Biloxi Blues
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Movie Reviews of Biloxi Blues
Movie Review: My favourite Neil Simon movie
Summary: 5 Stars
"Biloxi Blues" is the second in the trilogy of autobiographical plays Neil Simon wrote about Eugene Jerome (the first being "Brighton Beach Memoirs" and the third being "Broadway Bound", both of which have also been made into movies). This installment sees Jerome (Matthew Broderick) drafted into the army and forced to endure basic training with a group of men he has absolutely nothing in common with and an "eccentric" drill sergeant, Sgt. Toomey (Christopher Walken). Rather than taking the easy option and making all of these characters two-dimensional stereotypes, as a lesser writer would do, however, Simon gives each of his characters depth and makes his audience genuinely love and respect them, even Sgt. Toomey, especially Sgt. Toomey - and Christopher Walken is really great in this part. My biggest problem with "Brighton Beach Memoirs" was that I found Eugene Jerome to be too passive. Simon actually addresses this issue directly in this play/film (one character actually tells Jerome that he is too passive), and the play/film is all the better for it.
One of the biggest problems with many films that are based on stage plays is that they have a static, stagey feel to them. "Biloxi Blues", however, does not have this problem. The screen adaptation (the screenplay is also written by Neil Simon) is so good that I spent the whole film trying to work out how this could possibly have been performed on stage.
Ever since I was a child, I have always enjoyed the films and plays of Neil Simon ("Murder By Death" was my favourite film from the ages of 5 to 12), but rewatching "Biloxi Blues" the other night, I reached the conclusion that this is my favourite Neil Simon play/film and furthermore, is one of the best movies I have ever seen in my entire life. Now, if only I could get a copy of "Broadway Bound".
Movie Review: WW2 basic training at it's best!
Summary: 5 Stars
Matthew Broderick plays a down-to-earth guy who turns out to be a "Harriet the Spy"-like character--he records everything he sees and witnesses, and gives his impression on what his fellow soldiers are like while searching out his dream to become a writer, and to lose his virginity.
Christopher Walken plays a Sgt. 1st Class who has seen his share of combat, losing 73 percent of his comrades in North Africa alone, and having a metal plate installed in his head in the result. Now he's a fanatical drill sergeant who is challenged with a whole new platoon of recruits that he must train for war in just ten short weeks.
And in this movie, when you put these two characters together, you get a lot of havoc and military-like comedy, especially with the other soldiers of the platoon, like Pvt. Wykowski, who is an outspoken guy, but seems to know the wants and needs of his other friends, and Pvt. Epstein, a Jewish recruit who clearly states in this movie, "The army has it's logic and I have mine."
Daisy Hanigan plays the Catholic girl who attends school in nearby Gulfport that has a run-in with Matthew Broderick. She's in not too many of the scenes, even though the movie cover puts out the info that makes her seem like a huge deal in the movie. That's the only thing I hated about this movie---the lack of more scenes with them together! But it's not liable to lower the star rating, since the movie is still as funny as hell with the awkward, talkative, pre-sex scene and the drill sergeant getting drunk and confronting Broderick with a loaded pistol before he takes up his permanent residence with the Army Veteran's Hospital.
Funny and great movie! I was glad to have bought it.
Movie Review: Broderick makes basic training fun
Summary: 5 Stars
Matthew Broderick created the role of Eugene Jerome at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles (then Broadway where he won the Best Actor in a Featured Role of a Play Tony Award) in Brighton Beach Memiors. When the film was made he lost out to an inferior Jonathan Silverman.
A few years later he recreated Eugene Jerome at the Ahmanson and Broadway in the follow up Biloxi Blues. This time they were wise when they made the film, they kept Broderick.
Biloxi Blues is semi autobiographical look at Neil Simon's experiences during boot camp during WWII. Eugene has never out of Brooklyn, New York. He is now going to the heart of the bible Biloxi, Missouri. He has gone from on strict environment run by his Jewish mother to a toll different strict environment run by his tough drill sergeant. These changes in situation is the basis of this movie.
Matthew Broderick has Eugene Jerome down pat. His perfectly timed quips define Eugene. Broderick has moved on to bigger and better things but Eugene Jerome will be his defining character.
Christopher Walken personifies the over the top drill instructor. Walken doesn't take the easy road with this role. He let's you see his frustration with being safe at home when he really wants to be on the front lines. This is one of his finest performances.
Park Overall from Empty Nest makes a cameo as the hooker with a sort of heart of gold. Park has an acerbic wit that combines with her natural southern style.
This is the best of the Neil Simon Eugene Jerome trilogy.
DVD EXTRAS: None
Movie Review: Enthralling!
Summary: 5 Stars
Neil Simon's wit and sense of humor is catchy and captivating. When it arrived by mail I decided to test the disc to see that it runs ok and ended up watching the entire movie. Eugene Morris Jerome (Matthew Broderick) and a trainful of new recruits arrives in Biloxi, Mississippi where he and his platoon mates meet their drill sergeant. Sgt. Tooney (Christopher Walken) tries to foster discipline and trust among his new recruits; between each other and between them and himself. Among them is Pte. Epstein, (Corey Parker) who prefers the use of his own intelligence beyond the role with which he is entrusted and rouses the anger of Sgt. Tooney, who does not find Pte. Eugene's humor amusing either. Instead Tooney has some of his own! Eugene dreams of loosing his viginity and of romance and gets a chance at both. By the end of the movie, these new recruits, these sole individuals, become a team of individuals, who would stick out their necks for one another. But will they for their Sgt. Tooney? Does he succeed in his mission? This movie has its hillarious moments, its insights and its truths. Brilliant performances by the entire cast they must have had a brilliant production crew too! 5 Stars!Movie Review: The one-liners continue..
Summary: 5 Stars
The "next" installment in the life of Eugene Morris Jerome is FINALLY here. The native New Yorker, Eugene is shipped out to boot camp during WWII and winds up deep in the South - Biloxi, Mississippi. His writer's "instict" kicks into full throttle as he negociates his way through all the physical and mental challenges boot camp offers. Far away from his hysterical family in Brighton Beach...Eugene is surrounded with an equally dys-FUN-ctional crew of fellow privates. Neil Simon's clever dialogue and Matthew Broderick's phenomenal performance make this movie a great follow up to Brighton Beach Memoirs!