Denzel Washington was great here !
I doubt why nobody has mentioned about his performance here, I understand that Adolph Caesar was probably better, however Denzel was as well oscar - worthy !
shareI think what prompts you to say this is because of what Denzel has become over the years.
What's interesting to me about this movie is that when it was first released back in '84, when Denzel, like most of the cast, was a relative unknown, most people viewed Denzel as the "bad guy." However, as the years went on and Denzel became a major Hollywood movie star and the movie industry's premier black leading man, he beagn to be perceived--particularly by the younger audience--as the hero of the movie.
I watched this movie with my daughter not too long ago, and she believed that Denzel was justified in killing Waters (and it was mainly because she has been a die-hard Denzel Washington fan for some time). I had to actually explain to her why "Peterson," played by Denzel, was wrong for killing the sergeant and that Denzel was actually supposed to be the villain of the movie.
So what are you trying to say here, that Denzel's performance was mediocre...
shareBingo. But then of course, it's just my opinion.
share[deleted]
You understand what are you even talking about, mate?
shareYes I do. Do you understand what you're saying?
shareI agree, Sparky! Considering this was only his 2nd major motion picture on the big screen, Carbon Copy being the first, his performance was not great but definitely good. You get an opportunity to see how great he would later become. I really think a lot of people that post on these boards were born in the mid 80's or later. I am sometimes amazed at some of the things I read.
I do, however, agree that people are going to base Denzel's acting in this movie, which again was not bad, on the Denzel they know and love today.
Thanx "kremicoco."
And yes, I think you're right. People like my daughter and the other poster on this board were born after this movie was released and have a bit of a biased perception of Denzel when he played "Pvt. Peterson" in this movie. But I'm glad someone who was around at the time that this movie was released understands my point and agrees.
A Soldier's Story is a marvelous film with some of the best emerging talent of its time. The core of the cast is young, hungry, and fearless actors, clearly having a ball just acting. Future acting legend Denzel Washington reprised his role from the play as Pfc. Peterson, but at the time A Soldier's Story came out, Washington may have been best known for his turn in the paternity comedy Carbon Copy with George Segal. It wasn’t a particularly good movie, and Denzel is a little wooden in it; he also might have been upstaged by a tiny scene where attorney Dick Martin sucks down a joint while listening to a client in his office.share
As a youngster, me and my teenage cousins saw this movie on VHS around 86, 87.
Denzel wasn't well known but as the poster said, we saw Denzel as the hero of this movie.
The two characters I remember identifying with were CJ and Denzel.
CJ cause he was a good natured guy who was being railroaded and Denzel because he seemed to have the most moral strength in the movie.
I next saw Denzel in Mo Better Blues and remembered him from this movie.