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Oh
Robin Williams…
where have you gone?
The world needs your
zany humor now more
than ever... Okay
maybe we don’t need
it but we’d welcome
it. Mr. Williams
used to make great
movies. He went on
an amazing run in
the 80’s and early
90’s that was capped
off with
Mrs.
Doubtfire
and
Jack.
But since then… he
hasn’t done the
typical Robin
Williams stuff. He’s
done serious roles
or unrealistic
comedy roles. Robin
Williams was at his
very best in
Good
Morning, Vietnam.
He was at his best
in that movie
because it was a
comedy based in a
real life situation.
Good
Morning, Vietnam
is based on the true
story of Adrian
Cronauer. Cronauer
at the time was one
of the early
pioneers of
shock-jock radio
that we hear
predominantly on a
lot of major market
radio stations
today. He wasn’t
over the top
obscene, but for the
time he was pretty
risqué. He was a
charismatic
individual and
probably not the
individual that most
high ranking
military men would
have chosen to helm
a morning show on
military radio.
Robin Williams of
course plays
Cronauer in
Good
Morning, Vietnam.
The
story on how this
happened is pretty
simple. The story on
how Cronauer wound
up in Vietnam is a
simple one. He was
stationed at Greece
on the radio at a
base there when a
high ranking General
heard his show,
thought it was
hilarious, and
immediately enlisted
him to come off the
air in Greece and
get on the air in
Vietnam. Of course
all this is taking
place during the
Vietnam War. Adrian
was put on the air
in the mornings and
he got to see and
experience some
crazy stuff. He got
first-hand knowledge
of army politics,
government policy,
and real life
tragedy.
Good
Morning, Vietnam
is a comedy on the
surface and at its
core, but it’s also
a very real movie
with real drama and
some serious stuff
going on; comedy
first, realistic
qualities second.
This is where Robin
Williams is at its
best.
Barry Levinson made
a great film in 1987
when this film was
originally released.
The story was
accurate and
everything looked as
realistic as it
possibly could have.
A terrific cast is
the highlight of the
movie though.
Williams headlines
and he’s supported
by terrific actors
in Forrest Whitaker,
Bruno Kirby, Robert
Wuhl, J.T. Walsch,
and Richard Portnow.
The Vietnamese
actors were also
equally brilliant,
especially Tung
Thanh as Tuan. That
character has a ton
of things going on
and Thanh’s range in
the movie is nothing
short of amazing.
This release’s bonus
features are
actually great.
Normally with
releases like this
we get the
unfortunate
circumstances of not
very much being
included on the disc
in the bonus
features category.
There’s still not a
ton for how great a
movie this is, but
there’s a thirty
minute production
diary that’s great
to watch if you’re a
fan of the film like
many of us are.
Good
Morning, Vietnam
is arguably Robin
Williams’ best film.
If it’s not his
best, then it’s
easily in his top
three. He delivered
a very humorous and
dynamic performance
and Levinson made it
all possible by
shooting a terrific
movie. Cronauer’s
story is a cool
story; the way that
Williams and
Levinson told it
made it a legendary
one.
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