An Officer and a Gentleman (1982) Review

 

An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)

An Officer and a Gentleman follows rebellious Navy Officer Candidate Zack Mayo as he gets a rude awakening in the academy. An unexpected romance with a local girl however, gives him the motivation he needs to push through and succeed as an officer. 

It’s not really known on here, (as I have avoided it as best I can) but I have a pretty strong disdain for Richard Gere. He’s always come off as the male equivalent of Meryl Streep (who I may dislike even more). But I’m one to also admit when I am wrong, and I’m wrong in this case, because this is a hell of a movie. At first glance, it’s another hollow military flick where the guy gets the girl but wow, does it surpass expectations and give us a deeper, more meaningful experience that even after Zack comes to his senses and gets the girl, it still doesn’t feel like a happy ending after all thats transpired. Him and the other officers were put through hell, Zach maybe most of all. 

What makes this film succeed though isn’t it’s willingness to subject it’s characters to scarring tragedy but it’s attempt to let the characters grow and discover who they are and what they want. Sid must face the hard truth with Lynn, after 12 weeks of careless love, her rejection of him quite literally kills him. Zack however, feels unworthy of love and though he has it, pushes it away to spare himself. This isn’t a movie about love. It’s a movie about growth, growing learning to love, and growing in understanding of what they will and won’t accept on that path. Which is why I found this so compelling, as someone who doesn’t like straightforward love. It’s never that easy and this presents that in leaps and bounds. 

We get a great cast here, starring Lisa Blount, Lisa Eilbacher, Louis Gossett Jr., David Keith, Debra Winger, and Richard Gere. I really love Winger in this, really puttinf forth a complex and passionate portrayal of love that feels real, especially with how likable she comes off as. Gere also makes Zack a very dimensional character that is relatable, especially as a young man, who knows not what we wants, laying his emotions (ones that will often get him in trouble) all out on the table for Winger, Gossett Jr., and Keith to see. 

An Officer and a Gentleman, directed by Taylor Hackford, is honestly one of the better ‘love’ stories I’ve seen, possibly ever, because it isn’t ever about the love. It takes its time to develop these people, who are ever so flawed, so that by the films end, we understand them for the eventual paths they take, however hard it was to get there. 

8.7/10