Heartbreak Ridge (Snap Case)

Yet HEARTBREAK RIDGE delivers an entertaining story--along with some very amusing moments--thanks mainly to Clint Eastwood as the gravel-voiced Gunnery Sergeant Tom "Gunny" Highway. Sure, Eastwood brings brawn and plenty of knuckle sandwiches to this role, but also a fragile vulnerability that makes the character more three-dimensional. Eastwood carries this film, but that's no problem: those shoulders are plenty broad.

Marsha Mason as ex-wife Aggie gripes and complains at a healthy clip, while Mario Van Peebles as soldier "Stitch" Jones stands out from the rest of Gunny's dysfunctional Recon Platoon. HEARTBREAK RIDGE has action, drama, and plenty of laughs. Sounds like a winning Eastwood formula to me.
--D. Mikels


Among Clint Eastwood's best!   August 5, 2002
LMB (Hinsdale, IL USA)
9 out of 10 found this review helpful

In Heartbreak Ridge, Clint Eastwood brings the story of whipping a group of slacker marines into shape to life. Although Clint still packs plenty of great one-liners (which are hilarious), his character shows many other sides as well. The other characters are also very colorful, and display a great transition toward the end of the movie. A must-see for Clint fans as well as anybody else.


Funny and Entertaining with a War Story on the Side   December 15, 2002
Michael B Bond
8 out of 9 found this review helpful

I don't take this movie as seriously as Saving Private Ryan, for example, but I don't think the movie takes itself so seriously, either. In fact, it is pretty darn funny in a subtle way. There is enough variety of characters as comic relief to overcome any factual inaccuracies in the film. It is the classic "New commander whips the boys into shape" story.


Silly plot. But Clint Eastwood is a special kind of guy.   November 7, 2003
Linda Linguvic (New York City)
19 out of 25 found this review helpful

Clint Eastwood directed and starred in this 1986 film, whose theme we've all seen before. He's cast as an aging Marine sergeant whose whole life has been devoted to the military. Along the way he and his wife, played by Marsha Mason, have split up and he's determined to win her back. He's served in Korea and Vietnam and is now charged with the task of training some raw recruits. They sure are the sorriest lot of trainees I've ever seen and they hate him of course. But he forces discipline on them and really does prepare them to fight in spite of themselves. When they are called upon to go to Grenada to rescue civilians, they rise to the occasion and fight with courage.

That's the plot, and it's really rather silly. But Clint Eastward is a special kind of guy and somehow he somehow manages to pull it all together. A lot of the dialog is absolutely outrageous in its creative vulgarity but it all seemed natural coming out of his mouth. And its easy to see the loving relationship with his ex-wife in spite of a lot of nasty wisecracks directed to each other. The story moved fast and held my interest even though it annoyed me with some of its overacting and over-simplification. But then again, it's supposed to be a comedy.

I can't recommend you go out and buy or rent this film. It's just too lightweight. But if you ever catch it on late-night TV, you'll find it a pleasant time waster. I therefore give it a mild recommendation.


WATCH THIS MOVIE !!!   January 24, 2003
mark (DC)
9 out of 11 found this review helpful

oh man, this movie is [] funny - there are so many quotes in this movies you'll take away--this is got to be one of the best eastwood movies - you'll watch this movie over and over eastwood has the best lines ever given in cinima history - his cut downs can be used by you in everyday life - MEMORIZE this movie verbatum....