 14 (click to see context) from:
* AwfulTruth: "YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!"
to:
* AwfulTruth: "YOU [[YouCantHandleTheParody"YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!"
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Changed line(s) 9,12 (click to see context) from:
* AllStarCast: TomCruise, JackNicholson, DemiMoore, Kiefer Sutherland, KevinBacon, just to name a few.
** Cuba Gooding Jr., Kevin Pollack, and Noah Wyle, just to name a few more.
*** More a case of RetroactiveRecognition.
** Christopher Guest, to name yet another.
** Cuba Gooding Jr., Kevin Pollack, and Noah Wyle, just to name a few more.
*** More a case of RetroactiveRecognition.
** Christopher Guest, to name yet another.
to:
* AllStarCast: TomCruise, JackNicholson, DemiMoore, Kiefer Sutherland, KevinBacon, just to name a few.
**and Christopher Guest. Cuba Gooding Jr., Kevin Pollack, and Noah Wyle, just to name a few more.
*** MoreWyle are not this, since they weren't really known at the time, making it more a case of RetroactiveRecognition.
** Christopher Guest, to name yet another.RetroactiveRecognition.
**
*** More
** Christopher Guest, to name yet another.
Changed line(s) 26,31 (click to see context) from:
* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:The Marines get cleared of their charges of murder but not of "conduct unbecoming of a Marine" and are to be dishonorably discharged following the trial. On the other hand, the right man who ordered the attack has been arrested, Kaffee has become respected and learned to take his job seriously, and the Marines accept that they deserve their punishment.]]
** Oh, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and Kaffee and Galloway don't get together.]] They just leave.
*** Although that raises the question--[[UnfortunateImplications does being billed as the lead female require you to end up with the lead male?]]
*** Not in this case because there was some hints of romantic interest when she showed up to his apartment to ask him on a date.
** It should also be noted that [[spoiler: as far as Dawson and Downey were concerned, getting dishonorably discharged with no jail time was just as bad as getting dishonorably discharged with a life sentence. The right people ended up going to jail, but Dawson and Downey still ended up getting hit with the punishment that was, in their eyes, the worst one possible.]]
*** On the other hand, as noted below [[spoiler:Dawson at least [[HeelRealization realises that they DID act dishonourably]] so their punishment is really only fair.]]
** Oh, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and Kaffee and Galloway don't get together.]] They just leave.
*** Although that raises the question--[[UnfortunateImplications does being billed as the lead female require you to end up with the lead male?]]
*** Not in this case because there was some hints of romantic interest when she showed up to his apartment to ask him on a date.
** It should also be noted that [[spoiler: as far as Dawson and Downey were concerned, getting dishonorably discharged with no jail time was just as bad as getting dishonorably discharged with a life sentence. The right people ended up going to jail, but Dawson and Downey still ended up getting hit with the punishment that was, in their eyes, the worst one possible.]]
*** On the other hand, as noted below [[spoiler:Dawson at least [[HeelRealization realises that they DID act dishonourably]] so their punishment is really only fair.]]
to:
* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:The Marines get cleared of their charges of murder but not of "conduct unbecoming of a Marine" and are to be dishonorably discharged following the trial. On the other hand, the right man who ordered the attack has been arrested, Kaffee has become respected and learned to take his job seriously, and the Marines accept that they deserve their punishment.]]
** Oh, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and Kaffee and Galloway don't get together.]] They just leave.
*** Although that raises the question--[[UnfortunateImplications does being billed as the lead female require you to end up with the lead male?]]
*** Not in this case because there was some hints of romantic interest when she showed up to his apartment to ask him on a date.
** It should also be noted that [[spoiler: as far aspunishment, since Dawson and Downey were concerned, getting dishonorably discharged with no jail time was just as bad as getting dishonorably discharged with a life sentence. The right people ended up going to jail, but Dawson and Downey still ended up getting hit with the punishment that was, in their eyes, the worst one possible.]]
*** On the other hand, as noted below [[spoiler:Dawsonat least [[HeelRealization realises that they DID act dishonourably]] so their punishment is really only fair.fair. Oh, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and Kaffee and Galloway don't get together]], despite some hints of romantic interest when she showed up to his apartment to ask him on a date. They just leave.]]
** Oh, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and Kaffee and Galloway don't get together.]] They just leave.
*** Although that raises the question--[[UnfortunateImplications does being billed as the lead female require you to end up with the lead male?]]
*** Not in this case because there was some hints of romantic interest when she showed up to his apartment to ask him on a date.
** It should also be noted that [[spoiler: as far as
*** On the other hand, as noted below [[spoiler:Dawson
Changed line(s) 68,70 (click to see context) from:
* [[IWontSayImGuilty I Won't Say I'm Guilty]]: Dawson's position on the Code Red -- yes, he did it, but since his commander ordered him to do it, he won't allow himself to plead.
** Unusually for this trope, Dawson changes his mind at the end. Having been acquitted for the major crimes, he accepts a dishonorable discharge for "conduct unbecoming a Marine," admitting that he should have stood up for Santiago.
*** Which is partially foreshadowed when he refuses to plea bargain:
** Unusually for this trope, Dawson changes his mind at the end. Having been acquitted for the major crimes, he accepts a dishonorable discharge for "conduct unbecoming a Marine," admitting that he should have stood up for Santiago.
*** Which is partially foreshadowed when he refuses to plea bargain:
to:
* [[IWontSayImGuilty I Won't Say I'm Guilty]]: IWontSayImGuilty: Dawson's position on the Code Red -- yes, he did it, but since his commander ordered him to do it, he won't allow himself to plead.
**plead. Unusually for this trope, Dawson changes his mind at the end. Having been acquitted for the major crimes, he accepts a dishonorable discharge for "conduct unbecoming a Marine," admitting that he should have stood up for Santiago.
*** WhichSantiago. This is is partially foreshadowed when he refuses to plea bargain:
**
*** Which
Changed line(s) 72 (click to see context) from:
* {{Jerkass}}: Col Jessup. Aside from being the villain, he's also a colossal dick to his underlings.
to:
* {{Jerkass}}: {{Jerkass}}:
** Col Jessup. Aside from being the villain, he's also a colossal dick to his underlings.
** Col Jessup. Aside from being the villain, he's also a colossal dick to his underlings.
Changed line(s) 92,95 (click to see context) from:
* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: Col. Jessup's speech about superior officers is shockingly misogynist.
** Interestingly, Jessup was also wrong. Dr. Antonia Novello was the US Surgeon General when ''A Few Good Men'' was released. As the head of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Surgeons General always hold the rank of vice admiral. Jessup would have been required by law to salute her.
** He also uses a certain homophobic slur to describe Kaffee's uniform.
*** Jessup disparages the US Navy's [[http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/NROTC_500.jpg white service uniform]], which Kaffee and Weinberg are both wearing (Galloway opted to wear the more situationally appropriate service khaki). However, because Jessup doesn't single one of the Lieutenants out, his words were likely meant to show [[InterserviceRivalry his contempt for the US Navy as a whole.]]
** Interestingly, Jessup was also wrong. Dr. Antonia Novello was the US Surgeon General when ''A Few Good Men'' was released. As the head of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Surgeons General always hold the rank of vice admiral. Jessup would have been required by law to salute her.
** He also uses a certain homophobic slur to describe Kaffee's uniform.
*** Jessup disparages the US Navy's [[http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/NROTC_500.jpg white service uniform]], which Kaffee and Weinberg are both wearing (Galloway opted to wear the more situationally appropriate service khaki). However, because Jessup doesn't single one of the Lieutenants out, his words were likely meant to show [[InterserviceRivalry his contempt for the US Navy as a whole.]]
to:
* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: Col. Jessup's speech about superior officers is shockingly misogynist.
**misogynist. Interestingly, Jessup was also wrong. Dr. Antonia Novello was the US Surgeon General when ''A Few Good Men'' was released. As the head of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Surgeons General always hold the rank of vice admiral. Jessup would have been required by law to salute her. \n** He also uses a certain homophobic slur to describe Kaffee's uniform.\n*** Jessup disparages the US Navy's [[http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/NROTC_500.jpg white service uniform]], which Kaffee and Weinberg are both wearing (Galloway opted to wear the more situationally appropriate service khaki). However, because Jessup doesn't single one of the Lieutenants out, his words were likely meant to show [[InterserviceRivalry his contempt for the US Navy as a whole.]]
**
Changed line(s) 113,114 (click to see context) from:
* TokenRomance: Thankfully averted. Originally a romance between Tom Cruise and Demi Moore's characters was planned (and stills from a love scene made it to the tabloid news), but was left on the cutting room floor.
** The subtext is still there though.
** The subtext is still there though.
to:
* TokenRomance: Thankfully averted. Originally a romance between Tom Cruise and Demi Moore's characters was planned (and stills from a love scene made it to the tabloid news), but was left on the cutting room floor.
**floor. The subtext is still there though.
**
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Changed line(s) 77,78 (click to see context) from:
* MildlyMilitary: Kaffee is chronically tardy, doesn't want Dawson to call him "sir," and plays softball while his clients are sitting in jail. Galloway calls him on it several times, and the Marines can barely contain their disgust.
** Also, one marine salutes Kaffee near the end of the movie. Indoors. And without any headgear.
** Also, one marine salutes Kaffee near the end of the movie. Indoors. And without any headgear.
to:
* MildlyMilitary: MildlyMilitary:
** Kaffee is chronically tardy, doesn't want Dawson to call him "sir," and plays softball while his clients are sitting in jail. Galloway calls him on it several times, and the Marines can barely contain their disgust.
** Also, one marine salutes Kaffee near the end of the movie. Indoors. And without any headgear. This one is forgivable, however. Indoor salutes are done during ceremonies and certain other occasions.
** Kaffee is chronically tardy, doesn't want Dawson to call him "sir," and plays softball while his clients are sitting in jail. Galloway calls him on it several times, and the Marines can barely contain their disgust.
** Also, one marine salutes Kaffee near the end of the movie. Indoors. And without any headgear. This one is forgivable, however. Indoor salutes are done during ceremonies and certain other occasions.
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Due to massive misuse zero context examples and questionable examples for this trope are being purged.This deals with cases where a character is visibly old and is still portrayed as attractive. If this examples fits the trope then re-add with context making that explicitly clear. Do not confuse this trope for Hollywood Old, Older Than They Look, or Really Seven Hundred Years Old. Do not use this trope for personally or fan\'s opinions about a character\'s attractiveness.
Deleted line(s) 58 (click to see context) :
* GrandmaWhatMassiveHotnessYouHave: PlayedWith. Aunt Ginny, although it's made clear that she's younger than what you'd expect. Just ''how'' young is never specified.
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Changed line(s) 21 (click to see context) from:
--> '''Kendrick:''' I like all you navy boys. Every time we have to go somewhere to fight, you give us a ride.
to:
--> '''Kendrick:''' I like all you navy Navy boys. Every time we have to go somewhere to fight, you give us a ride.
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Changed line(s) 98 (click to see context) from:
* ShoutOut: The title, to TwelveAngryMen.
to:
* ShoutOut: The title, to TwelveAngryMen. ''TwelveAngryMen''.
* SignatureLine: "You can't handle the truth!"
* SignatureLine: "You can't handle the truth!"
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Changed line(s) 17 (click to see context) from:
* AwfulTruth ("YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!")
to:
* AwfulTruth ("YOU AwfulTruth: "YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!")TRUTH!"
Changed line(s) 33 (click to see context) from:
* BluffingTheMurderer (Kaffee brings in a pair of {{Surprise Witness}}es to help pressure Jessup at the end. [[spoiler:They don't have any actual information.]])
to:
* BluffingTheMurderer (Kaffee BluffingTheMurderer: Kaffee brings in a pair of {{Surprise Witness}}es to help pressure Jessup at the end. [[spoiler:They don't have any actual information.]])]]
Deleted line(s) 51 (click to see context) :
* EvillyAffable: Jessup is polite and charming when he wants to be, which only makes his volatile personality and complete willingness to sacrifice people for his own gain more terrifying.
Changed line(s) 53 (click to see context) from:
* FaceDeathWithDignity: Markinson is in full dress uniform before shooting himself.
to:
* FaceDeathWithDignity: [[spoiler: Markinson is in full dress uniform before shooting himself.]]
* FauxAffablyEvil: Jessup is polite and charming when he wants to be, which only makes his volatile personality and complete willingness to sacrifice people for his own gain more terrifying.
Changed line(s) 77 (click to see context) from:
* LyingToThePerp (See BluffingTheMurderer)
to:
* LyingToThePerp (See BluffingTheMurderer)LyingToThePerp: See BluffingTheMurderer.
Changed line(s) 101,102 (click to see context) from:
* ShutUpHannibal: After Jessup was placed under arrest, Kaffee delivers this line
-->'''Kaffee''':Don't call me son. I'm a lawyer, and an officer in the United States Navy, and you're under arrest, you son of a bitch.
-->'''Kaffee''':Don't call me son. I'm a lawyer, and an officer in the United States Navy, and you're under arrest, you son of a bitch.
to:
* ShutUpHannibal: After Jessup was [[spoiler: placed under arrest, arrest]], Kaffee delivers this line
-->'''Kaffee''':Don't -->'''Kaffee''': "Don't call me son. I'm a lawyer, and an officer in the United States Navy, and you're [[spoiler: under arrest, arrest]], you son of a bitch. bitch."
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Changed line(s) 89 (click to see context) from:
* The first example becomes a case of FridgeHorror and extreme MoralMyopia when you consider that [[spoiler:his longtime comrade Markinson just killed himself]], not to mention that he's scheming to pass the buck for his morally bankrupt actions onto his underlings.
to:
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Changed line(s) 88 (click to see context) from:
** Additionally, when the defence team are down in Cuba we find out that Jessup is a great admirer of Kaffee's late father for his work defending civil rights. He's also NiceToTheWaiter.
to:
** Additionally, when the defence team are down in Cuba we find out that Jessup is a great presents himself as an admirer of Kaffee's late father for his work defending civil rights. He's also NiceToTheWaiter.NiceToTheWaiter.
* The first example becomes a case of FridgeHorror and extreme MoralMyopia when you consider that [[spoiler:his longtime comrade Markinson just killed himself]], not to mention that he's scheming to pass the buck for his morally bankrupt actions onto his underlings.
* The first example becomes a case of FridgeHorror and extreme MoralMyopia when you consider that [[spoiler:his longtime comrade Markinson just killed himself]], not to mention that he's scheming to pass the buck for his morally bankrupt actions onto his underlings.
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Deleted line(s) 9 (click to see context) :
* AffablyEvil: Jessup is quite polite and charming which only makes his volatile personality and complete willingness to sacrifice people for his own gain more terrifying.
* AxCrazy: Colonel Jessep. He doesn't flinch from the deaths of Santiago [[spoiler:or Markinson]] and after his VillainousBreakdown lunges screaming at Kaffey.
* ChurchMilitant: Kendrick is this in spades.
--> '''Kenridck''': "I have two books at my bedside, Lieutenant: the Marine Corps Code of Conduct and the King James Bible. The only proper authorities I am aware of are my commanding officer, Colonel Nathan R. Jessup, and the Lord our God."
--> '''Kenridck''': "I have two books at my bedside, Lieutenant: the Marine Corps Code of Conduct and the King James Bible. The only proper authorities I am aware of are my commanding officer, Colonel Nathan R. Jessup, and the Lord our God."
* EvillyAffable: Jessup is polite and charming when he wants to be, which only makes his volatile personality and complete willingness to sacrifice people for his own gain more terrifying.
Changed line(s) 80 (click to see context) from:
* NeverMyFault: Many of the Marines suffer from this, believing that they are above reproach because of the nature of their work and their ultimately good intentions. Jessup is the worst for it. Even after admitting to being behind Santiago's death, he's still incensed at being held responsible for it, blaming Kaffee. Lowden and Downey have an extreme case of this as well, but grow out of it by the end.
to:
* NeverMyFault: Many of the Marines suffer from this, believing that they are above reproach because of the nature of their work and their ultimately good intentions. Jessup is the worst for it. Even after admitting to being behind Santiago's death, he's still incensed at being held responsible for it, blaming Kaffee. Lowden Dawson and Downey have an extreme case of this as well, but grow out of it by the end.end.
* ObstructiveBureaucrat: Jessup dabbles in this. Aside from refusing to transfer Santiago off base, he has the Tower Chief's logs doctored to conceal a flight.
* ObstructiveBureaucrat: Jessup dabbles in this. Aside from refusing to transfer Santiago off base, he has the Tower Chief's logs doctored to conceal a flight.
Added DiffLines:
* SanitySlippage: From the moment Jessup enters the courtroom onward all the little psychological cracks he works so hard to hide start unraveling, culminating in his frothing MotiveRant and subsequent VillainousBreakdown.
Added DiffLines:
* TooDumbToLive: Private Lowden Downey. Galloway states at one point he has no idea what's going on, and when the time comes to put him on the stand her panic is palpable. [[spoiler:And ultimately justified]].
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Changed line(s) 31 (click to see context) from:
*** On the other hand, as noted before [[spoiler:Dawson at least [[HeelRealization realises that they DID act dishonourably]] so their punishment is really only fair.]]
to:
*** On the other hand, as noted before below [[spoiler:Dawson at least [[HeelRealization realises that they DID act dishonourably]] so their punishment is really only fair.]]
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*** On the other hand, as noted before [[spoiler:Dawson at least [[HeelRealization realises that they DID act dishonourably]] so their punishment is really only fair.]]
Deleted line(s) 80 (click to see context) :
* OneSceneWonder: Colonel Jessup is such an electrifying character and his presence in the film is so strong that it's easy to forget he only appears in a handful of scenes. But each one is pretty astonishing and he is the originator of the film's famous monologue.
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Repair Dont Respond. Rewrite it so that it\'s correct, don\'t just add a response.
Deleted line(s) 76 (click to see context) :
--> Navy and Marine personnel are allowed to salute uncovered and indoors on special occasions. Since Dawson won't be a Marine much longer and will never see Kaffee again, this is one of them.
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Added DiffLines:
--> Navy and Marine personnel are allowed to salute uncovered and indoors on special occasions. Since Dawson won't be a Marine much longer and will never see Kaffee again, this is one of them.
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Changed line(s) 6 (click to see context) from:
A 1989 play made into a 1992 movie directed by Rob Reiner, written by AaronSorkin and starring TomCruise and JackNicholson, ''A Few Good Men'' is a military-themed courtroom drama in which young lawyer Kaffee (Cruise) defends two Marines accused of murder, who say they were acting under orders from Col. Jessup (Nicholson). The movie is mainly famous today for its "You want the truth? You can't ''handle'' the truth!" MotiveRant at the end.
to:
A 1989 play made into a 1992 movie directed by Rob Reiner, written by AaronSorkin Creator/AaronSorkin and starring TomCruise and JackNicholson, ''A Few Good Men'' is a military-themed courtroom drama in which young lawyer Kaffee (Cruise) defends two Marines accused of murder, who say they were acting under orders from Col. Jessup (Nicholson). The movie is mainly famous today for its "You want the truth? You can't ''handle'' the truth!" MotiveRant at the end.
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* WhamLine: "He was never going to be transferred off that base" from Markinson changes everything for the defence, giving them a real weapon with which to fight back. InUniverse only, however, since the audience already know Jessep had no intention of transferring Santiago.
to:
* WhamLine: "He was never going to be transferred off that base" from Markinson changes everything for the defence, giving them a real weapon with which to fight back. InUniverse only, however, since the audience already know Jessep Jessup had no intention of transferring Santiago.
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Changed line(s) 114 (click to see context) from:
* WhamLine: "He was never going to be transferred off that base" from Markinson changes everything for the defence, giving them a real weapon with which to fight back.
to:
* WhamLine: "He was never going to be transferred off that base" from Markinson changes everything for the defence, giving them a real weapon with which to fight back. InUniverse only, however, since the audience already know Jessep had no intention of transferring Santiago.
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* WhamLine: "He was never going to be transferred off that base" from Markinson changes everything for the defence, giving them a real weapon with which to fight back.
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That\'s not what \"begs the question\" means.
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*** Although that begs the question--[[UnfortunateImplications does being billed as the lead female require you to end up with the lead male?]]
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*** Although that begs raises the question--[[UnfortunateImplications does being billed as the lead female require you to end up with the lead male?]]
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--> '''Kendrick:''' I like all you navy boys. Every time we go somewhere to fight you boys always give us a ride.
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--> '''Kendrick:''' I like all you navy boys. Every time we have to go somewhere to fight fight, you boys always give us a ride.
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*** More a case of RetroactiveRecognition.
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* BackedByThePentagon: Averted as this film wasn't.
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* FollowTheLeader: ''Series/{{JAG}}''.
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* PunchClockVillain: Ross is a minor version of this trope. He's opposing the heroes of the story because it's his job to do so and it's well-established that otherwise, he's on very friendly terms with Kaffee.
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[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/few_good_men_ver2.jpg]]
->'''Jessup:''' You want answers?!\\
'''Kaffee:''' I want the ''truth''!\\
'''Jessup:''' ''You can't '''handle''' the truth!''[[hottip:*:The rest of the line is [[Quotes/AFewGoodMen here.]]
A 1989 play made into a 1992 movie directed by Rob Reiner, written by AaronSorkin and starring TomCruise and JackNicholson, ''A Few Good Men'' is a military-themed courtroom drama in which young lawyer Kaffee (Cruise) defends two Marines accused of murder, who say they were acting under orders from Col. Jessup (Nicholson). The movie is mainly famous today for its "You want the truth? You can't ''handle'' the truth!" MotiveRant at the end.
----
!!This movie provides examples of:
* AffablyEvil: Jessup is quite polite and charming which only makes his volatile personality and complete willingness to sacrifice people for his own gain more terrifying.
* AllStarCast: TomCruise, JackNicholson, DemiMoore, Kiefer Sutherland, KevinBacon, just to name a few.
** Cuba Gooding Jr., Kevin Pollack, and Noah Wyle, just to name a few more.
** Christopher Guest, to name yet another.
* AnachronicOrder: Col. Jessup's meeting with his officers about Santiago is depicted after the start of the film.
* ArmorPiercingQuestion:
--> [[spoiler: '''Kaffee:''' '''DID YOU ORDER THE CODE RED?!''']]
--> '''Col. Jessup:''' '''YOU'RE GODDAMN RIGHT I DID!'''
* AwfulTruth ("YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!")
* BackhandedCompliment:
--> '''Kendrick:''' I like all you navy boys. Every time we go somewhere to fight you boys always give us a ride.
* BadassBoast:
--> '''Col. Jessup:''' "You want to investigate me, roll the dice and take your chances. I eat breakfast 300 yards from 4,000 Cubans who are trained to kill me, so don't think for ''one second'' that you can come down here, flash your badge, and make me nervous."
* BadassBookworm: Danny Kaffee and Jack Ross both qualify
* BeamMeUpScotty: The famous quote said on this page is often interpreted as simply just one line: "You want the truth? You can't handle the truth!"
* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:The Marines get cleared of their charges of murder but not of "conduct unbecoming of a Marine" and are to be dishonorably discharged following the trial. On the other hand, the right man who ordered the attack has been arrested, Kaffee has become respected and learned to take his job seriously, and the Marines accept that they deserve their punishment.]]
** Oh, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and Kaffee and Galloway don't get together.]] They just leave.
*** Although that begs the question--[[UnfortunateImplications does being billed as the lead female require you to end up with the lead male?]]
*** Not in this case because there was some hints of romantic interest when she showed up to his apartment to ask him on a date.
** It should also be noted that [[spoiler: as far as Dawson and Downey were concerned, getting dishonorably discharged with no jail time was just as bad as getting dishonorably discharged with a life sentence. The right people ended up going to jail, but Dawson and Downey still ended up getting hit with the punishment that was, in their eyes, the worst one possible.]]
* BlackAndGrayMorality: [[spoiler: Jessup and Kendrick are certainly the villains here, issuing illegal orders and then denying involvement when things went awry. But Dawson and Downey both display practically no remorse over killing a fellow Marine (accident or not, they entered his cabin with intent to hurt and humiliate), sticking to their belief they did nothing wrong because they were following orders. In the end, they do receive just punishment (a dishonorable discharge) and Dawson realizes it's fair, even if Downey probably would have gone to his grave thinking he was in the right if Dawson didn't spell it out for him. Even Santiago, though put in a difficult situation, was willing to rat on a fellow marine for his own benefit, and may have been knowingly lying about the nature of Dawson's fence shooting in order to get transferred out. None of the three parties come out looking all that great.]]
* BluffingTheMurderer (Kaffee brings in a pair of {{Surprise Witness}}es to help pressure Jessup at the end. [[spoiler:They don't have any actual information.]])
* BrickJoke:
--> '''Lt. Weinberg''': "Cmdr. Galloway, Lt. Kaffee is considered to be the best litigator in our office. He successfully plea bargained 44 cases in 9 months."
--> '''Kaffee''': "One more and I get a set of steak knives."
--> Later on when it looks like the case is slipping away from them:
--> '''Galloway''': "I'm sorry I cost you the steak knives."
* BrilliantButLazy: Kaffee is a brilliant attorney with a fantastic mind and charisma. But he'd much rather practice getting his softball swing perfect.
* ClearTheirName: What Kaffee must do for Dawson and Downey.
* ClicheStorm: [[InvokedTrope Invoked]]; Kaffee has a throwaway conversation with the local newsstand vendor involving each of them trying to wryly out-cliche the other.
* DangerTakesABackSeat: Lt Col Markinson (the highly creepy J.T. Walsh) does this to Kaffee.
* DeadpanSnarker: This is a Sorkin film so this is expected. Even in a cast full of snark, Kaffee reigns supreme.
* DirtyCoward: Jessup, who despite his claims of toughness, was willing to throw two Marines under a bus to protect himself.
* TheEnd: Used straight, in a fairly rare example for such a recent film. Rob Reiner says on the DVD commentary that it felt right, with the story being a sort of old-fashioned morality play.
* EurekaMoment: Kaffee retrieves his baseball bat from his closet and has an epiphany.
-->'''Sam:''' He ''does'' think better with his bat.
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: See PetTheDog below.
* ExpectingSomeoneTaller: Kaffee, to Aunt Ginny. Aunt Ginny, to Kaffee.
* FaceDeathWithDignity: Markinson is in full dress uniform before shooting himself.
* FatalFamilyPhoto: {{Subverted}}. We see Sam taking a walk in the park with his baby daughter, and the whole business seemed shady. Then nothing happened.
* FriendlyEnemy: Prosecutor Jack Ross. He and Kaffee are friends outside the courtroom, and Ross even privately believes the two Marines shouldn't be jailed, but in his own words:
-->'''Ross:''' I represent the United States Government without passion or prejudice. And my client has a case.
* GrandmaWhatMassiveHotnessYouHave: PlayedWith. Aunt Ginny, although it's made clear that she's younger than what you'd expect. Just ''how'' young is never specified.
* GungHolierThanThou: Lt. Kendrick.
-->''"I have two books at my bedside, Lieutenant. The Marine Corps Code of Conduct and the King James Bible. The only proper authorities I am aware of are my commanding officer Colonel Nathan R. Jessup and the Lord our God."''
* HeroicBSOD: Kaffee goes out and gets [[DrowningMySorrows rip-roaring drunk]] after [[spoiler:his star witness kills himself]].
* HesBack: "I got my second wind."
* HeelRealization: Dawson realizes that they deserve [[spoiler: dishonorable discharges for "conduct unbecoming of a Marine"]] at the end. He even takes the time to explain it to [[TheDitz the amazingly slow-witted Downey]].
-->'''Downey:''' What did we do wrong? We did nothing wrong.
-->'''Dawson:''' Yeah, we did. We were supposed to fight for the people who couldn't fight for themselves. We were supposed to fight for Willie.
* HonorBeforeReason: Why Dawson refuses the plea bargain. The proposed deal would have saved them from prison, but a dishonorable discharge essentially [[UnPerson negates everything they'd done in the Corps]].
* {{Hypocrite}}: For all of his talk about how Marines never disobey orders, Jessup thinks nothing of ignoring the orders of his own superiors because he thinks he knows better. For all of his talk about loyalty, he is more than willing to throw two of his men under the bus to save his own hide.
* ItsAllAboutMe: Jessup has this in spades. He has no remorse for ordering a weak marine killed and only becomes angry when his validity as a soldier is questioned or his orders disobeyed.
* [[IWontSayImGuilty I Won't Say I'm Guilty]]: Dawson's position on the Code Red -- yes, he did it, but since his commander ordered him to do it, he won't allow himself to plead.
** Unusually for this trope, Dawson changes his mind at the end. Having been acquitted for the major crimes, he accepts a dishonorable discharge for "conduct unbecoming a Marine," admitting that he should have stood up for Santiago.
*** Which is partially foreshadowed when he refuses to plea bargain:
---->"If a court decides that what we did was wrong, I'll accept whatever punishment they give..."
* {{Jerkass}}: Col Jessup. Aside from being the villain, he's also a colossal dick to his underlings.
** Also Kendrick. He's equally unpleasant to Kaffee and Galloway and becomes equally incensed when his authority is remotely questioned.
* KnightTemplar: Colonel Jessup. He reiterates several times throughout the movie the phrase "We're in the business of saving lives," indicating that he truly believes he's doing the right thing. The view in his courtroom speech might be a reasonable statement of the unique role of the military in protecting a free society and the compromises that come with that. [[spoiler:When that turned into ordering assaults on his own men and covering it up...]]
* LaserGuidedKarma: [[spoiler:Jessup getting charged with Santiago's death after trying to pin it on Dawson and Downey.]]
* LyingToThePerp (See BluffingTheMurderer)
* MildlyMilitary: Kaffee is chronically tardy, doesn't want Dawson to call him "sir," and plays softball while his clients are sitting in jail. Galloway calls him on it several times, and the Marines can barely contain their disgust.
** Also, one marine salutes Kaffee near the end of the movie. Indoors. And without any headgear.
* MirandaRights: Ross recites these after [[spoiler:Jessup confesses on the stand]].
* MistakenAge
* MotiveRant: A classic. Many, many courtroom drama motive rants since then have been based on it.
* NeverMyFault: Many of the Marines suffer from this, believing that they are above reproach because of the nature of their work and their ultimately good intentions. Jessup is the worst for it. Even after admitting to being behind Santiago's death, he's still incensed at being held responsible for it, blaming Kaffee. Lowden and Downey have an extreme case of this as well, but grow out of it by the end.
* OneSceneWonder: Colonel Jessup is such an electrifying character and his presence in the film is so strong that it's easy to forget he only appears in a handful of scenes. But each one is pretty astonishing and he is the originator of the film's famous monologue.
* PatrioticFervor: Jessup's justification for his actions.
* ThePerryMasonMethod: "You want an answer?" "I want the ''truth''!!"... and so forth.
* PetTheDog: During questioning leading up to [[AllThereIsToKnowAboutTheCryingGame the only quote anyone seems to remember]], Colonel Jessup answers questions about [[RuleOfThree three phone calls]]. The first two calls are about the military. The third one turns out to be a call to his sister asking her if she wanted to have dinner. For all his flaws as a soldier, he seems to be a decent enough brother.
** Additionally, when the defence team are down in Cuba we find out that Jessup is a great admirer of Kaffee's late father for his work defending civil rights. He's also NiceToTheWaiter.
* PleaBargain: Fabulously averted.
--> "We joined the Marines because we wanted to live our lives by a certain code, and we found it in the Corps. Now you're asking us to sign a piece of paper that says we have no honor. You're asking us to say we're not Marines. If a court decides that what we did was wrong, then I'll accept whatever punishment they give. But I believe I was right sir, I believe I did my job, and I WILL NOT DISHONOR MYSELF, MY UNIT, OR THE CORPS SO I CAN GO HOME IN SIX MONTHS! [beat] Sir.
* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: Col. Jessup's speech about superior officers is shockingly misogynist.
** Interestingly, Jessup was also wrong. Dr. Antonia Novello was the US Surgeon General when ''A Few Good Men'' was released. As the head of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Surgeons General always hold the rank of vice admiral. Jessup would have been required by law to salute her.
** He also uses a certain homophobic slur to describe Kaffee's uniform.
*** Jessup disparages the US Navy's [[http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/NROTC_500.jpg white service uniform]], which Kaffee and Weinberg are both wearing (Galloway opted to wear the more situationally appropriate service khaki). However, because Jessup doesn't single one of the Lieutenants out, his words were likely meant to show [[InterserviceRivalry his contempt for the US Navy as a whole.]]
* ShoutOut: The title, to TwelveAngryMen.
* SmugSnake: Jessup and Kendrick
* SpannerInTheWorks: Both Galloway and Dawson are this to Jessup's freinds in the Pentagon's attempts to handle Santiago's death quietly. Galloway for actually insisting that Kaffee actualy give his clients' due dilligence for once instead of rushing straight to the plea bargin, Dawson for telling Kaffee to take his plea bargin and shove it.
* ShutUpHannibal: After Jessup was placed under arrest, Kaffee delivers this line
-->'''Kaffee''':Don't call me son. I'm a lawyer, and an officer in the United States Navy, and you're under arrest, you son of a bitch.
* ThatWasObjectionable: A borderline example. The prosecution puts on a doctor to give his opinion as to the cause of Willie Santiago's death. Lt. Cmdr. Galloway objects on the basis of his qualifications. When the judge overrules her, she "strenuously objects" and is again overruled.
--> '''Sam''': "Strenuously object"? Is that how it works? "Objection!" "Overruled." "No no no, I ''strenuously'' object." "Oh, well if you ''strenuously'' object, then I should take some time to reconsider."
** Her "strenuous objection" prompts the judge to say "The witness ''is'' an expert, and the court will hear his opinion;" undermining her own point in front of the court members, which Sam calls her on.
* TakeFive
-->'''Capt. West:''' Commander Galloway, why don't you get yourself a cup of coffee?
-->'''Lt. Cmdr. Galloway:''' Thank you, sir, I'm fine.
-->'''Capt. West:''' Commander, I'd like you to leave the room so we can talk about you behind your back.
-->'''Lt. Cmdr. Galloway:''' Certainly, sir.
* ThoseTwoGuys: Dawson and Downey.
* TokenRomance: Thankfully averted. Originally a romance between Tom Cruise and Demi Moore's characters was planned (and stills from a love scene made it to the tabloid news), but was left on the cutting room floor.
** The subtext is still there though.
* UnspokenPlanGuarantee: Averted, where the night before Jessup is put on the stand, the lawyers have an onscreen meeting about their plan to make him confess, and the next day it's executed perfectly. Roger Ebert cited this as a flaw in the film, saying it's no fun if nothing goes wrong after you've already heard what's going to happen.
** There is a tiny bit of a speed bump, in that before they go into court that day, Galloway takes Kaffee aside and tells him he should back off of Jessup if he feels like he's not going to crack, and then during the questioning, Jessup's being really intimidating, Kaffee momentarily loses his nerve, Galloway gives him a little shake of the head, Jessup gets up and starts to leave... and ''then'' Kaffee pulls it together and takes us home.
** Besides, the look on Kaffee's face when [[spoiler:Jessup confesses]], and that speed bump, shows it wasn't executed perfectly, it just turned out how Kaffee hoped.
* VillainousBreakdown: Jessup has [[MotiveRant his famous rant]], but the real breakdown comes right after when the unflappable Colonel [[spoiler:finds he is being charged with Santiago's death, and then lunges screaming at Kaffee, who doesn't even bat an eyelash.]]
* WalkAndTalk: It first appeared here by accident as Rob Reiner needed a way to move the first scene with Jack and Danny along. It has since become one of Aaron Sorkin's trademarks.
* WellDoneSonGuy: Kaffee's late father was of the overachieving variety.
* YouCanSayThatAgain: Kaffee trades cliches with the guy at his newsstand, resulting in this exchange:
-->'''Luther:''' It ain't over till the fat lady sings.
-->'''Kaffee:''' You can say that again.
-->'''Luther:''' It ain't over till the fat lady sings.
-->'''Kaffee:''' (with him) --fat lady sings. I walked into that one.
----
->'''Jessup:''' You want answers?!\\
'''Kaffee:''' I want the ''truth''!\\
'''Jessup:''' ''You can't '''handle''' the truth!''[[hottip:*:The rest of the line is [[Quotes/AFewGoodMen here.]]
A 1989 play made into a 1992 movie directed by Rob Reiner, written by AaronSorkin and starring TomCruise and JackNicholson, ''A Few Good Men'' is a military-themed courtroom drama in which young lawyer Kaffee (Cruise) defends two Marines accused of murder, who say they were acting under orders from Col. Jessup (Nicholson). The movie is mainly famous today for its "You want the truth? You can't ''handle'' the truth!" MotiveRant at the end.
----
!!This movie provides examples of:
* AffablyEvil: Jessup is quite polite and charming which only makes his volatile personality and complete willingness to sacrifice people for his own gain more terrifying.
* AllStarCast: TomCruise, JackNicholson, DemiMoore, Kiefer Sutherland, KevinBacon, just to name a few.
** Cuba Gooding Jr., Kevin Pollack, and Noah Wyle, just to name a few more.
** Christopher Guest, to name yet another.
* AnachronicOrder: Col. Jessup's meeting with his officers about Santiago is depicted after the start of the film.
* ArmorPiercingQuestion:
--> [[spoiler: '''Kaffee:''' '''DID YOU ORDER THE CODE RED?!''']]
--> '''Col. Jessup:''' '''YOU'RE GODDAMN RIGHT I DID!'''
* AwfulTruth ("YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!")
* BackhandedCompliment:
--> '''Kendrick:''' I like all you navy boys. Every time we go somewhere to fight you boys always give us a ride.
* BadassBoast:
--> '''Col. Jessup:''' "You want to investigate me, roll the dice and take your chances. I eat breakfast 300 yards from 4,000 Cubans who are trained to kill me, so don't think for ''one second'' that you can come down here, flash your badge, and make me nervous."
* BadassBookworm: Danny Kaffee and Jack Ross both qualify
* BeamMeUpScotty: The famous quote said on this page is often interpreted as simply just one line: "You want the truth? You can't handle the truth!"
* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:The Marines get cleared of their charges of murder but not of "conduct unbecoming of a Marine" and are to be dishonorably discharged following the trial. On the other hand, the right man who ordered the attack has been arrested, Kaffee has become respected and learned to take his job seriously, and the Marines accept that they deserve their punishment.]]
** Oh, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and Kaffee and Galloway don't get together.]] They just leave.
*** Although that begs the question--[[UnfortunateImplications does being billed as the lead female require you to end up with the lead male?]]
*** Not in this case because there was some hints of romantic interest when she showed up to his apartment to ask him on a date.
** It should also be noted that [[spoiler: as far as Dawson and Downey were concerned, getting dishonorably discharged with no jail time was just as bad as getting dishonorably discharged with a life sentence. The right people ended up going to jail, but Dawson and Downey still ended up getting hit with the punishment that was, in their eyes, the worst one possible.]]
* BlackAndGrayMorality: [[spoiler: Jessup and Kendrick are certainly the villains here, issuing illegal orders and then denying involvement when things went awry. But Dawson and Downey both display practically no remorse over killing a fellow Marine (accident or not, they entered his cabin with intent to hurt and humiliate), sticking to their belief they did nothing wrong because they were following orders. In the end, they do receive just punishment (a dishonorable discharge) and Dawson realizes it's fair, even if Downey probably would have gone to his grave thinking he was in the right if Dawson didn't spell it out for him. Even Santiago, though put in a difficult situation, was willing to rat on a fellow marine for his own benefit, and may have been knowingly lying about the nature of Dawson's fence shooting in order to get transferred out. None of the three parties come out looking all that great.]]
* BluffingTheMurderer (Kaffee brings in a pair of {{Surprise Witness}}es to help pressure Jessup at the end. [[spoiler:They don't have any actual information.]])
* BrickJoke:
--> '''Lt. Weinberg''': "Cmdr. Galloway, Lt. Kaffee is considered to be the best litigator in our office. He successfully plea bargained 44 cases in 9 months."
--> '''Kaffee''': "One more and I get a set of steak knives."
--> Later on when it looks like the case is slipping away from them:
--> '''Galloway''': "I'm sorry I cost you the steak knives."
* BrilliantButLazy: Kaffee is a brilliant attorney with a fantastic mind and charisma. But he'd much rather practice getting his softball swing perfect.
* ClearTheirName: What Kaffee must do for Dawson and Downey.
* ClicheStorm: [[InvokedTrope Invoked]]; Kaffee has a throwaway conversation with the local newsstand vendor involving each of them trying to wryly out-cliche the other.
* DangerTakesABackSeat: Lt Col Markinson (the highly creepy J.T. Walsh) does this to Kaffee.
* DeadpanSnarker: This is a Sorkin film so this is expected. Even in a cast full of snark, Kaffee reigns supreme.
* DirtyCoward: Jessup, who despite his claims of toughness, was willing to throw two Marines under a bus to protect himself.
* TheEnd: Used straight, in a fairly rare example for such a recent film. Rob Reiner says on the DVD commentary that it felt right, with the story being a sort of old-fashioned morality play.
* EurekaMoment: Kaffee retrieves his baseball bat from his closet and has an epiphany.
-->'''Sam:''' He ''does'' think better with his bat.
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: See PetTheDog below.
* ExpectingSomeoneTaller: Kaffee, to Aunt Ginny. Aunt Ginny, to Kaffee.
* FaceDeathWithDignity: Markinson is in full dress uniform before shooting himself.
* FatalFamilyPhoto: {{Subverted}}. We see Sam taking a walk in the park with his baby daughter, and the whole business seemed shady. Then nothing happened.
* FriendlyEnemy: Prosecutor Jack Ross. He and Kaffee are friends outside the courtroom, and Ross even privately believes the two Marines shouldn't be jailed, but in his own words:
-->'''Ross:''' I represent the United States Government without passion or prejudice. And my client has a case.
* GrandmaWhatMassiveHotnessYouHave: PlayedWith. Aunt Ginny, although it's made clear that she's younger than what you'd expect. Just ''how'' young is never specified.
* GungHolierThanThou: Lt. Kendrick.
-->''"I have two books at my bedside, Lieutenant. The Marine Corps Code of Conduct and the King James Bible. The only proper authorities I am aware of are my commanding officer Colonel Nathan R. Jessup and the Lord our God."''
* HeroicBSOD: Kaffee goes out and gets [[DrowningMySorrows rip-roaring drunk]] after [[spoiler:his star witness kills himself]].
* HesBack: "I got my second wind."
* HeelRealization: Dawson realizes that they deserve [[spoiler: dishonorable discharges for "conduct unbecoming of a Marine"]] at the end. He even takes the time to explain it to [[TheDitz the amazingly slow-witted Downey]].
-->'''Downey:''' What did we do wrong? We did nothing wrong.
-->'''Dawson:''' Yeah, we did. We were supposed to fight for the people who couldn't fight for themselves. We were supposed to fight for Willie.
* HonorBeforeReason: Why Dawson refuses the plea bargain. The proposed deal would have saved them from prison, but a dishonorable discharge essentially [[UnPerson negates everything they'd done in the Corps]].
* {{Hypocrite}}: For all of his talk about how Marines never disobey orders, Jessup thinks nothing of ignoring the orders of his own superiors because he thinks he knows better. For all of his talk about loyalty, he is more than willing to throw two of his men under the bus to save his own hide.
* ItsAllAboutMe: Jessup has this in spades. He has no remorse for ordering a weak marine killed and only becomes angry when his validity as a soldier is questioned or his orders disobeyed.
* [[IWontSayImGuilty I Won't Say I'm Guilty]]: Dawson's position on the Code Red -- yes, he did it, but since his commander ordered him to do it, he won't allow himself to plead.
** Unusually for this trope, Dawson changes his mind at the end. Having been acquitted for the major crimes, he accepts a dishonorable discharge for "conduct unbecoming a Marine," admitting that he should have stood up for Santiago.
*** Which is partially foreshadowed when he refuses to plea bargain:
---->"If a court decides that what we did was wrong, I'll accept whatever punishment they give..."
* {{Jerkass}}: Col Jessup. Aside from being the villain, he's also a colossal dick to his underlings.
** Also Kendrick. He's equally unpleasant to Kaffee and Galloway and becomes equally incensed when his authority is remotely questioned.
* KnightTemplar: Colonel Jessup. He reiterates several times throughout the movie the phrase "We're in the business of saving lives," indicating that he truly believes he's doing the right thing. The view in his courtroom speech might be a reasonable statement of the unique role of the military in protecting a free society and the compromises that come with that. [[spoiler:When that turned into ordering assaults on his own men and covering it up...]]
* LaserGuidedKarma: [[spoiler:Jessup getting charged with Santiago's death after trying to pin it on Dawson and Downey.]]
* LyingToThePerp (See BluffingTheMurderer)
* MildlyMilitary: Kaffee is chronically tardy, doesn't want Dawson to call him "sir," and plays softball while his clients are sitting in jail. Galloway calls him on it several times, and the Marines can barely contain their disgust.
** Also, one marine salutes Kaffee near the end of the movie. Indoors. And without any headgear.
* MirandaRights: Ross recites these after [[spoiler:Jessup confesses on the stand]].
* MistakenAge
* MotiveRant: A classic. Many, many courtroom drama motive rants since then have been based on it.
* NeverMyFault: Many of the Marines suffer from this, believing that they are above reproach because of the nature of their work and their ultimately good intentions. Jessup is the worst for it. Even after admitting to being behind Santiago's death, he's still incensed at being held responsible for it, blaming Kaffee. Lowden and Downey have an extreme case of this as well, but grow out of it by the end.
* OneSceneWonder: Colonel Jessup is such an electrifying character and his presence in the film is so strong that it's easy to forget he only appears in a handful of scenes. But each one is pretty astonishing and he is the originator of the film's famous monologue.
* PatrioticFervor: Jessup's justification for his actions.
* ThePerryMasonMethod: "You want an answer?" "I want the ''truth''!!"... and so forth.
* PetTheDog: During questioning leading up to [[AllThereIsToKnowAboutTheCryingGame the only quote anyone seems to remember]], Colonel Jessup answers questions about [[RuleOfThree three phone calls]]. The first two calls are about the military. The third one turns out to be a call to his sister asking her if she wanted to have dinner. For all his flaws as a soldier, he seems to be a decent enough brother.
** Additionally, when the defence team are down in Cuba we find out that Jessup is a great admirer of Kaffee's late father for his work defending civil rights. He's also NiceToTheWaiter.
* PleaBargain: Fabulously averted.
--> "We joined the Marines because we wanted to live our lives by a certain code, and we found it in the Corps. Now you're asking us to sign a piece of paper that says we have no honor. You're asking us to say we're not Marines. If a court decides that what we did was wrong, then I'll accept whatever punishment they give. But I believe I was right sir, I believe I did my job, and I WILL NOT DISHONOR MYSELF, MY UNIT, OR THE CORPS SO I CAN GO HOME IN SIX MONTHS! [beat] Sir.
* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: Col. Jessup's speech about superior officers is shockingly misogynist.
** Interestingly, Jessup was also wrong. Dr. Antonia Novello was the US Surgeon General when ''A Few Good Men'' was released. As the head of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, Surgeons General always hold the rank of vice admiral. Jessup would have been required by law to salute her.
** He also uses a certain homophobic slur to describe Kaffee's uniform.
*** Jessup disparages the US Navy's [[http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/NROTC_500.jpg white service uniform]], which Kaffee and Weinberg are both wearing (Galloway opted to wear the more situationally appropriate service khaki). However, because Jessup doesn't single one of the Lieutenants out, his words were likely meant to show [[InterserviceRivalry his contempt for the US Navy as a whole.]]
* ShoutOut: The title, to TwelveAngryMen.
* SmugSnake: Jessup and Kendrick
* SpannerInTheWorks: Both Galloway and Dawson are this to Jessup's freinds in the Pentagon's attempts to handle Santiago's death quietly. Galloway for actually insisting that Kaffee actualy give his clients' due dilligence for once instead of rushing straight to the plea bargin, Dawson for telling Kaffee to take his plea bargin and shove it.
* ShutUpHannibal: After Jessup was placed under arrest, Kaffee delivers this line
-->'''Kaffee''':Don't call me son. I'm a lawyer, and an officer in the United States Navy, and you're under arrest, you son of a bitch.
* ThatWasObjectionable: A borderline example. The prosecution puts on a doctor to give his opinion as to the cause of Willie Santiago's death. Lt. Cmdr. Galloway objects on the basis of his qualifications. When the judge overrules her, she "strenuously objects" and is again overruled.
--> '''Sam''': "Strenuously object"? Is that how it works? "Objection!" "Overruled." "No no no, I ''strenuously'' object." "Oh, well if you ''strenuously'' object, then I should take some time to reconsider."
** Her "strenuous objection" prompts the judge to say "The witness ''is'' an expert, and the court will hear his opinion;" undermining her own point in front of the court members, which Sam calls her on.
* TakeFive
-->'''Capt. West:''' Commander Galloway, why don't you get yourself a cup of coffee?
-->'''Lt. Cmdr. Galloway:''' Thank you, sir, I'm fine.
-->'''Capt. West:''' Commander, I'd like you to leave the room so we can talk about you behind your back.
-->'''Lt. Cmdr. Galloway:''' Certainly, sir.
* ThoseTwoGuys: Dawson and Downey.
* TokenRomance: Thankfully averted. Originally a romance between Tom Cruise and Demi Moore's characters was planned (and stills from a love scene made it to the tabloid news), but was left on the cutting room floor.
** The subtext is still there though.
* UnspokenPlanGuarantee: Averted, where the night before Jessup is put on the stand, the lawyers have an onscreen meeting about their plan to make him confess, and the next day it's executed perfectly. Roger Ebert cited this as a flaw in the film, saying it's no fun if nothing goes wrong after you've already heard what's going to happen.
** There is a tiny bit of a speed bump, in that before they go into court that day, Galloway takes Kaffee aside and tells him he should back off of Jessup if he feels like he's not going to crack, and then during the questioning, Jessup's being really intimidating, Kaffee momentarily loses his nerve, Galloway gives him a little shake of the head, Jessup gets up and starts to leave... and ''then'' Kaffee pulls it together and takes us home.
** Besides, the look on Kaffee's face when [[spoiler:Jessup confesses]], and that speed bump, shows it wasn't executed perfectly, it just turned out how Kaffee hoped.
* VillainousBreakdown: Jessup has [[MotiveRant his famous rant]], but the real breakdown comes right after when the unflappable Colonel [[spoiler:finds he is being charged with Santiago's death, and then lunges screaming at Kaffee, who doesn't even bat an eyelash.]]
* WalkAndTalk: It first appeared here by accident as Rob Reiner needed a way to move the first scene with Jack and Danny along. It has since become one of Aaron Sorkin's trademarks.
* WellDoneSonGuy: Kaffee's late father was of the overachieving variety.
* YouCanSayThatAgain: Kaffee trades cliches with the guy at his newsstand, resulting in this exchange:
-->'''Luther:''' It ain't over till the fat lady sings.
-->'''Kaffee:''' You can say that again.
-->'''Luther:''' It ain't over till the fat lady sings.
-->'''Kaffee:''' (with him) --fat lady sings. I walked into that one.
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