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An Officer and a Gentleman

Play trailer 2:21 Poster for An Officer and a Gentleman R Released Jul 28, 1982 2h 5m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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79% Tomatometer 33 Reviews 81% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
Zack Mayo (Richard Gere), a new member of the U.S. Navy, has a bad attitude. When he signs up for the Aviation Academy, he is met with the strict leadership of Sgt. Emil Foley (Louis Gossett Jr.), who gives Zack a rude awakening in terms of relating with other people. Through Foley's guidance -- and an unexpected romance with Paula (Debra Winger), an outsider who hangs around the naval base -- Zack learns some tough lessons and discovers what he truly wants out of life.
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An Officer and a Gentleman

An Officer and a Gentleman

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Critics Consensus

Old-fashioned without sacrificing its characters to simplicity, An Officer and a Gentleman successfully walks the fine line between sweeping romance and melodrama.

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Critics Reviews

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Richard Schickel TIME Magazine It is full of bang-on melodramatics and simple, romanticized characters with carefully supplied motivations. Jul 31, 2013 Full Review Dave Kehr Chicago Reader Taylor Hackford's 1982 film is an awesomely, stiflingly professional piece of work, with a fleet, superficial visual style, perfectly placed climaxes, and a screenplay that doesn't waste a single character or situation. Jul 31, 2013 Full Review Variety Staff Variety Rarely does a film come along with so many finely-drawn characters to care about. Jul 6, 2010 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy A vastly entertaining picture. Rated: 3.5/4 Apr 12, 2024 Full Review Zita Short InSession Film The whole film feels a little too loose and easy breezy. There is too little at stake here. The cheesy theme song and sweaty sex scene convince you that this is going to serve as a piece of fantasy fulfilment, but it forgets to set up meaningful stakes. Feb 1, 2023 Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins The conclusion - as predictable as it may be - is quite winning and heartfelt, embracing the fairy-tale aura audiences will surely want. Rated: 7/10 Jan 2, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Ben W Pretty good movie. I see why it’s a classic. Not necessarily my favorite, but good. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 04/10/24 Full Review Lanfranco C A sad movie with a sweet end Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 08/12/24 Full Review ASDasd S Best of the Best. Why? Absolutely perfectly captures life on and around a military post at that time for the newly enlisted. Precisely directed, accurately portrayed, and exceptionally delivered performances. You may not have any interest in any of this area of life, but you could not document these characters and that time any more realistically. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/29/24 Full Review The H this smells like cheese Rated 1 out of 5 stars 02/21/24 Full Review Danny T Ugly from the very beginning. A victim of emotional abuse becomes a man at the hands and feet of a sadistic drill instructor. "Lord, lift us up," indeed. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 01/29/24 Full Review Robert Anton M When attending in the 1980's I was waiting for the moment the military would be ridiculed. This moment did not come. In hindsight I realize that (for me) this was the point that a wind of change had come - (far) from flower-power to militarism, and neo-con. Maybe the acting and filming was OK, but a great pity that it marks the point where society took a wrong turn. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 12/03/23 Full Review Read all reviews
An Officer and a Gentleman

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Cast & Crew

An Officer and a Gentleman

An Officer and a Gentleman: Official Clip - I Got Nowhere Else to Go! An Officer and a Gentleman: Official Clip - I Got Nowhere Else to Go! 1:07 An Officer and a Gentleman: Official Clip - Carried Away An Officer and a Gentleman: Official Clip - Carried Away 0:38 An Officer and a Gentleman: Official Clip - You Ready to Quit Now, Mayo? An Officer and a Gentleman: Official Clip - You Ready to Quit Now, Mayo? 2:12 An Officer and a Gentleman: Official Clip - Okie From Muskogee An Officer and a Gentleman: Official Clip - Okie From Muskogee 0:50 An Officer and a Gentleman: Official Clip - Mayo-nnaise An Officer and a Gentleman: Official Clip - Mayo-nnaise 1:08 An Officer and a Gentleman: Official Clip - Steers and Queers An Officer and a Gentleman: Official Clip - Steers and Queers 0:55 View more videos
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Movie Info

Synopsis Zack Mayo (Richard Gere), a new member of the U.S. Navy, has a bad attitude. When he signs up for the Aviation Academy, he is met with the strict leadership of Sgt. Emil Foley (Louis Gossett Jr.), who gives Zack a rude awakening in terms of relating with other people. Through Foley's guidance -- and an unexpected romance with Paula (Debra Winger), an outsider who hangs around the naval base -- Zack learns some tough lessons and discovers what he truly wants out of life.
Director
Taylor Hackford
Producer
Martin Elfand
Screenwriter
Douglas Day Stewart
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Production Co
Paramount
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jul 28, 1982, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 11, 2011
Runtime
2h 5m
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