Good Morning, Vietnam

Barry Levinson, director of note, fashions a flawed but memorable comedy out of the exploits of Adrian Cronauer, a real-life DJ for Armed Forces radio during Vietnam. Cronauer is played by the superhuman Robin Williams, and, while he has excellent supporting players, Williams IS the movie. As has been commented upon, the film's setup plays right into Williams' hands, making use of his unmatched gift for free-associating, non-stop, visceral, verbal comedy. As has also been commented upon, Levinson kind of blows it, by cutting away from Williams mid-flight too much; he breaks up the rhythm and the flow. But a lot of it is sidesplitting anyway.

I could probably do without the politicization and rude awakening that Cronauer undergoes, but it may be important, and in any event, it is a small price to pay for the satire we get. I guess what makes this stuff so funny is the fact that it's not just jokes, but satire of another era, one which still seems no less deserving of lampooning today. Good satire is timeless, and a lot of this points up the ludicrousness of the situation then, which we may now be maturing enough to be able to appreciate. The high point of the picture is an altogether extraordinary setpiece scene in which a disillusioned Cronauer--who is not interested in performing--gets stuck in a troop convoy and begins--almost against his will, but then with growing enthusiasm--to play to the crowd. He is dragged along by his true affection for the men, and it comes through. The material is hilarious, but what really shows is his empathy, his real caring for these kids on their way to a hell. His concern is almost palpable; it warms the crowd, and it rejuvenates Cronauer himself as he remembers what he is really all about--the troops whose lives he can brighten even for a little while. And it leaves us, the viewers, moved as well, even while we are laughing. This scene is all Williams--a real tour-de-force--he is a marvelous actor here, not just a comedian, and he touches us, just as the Cronauer of the film touches his troops.