Starts weird and cult-y, turns dark and more emotional than I ever wanted

Rating: 7/10 (15 December 2014)

This is my first review that I'm going to write seriously so be gentle. I am known as the the guy who will try to like everything and thank the lord, this movie is one of them. I saw the cast and the "pop culture" quotes such as "You are more desperate need of a blow-job than any white man in America" and figured it would be a good watch. It starts of sort of...boring? I guess is the best way to put it. Robin Williams, god rest his soul, was talking too fast as usual and nothing really stuck. Things really started to stick when he met Tuan, a young Vietmanese fellow who he would endure much with. Much of the story involves this boy, and I won't spoil everything but the movie really struck a cord with me when Williams character was saved by Tuan when Jimmy Wah's bar was bombed. Seeing Wah absolutely crushed, confused, and angry was a startling change from the happy, go-lucky Jimmy we've seen. The undertones of racism and America's true influence on the Vietmanese moral really hit too. It became incredibly powerful, and more than I bargained for, but still retaining the humour RW always promises in his movies. Forest Whitaker was a delight, being the meek, by the book US army guy, turned into a man who really grew into his role of doing things the morally right way as opposed to regulation. I find this movie misses a bit on plot in the first half which is the only reason I'm giving it a 7. If the start really ripped into the true horror Of Vietnam, like what was demonstrated when "Oh What A Wonderful Life" wailed in the background while we were subjected to violence and horror in the foreground. More of those types of moments early on would have helped set the underlying and foreshadowing, but the shift from RW slapstick to "Oh shoot I'm really in deep now" was truly remarkable
I'm the guy who will try to like everything and this is one of those movies that I do like.
Thank you for your time and stay tuned for more reviews from this somewhat cranky and meta-cognitive guy.