Parents' Guide to

A Few Good Men

By Joyce Slaton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Complex military whodunit. For mature teens+.

Movie R 1992 138 minutes
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A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 15+

Based on 10 parent reviews

Beatrix Kiddo-Orteza
Beatrix Kiddo-Orteza Parent
October 3, 2013
age 12+

VERY EXCELLENT. Yet watch out for what your children could ask you.

This may have some language and complex themes. Commander Joanne Galloway is a strong, willing and dedicated character. Lt. Col. Daniel Kaffee learned to prioritize things. The message about honor and honesty was crystal clear - "You don't have to wear patches to be honorable". Besides a quarter of f-bombs and other mild expletives, parents also should watch for a brief sexual reference; children might ask questions about it. Parents also should watch for possible questions, like the law and marines. Children can learn about court martials and how is it to be in the navy. This film is very great, but children who do not know much about the navy needs guide for possible questions. 12+
AncientHumanBean
AncientHumanBean Adult
June 21, 2023
age 16+

Good Movie but Bad Guy is a Bad Guy

The main thing that bothered me is something said during the investigation by a high ranking man in the marines. A general I think. The general got frustrated because a female commander on the investigation asked him some questions. He then told her lower ranking male colleague that the best thing higher ranking women were good for was to give b****-jobs. He was sleazy. I would not watch this with anyone under 16. Otherwise it’s a fantastic movie.
See all 10 parent reviews

What's the Story?

When an unpopular Marine winds up dead after being hazed by two of his unit mates in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Navy lawyer Lt. J. G. Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise) is assigned to defend the presumed murderers at their court martial, in a presumably open-and-shut case. But as Kaffee probes further under the urging of Internal Affairs' Lt. Cmdr. JoAnne Galloway (Demi Moore), he finds there's more to the case than meets the eye.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (10 ):
Kids say (30 ):

Younger teens will probably be bored by the film's lack of action, but for families looking for talking points on the military, or those who just like a courtroom drama, this is a solid choice. A Few Good Men was adapted from a Broadway play, and it shows; most of the film is filled with set pieces in which the actors sit at restaurants and in court rooms and offices, endlessly debating the case and the issues around it. Did the dead Marine bring on his fate by breaking the Marine's code of honor, as the base's commanding officer, Col. Nathan Jessup (Jack Nicolson), suggests? If so, does that make the dead soldier a victim or a perpetrator himself?

For adults or very mature teens, A Few Good Men brings up complex and interesting issues surround the military and the duties of soldiers in uniform: the nature of conformity, persecution of the weak, the price of unquestioning obedience to superiors.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the duties of a citizen to their family and their country. Was the death of the marine justified in favor of national security? Does Col. Jessup's military record automatically make him qualified to hold his position? How does the trial cause Lt. Kaffee to question his own values?

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