An Officer and a Gentleman was one of those movies I heard a lot about, but which I never took the time for to watch. It’s not a title which I think is considered a classic, but it is a well-known movie.
Zack Mayo (Richard Gere) has had a difficult childhood. His mother committed suicide, which forced him to live with his father, who is in the army and is stationed in the Philippines. He doesn’t really care about his son, has a problem with alcohol and doesn’t hide the fact that he visits prostitutes. Zack wants to prove himself and realize his dream to join the air force. He signs up, but first has to go through a training which checks whether those joining are strong enough, both mentally as physically, for the job. Their instructor Emil Foley (Louis Gossett, Jr.) is tough and doesn’t show mercy when his men don’t abide by the rules. Zack becomes friends with some of the others and together they will have to get through the training. He also sees an opportunity to sell some things to others, something which isn’t allowed and could boot him from the training.
This romantic drama (there is a love interest) is all about friendship and the bond that forms between people who go through a training like this where you need to perform. Gere carries the movie and the strenuous relationship with the instructor feels very dynamic. There are a couple of moments which don’t completely seem to fit the film, like the karate parts, but generally An Officer and a Gentleman is a pretty good movie which regularly manages to play with your emotions.
