Product Description

A drafted brooklyn writer contends with a sadistic drill sergeant and other hardships in mississippi boot camp. From the neil simon play. Studio: Uni Dist Corp. (mca) Release Date: 05/23/2006 Starring: Corey Parker Matthew Broderick Run time: 106 minutes Rating: Pg13 Director: Mike Nichols

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15647 in DVD
• Brand: Universal Studios
• Released on: 2004-01-27
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, French, Spanish
• Dubbed in: French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 106 minutes

Amazon.com
Part 2 of Neil Simon's semiautobiographical theater trilogy about his growth from adolescence into adulthood, this film was a vast improvement over the film version of Brighton Beach Memoirs. Directed by Mike Nichols and starring Broadway star Matthew Broderick as Simon's stand-in, Eugene Jerome, the story follows him from the nest of Brooklyn to army basic training in Biloxi, Mississippi, where he gets his introduction to the world beyond Coney Island. He encounters, among other things, racism, a drill sergeant who seems to be a nutcase (a hilarious Christopher Walken), and his introduction to paying sex (Broderick is particularly funny in this scene with Park Overall). Extremely entertaining mainstream fare done in a high-quality fashion. --Marshall Fine

Customer Reviews

A truly natural comic treat
If there has to be a message to this movie, and I don't really believe there's supposed to be, it's that a sense of humor will indeed get you through the worst of situations.

Matthew Broderick and Christopher Walken carry this comedy. There is an unassuming quality here. It's funny without trying to be funny, or at least that's the feeling I get from it. There's not much of a chance that this is on anybody's top ten list, not even a top ten comedy list. There's no obvious contrivance here. The whole story just happens, flowing smoothly along without effort. And so it's exceedingly pleasing, immensely enjoyable, quite lifelike.

And as another reviewer points out, for all the innocent quality of the movie, there are "blue" scenes here, but nothing graphic.

Unique.
I found this movie to be simple and cute. I watched it once,and then i wanted to watch it again because i enjoyed it so much. The whole story revolves mainly around Eugene Jerome (Matthew Broderick) and how much trouble he has at the army with a sergeant,the people he mainly talks to,and the life he is having there. His fantasy was to lose his virginity and fall in love,both of which he did,in the same day! Eventually he made amends with his friends,after all the things they went through. I really enjoyed this movie,i was surprised about that too. All together the movie was good. This is one i would want to buy and add to my collection.

In my top ten . . .
Despite my best instincts to the contrary, this movie remains among my top ten favorite (notice, not BEST - there's a difference) movie of all time.

There is something about this movie that simply appeals to me. Being in the military and working as the Executive Officer of a Basic Training Battery, I definitely recognize the witt and toughness of Drill Sergeant Merwyn J. Toomey (actually, I kind of wish we were allowed to be more like him today - it would produce better soldiers). But the appeal of this film goes far beyond recognition of the brilliance of Christopher Walken's performance as the DS.

Above all the dialog in the movie is crisp and funny, without an element of raunch or being to sarcastic. There are feelings of genuine nostalgia and sweetness about the picture which are hard to describe, but definitely noticeable. They are in the scene in which Broderick's character meets Daisy for the first time, they permeates the scene in which Eugene loses his virginity and they even appear at the end of the film, where the soldiers of the company learn DS Toomey is leaving.

The performances of all the principles are nothing short of fantastic. Broderick is perfect as Jerome, Walken is great as DS Toomey, and Penelope Anne Miller - wow.

The last think about this film that makes it stand out is the music. There is a slow rendition of "How High the Moon" which makes its appearance at the beginning, at the end and in the scene at the USO where Jerome meets Daisy. This version of the song, which is normally done at a jazzy trot, is wonderful, almost hypnotic. For this song alone, the soundtrack is worth exploring.