Bulwark Takes A Few Good Men: How “You Can’t Handle the Truth” Became America’s Favorite Lie
Oct 6, 2025
Dive into the courtroom drama of A Few Good Men as hosts explore the moral complexities of loyalty and obedience. They debate whether Colonel Jessup's authoritarian mindset reflects modern political issues. Demi Moore's character sparks discussions on gender representation and the role of women in authority. The panel questions the balance between military training and humane approaches, all while appreciating Jack Nicholson's iconic performance and the film's lasting impact on American culture.
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Birth Of The Walk-and-Talk
- Aaron Sorkin invented the signature "walk-and-talk" style during A Few Good Men by staging overlapping office-to-car dialogue.
- That staging decision shaped Sorkin's cinematic rhythm across his later TV and film work.
Jessup As A Cautionary Archetype
- A Few Good Men frames Colonel Jessup as a cautionary example of chain-of-command gone rogue.
- The hosts link Jessup's rhetoric to present-day military-authoritarian postures in politics.
Plot In A Nutshell
- Sonny summarizes the plot: Marines in Guantanamo kill a private after a "code red" hazing and Tom Cruise's JAG team uncovers orders from higher up.
- Jack Nicholson's Colonel Jessup admits ordering the act and delivers the film's moral confrontation.
