An Officer and a Gentleman

Name: An Officer and a Gentleman
Genre: Drama, Romance
Released: July 28, 1982
Duration: 124 min
Rating: 75
Cast: Debra Winger, Richard Gere

1982

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 8 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 38 Ratings

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7.8

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7.8	Your Score
7.8	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 38 Ratings

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An Officer And A Gentleman

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Movie Details & Credits

Paramount Pictures | Release Date: July 28, 1982 | R

Starring: Debra Winger, Richard Gere

Summary: Zack Mayo (Gere) joins the Navy to make a new life for himself. Along the way he gains respect from his drill instructor Sergeant Foley (Gossett Jr.) and falls in love with local girl Paula (Winger).

Director: Taylor Hackford

Genre(s): Drama, Romance

Rating: R

Runtime: 124 min

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Awards & Rankings

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Roger Ebert

An Officer and a Gentleman is the best movie about love that I've seen in a long time. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

An Officer and a Gentleman deserves a 21-gun salute, maybe 42. Rarely does a film come along with so many finely-drawn characters to care about. Read full review

Janet Maslin

Undeniably, there's an element of corniness to this. But that doesn't keep An Officer and a Gentleman from being a first-rate movie - a beautifully acted, thoroughly involving romance. Read full review

Dave Kehr

An awesomely, stiflingly professional piece of work, with a fleet, superficial visual style, perfectly placed climaxes, and a screenplay (by Douglas Day Stewart) that doesn't waste a single character or situation - everything is functional, and nothing but functional. Read full review

Rick Groen

From its title on down, An Officer and a Gentleman (at the Plaza) is both a thoroughly rousing crowd-pleaser and a shamelessly manipulative banner-waver, a homage to the never-practiced ethics of a non-existent era. [28 Jul 1982]

Michael Blowen

An Officer and a Gentleman has so many echoes that it never finds its own voice. [29 Jul 1982]

Richard Schickel

The result is a Big Mac of a movie, junk food that somehow reaches the chortling soul. Read full review

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User Reviews

barnet42

Oct 16, 2012

Way better than I had imagined and one of the best romantic dramas I've ever had the pleasure to see. It would'nt even have been half as great though, if it wasn't for the stellar performance by Richard Gere (along with the wonderful chemistry he has with Debra Winger). Sparks seem to beWay better than I had imagined and one of the best romantic dramas I've ever had the pleasure to see. It would'nt even have been half as great though, if it wasn't for the stellar performance by Richard Gere (along with the wonderful chemistry he has with Debra Winger). Sparks seem to be flying whenever they're together on screen. And although I knew beforehand how things would end, it's still a very interesting journey with some unpredictable sub-plots. A breath of fresh air when compared to modern-day "chick flicks", which too often are riddled with clichés and stereotypes. There are some scenes where it gets a little slow, which made it somewhat hard to rate. But with a third act so powerful and genuinely moving, I do think it's entitled itself to fours stars on the uniform. An uplifting, gripping and beautifully scored motion picture, with an ending so memorable that it'll stay with you forever.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

ashbygirl01

May 14, 2019

Wonderful film. It depicts how hard it can be to fall in love with someone that is your polar opposite, it also shows how hard it is to love someone who's in the military. However, there are also some serious themes explored throughout the film.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

FranzHcritic

Aug 22, 2013

Stunningly presented, as acted out beautifully, especially Louis Gosset Jr. as the sardonic, straightforward, and rough drill instructor. Richard Gere also proves capable as well as Debra Winger.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Popcorn55

Jun 8, 2019

All-around well-made film -- a good screenplay made well, with many excellent performances notably Gossett's Oscar-winning DI role. There's some male chauvinist subtext here, with the adulating women chasing the officer candidates, and the lone female recruit getting "helped" through theAll-around well-made film -- a good screenplay made well, with many excellent performances notably Gossett's Oscar-winning DI role. There's some male chauvinist subtext here, with the adulating women chasing the officer candidates, and the lone female recruit getting "helped" through the last toughest challenge in the training, but it's probably accurate to the times (1982). One of the better films of the early 1980s.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

amheretojudge

Nov 21, 2018

the result is stupendous and inspiring..

An Officer And A Gentleman Hackford's romance has more drama than emotions. And armed with such a meticulous script, the feature keeps impressing you as the screenplay enfolds layer by layer onto the screen. What starts in here as a goofy romanticthe result is stupendous and inspiring..

An Officer And A Gentleman

Hackford's romance has more drama than emotions. And armed with such a meticulous script, the feature keeps impressing you as the screenplay enfolds layer by layer onto the screen. What starts in here as a goofy romantic mishap grows intense and dark and it's that build up that leaves you shook on your seat. It is also not a familiar structure that it thrives on. Each character is essential on the storyline and there is no monkey business in here. It is fairly to the point and clearly expressive of the message it attempts to convey. The narration is eerie yet thoroughly effective.

It respects each characters and plot points and tries to blend it in, on the bigger picture. The final act itself is so bizarrely genius and honest that it leaves your head spinning. To makes its mark and prove its point on the table, it serves the storyline through its supporting three dimensional characters that amps up the charge for the primary ones. The performance of the supporting cast is much more congruent to the lead one. Gere gets way too many opportunities to shine the light but he misses it every time; he just isn't convincing, especially when the melt down sequence.

Winger on the other hand is in for a winning run, her portrayal outsmart every other cast. Gossett Jr. whose character is one of the strongest one has held on to its gritty cold attitude brimmed with warmth that redefines this tale into a much mature form. Hackford's execution is loose at times and feels amature-ly handled as far as delivering a decent conversation is concerned. An Officer And A Gentleman is not what imperative questions are raised but how they are raised, the result is stupendous and inspiring.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Broyax

Apr 4, 2017

C'est l'histoire du prince charmant élève-aviateur et de la petite Cendrillon qui trime à l'usine dans son patelin de crevards.

Alors le week-end, elle va draguer de l'apprenti-officier-aviateur, de ceux qui se crèvent le cul dans leur formation commando de trois mois. Elle y va enC'est l'histoire du prince charmant élève-aviateur et de la petite Cendrillon qui trime à l'usine dans son patelin de crevards.

Alors le week-end, elle va draguer de l'apprenti-officier-aviateur, de ceux qui se crèvent le cul dans leur formation commando de trois mois. Elle y va en compagnie de sa copine la souillon, les yeux pleins d'étoiles comme tant d'autres filles avant elles pour dénicher le jack-pot du chevalier volant.

Voilà évidemment le rôle rêvé pour Richard Gere mais également pour l'adorable Debra Winger, qu'ils sont mignons les tourtereaux ! Evidemment, on doit se taper toute cette retape à peine sous-jacente pour la gloire de nos armes (enfin, celles de la Navy américaine, nous, on a qu'un seul porte-avions toujours au garage), bref les valeurs merveilleuses de l'Armée et de la discipline qui font des couillons de vrais hommes !

Rapidement, les tourtereaux font monter la mayonnaise et surtout la guimauve qui dégouline un peu partout : la série Harlequin n'est pas loin, à moins que ce ne soit "les feux de l'amour"...

Cependant, il ne faudrait pas jeter l'eau de rose avec l'eau du bain (ni un bébé éventuel) car tout n'est pas rose : le grand méchant-gentil sergent-instructeur est une peau de vache, le personnage de Richard a eu une enfance difficile et l'ouvrière Cendrillon a un quotient intellectuel de cruche.

Et si tout cela pourrait bien se terminer, cela n'est pas toujours le cas. Le film se ménage en effet quelques alibis qui font office de retours à la réalité inopinés ou du moins à un certain réalisme, histoire de nous montrer qu'un conte de fées peut tourner au tragique comme une guimauve qui a dépassé la date de consommation. Ce ne sont que des diversions mais on apprécie l'effort !

Le film reste néanmoins bêbête et neuneu (qu'on ne se méprenne pas) mais garde un attrait indéniable, peut-être parce qu'il parvient à insufler son optimisme forcené à l'insu de notre plein gré et de notre ignorance, comme une jolie fable simpliste mais bouréee de bonne volonté.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SimoneR

Apr 23, 2011

This movie is so unimportant it flies over your head without significant impact. The movie has a layer of moral tone and is resembles a dream factory.

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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