Mental illness
Cougar’s mental illness was brushed aside and dismissed so quickly.
shareIt is typical of military films. When someone burns out/cracks up they are no longer useful and pushed aside. Just like in real life. No one has time for a man who has reached his limit.
shareDid you actually watch the movie?
Cougar quit. He himself realized he cannot do it anymore and made a decision. His commanding officer even tried to talk him out of it immediately and it was obvious that NO ONE was "mad" about the incident but Cougar himself.
Your post would be justified if Cougar would have reached out but would have been dismissed, mocked, or else.
But none of that was the case.
Oh gee. Shit man! I forgot to watch the fucking film! Oh man! Wow, you nailed me. You got me there. Fuck man.
Your post would be justified if your assumption was actually correct but you have totally missed the point of my post as you can't think laterally at all.
Stop wasting people's time.
I did not make any assumptions - I asked a question.
Quite rich for someone who claims others cannot think laterally to not understand the difference.
And my question is justified considering you are completely off with what you said.
I understand what you're getting at and you are right when we talk real life or perhaps many other movies, but what you said does not apply here. That is a simple fact and nothing to become so severely hostile over. It's not like I insulted your mother or anything.
He sure nailed you. You got that one right. Lol.
shareYes it was just a convenient premise to set up Maverick as the reckless underdog who caught a lucky break. I was surprised the commanding officer was ready to write off Cougar’s breakdown and keep him in the squadron. He was so shocked when he turned in his wings too. He should have put Cougar on leave immediately and required him to undergo a complete psych evaluation. Then he yells at Maverick for being careless with the taxpayer’s jet. The taxpayers paid for Cougar’s jet too. No one cared that Tim Robbin’s character almost got killed too.
shareYes, unlike the idiot I blocked who missed the point entirely. The Navy spend a fortune training these guys and then when they have a meltdown and quit it is accepted at what really is just a "middle management" level. I know in my industry when someone resigns it is followed up well beyond the immediate manager station.
And yes, it's like the Commander would have preferred Cougar crash the plane, possibly right into the flight deck of the carrier than Maverick talking him down. Very short sighted thinking which sadly is very common now. More so back then as they didn't think about mental health at all.
Cougar would have just been accepted as "having lost it" and if he kills himself later that is just the price you pay for flying combat jets. And Robbin's character would have to just suck it up and deal with it too.