Robin Williams is best described as a comedic genius, at least early in his movie career. One of his best movies is the glorious "Good Morning, Vietnam" which not only allowed him to shoot off wise crack after wise crack but also deliver a touching story about what life in Saigon was like during the Vietnam War.
Live wire disc jockey Adrian Cronauer (Robin Williams) is shipped to Saigon to boost troop morale with a new radio show. With his witty remarks and love of modern music he soon becomes a hit with the troops but runs afoul with his superiors who are less than impressed with his disregard for the rules and protocol. While posted in Saigon he gets to know the locals especially a young girl and her brother as well as experiencing the war at first hand.
On face value, this film may appear to be about an unorthodox approach to radio broadcasting which comes across unsettling to his immediate superiors. Look into the film at a deeper level and it's not just about a man bringing joy to the troops but also a man who hides behind jokes yet has to face reality. What is surprising is while "Good Morning, Vietnam" is set during the Vietnam War, it really isn't about war, it merely provides a backdrop more than anything and never encroaches on the main storyline."Goooooooooooooooooooodbyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye, Vieeetnaaam!"
Overall: With a superb cast (Robin Williams, Forest Whitaker, J.T. Walsh, among others) and a lot of hilarious one liners and an awesome sound track, this is a movie you don't want to miss. It's set during the Vietnam War, but it's not an actual war movie.
Rating: 4/5
Williams was a comic genius, no doubt about it. Somehow, I've never seen this one, though. Keep promising myself that I will. Guess I should get on that.
ReplyDelete