Watched: March 21, 2015 on Netflix

Hashtag: #WatchingGoodAMVietnam

Year Released: 1987

Genre: Dramedy?

Starring: Robin Williams, Forest Whitaker

Run Time: 121 minutes

Description (from IMDb): An unorthodox and irreverent DJ begins to shake up things when he is assigned to the US Armed Services Radio station in Vietnam.

The first half of this movie was really funny – I laughed aloud several times and the most of my tweets were just quotes from the film.  Unfortunately, there were also several dramatic moments, especially in the latter half, which made the story feel uneven.  I realize it’s a movie about war, but it didn’t weigh the comedic and dramatic moments equally, making the drama feel shallow.

I’m finding it very interesting as I watch some of these older movies the evident lack of respect for women.  A few years ago, I probably wouldn’t have noticed at all.  It would have been just another movie, just another group of guys being guys, but I DO notice now.  And it bothers me.  I want to watch a movie where there are an equal number of male and female named characters.  Where every woman a man looks at doesn’t immediately become his next sexual conquest.  Ideally, I’ll watch a lot of movies like that during my lifetime.  One thing’s for sure, Good Morning, Vietnam was not that movie.  It doesn’t even come close to passing the Bechdel test.

Here’s a sampling of some of my tweets while watching the movie:

 

J.T. Walsh (aka Lt. Col. Matthew Andrew Markinson from #AFewGoodMen) is in this movie as another military officer! #WatchingGoodAMVietnam

— Rachel L. Hamm (@RLHammAuthor) March 22, 2015

My feed for this movie may just be quotes, because I can’t say anything funnier than what the characters are #WatchingGoodAMVietnam

— Rachel L. Hamm (@RLHammAuthor) March 22, 2015

apparently, they put formaldehyde in the beer in Vietnam #seemslegit #WatchingGoodAMVietnam

— Rachel L. Hamm (@RLHammAuthor) March 22, 2015

Adrian’s been suspended, giving Sergeant Major Stick-in-his-ass his own radio show #WatchingGoodAMVietnam

— Rachel L. Hamm (@RLHammAuthor) March 22, 2015

Garlic appeals to Adrian’s ego. if anything encourages a man to do the right thing, it’s what other men think of him #WatchingGoodAMVietnam

— Rachel L. Hamm (@RLHammAuthor) March 22, 2015

 

To read all of my tweets for the full experience of watching Good Morning, Vietnam for the first time, check out my Twitter @RLHammAuthor and look for #WatchingGoodAMVietnam.