Movie vs the Real Army
I'm in the military (specifically in the Basic Training Environment) so I watched this flick out of pure morbid curiosity. Just to compare and contrast. They don't make enough BCT flicks (Pvt Benjamin, Stripes, In the Army Now, Full metal Jacket to name a few), but hollywood always adds their own take on it and most of the time they get it wrong. So I watched this movie and all I could see was what they were doing wrong.
Anybody familiar with how Basic Combat Training in the army is really ran would find themselves wanting to scream at the movie at all times. Now, I can understand the need to change some things with how basic training is run for operational security reasons, but there were some things that could have been done properly so as not to encourage people who actually do this for a living to want to blow their gasket. I guess this could go in the Goofs section. How do you submit items for goofs on this website? I've got about two dozen.
For instance.
The first sergeant and female drill sergeants all wear their Drill Sergeant Badge in the wrong place on their uniform. it should be on the pocket not below it.
The First Sergeant is way up in the Drill Sergeant's business. First Sergeants are too busy to be doing the Drill Sergeant's job. Passing out mail? Please. They should have made Vivicia Fox a Drill Sergeant if they wanted her to play that big of a role.
Even despite it being fanmail, the army has to give soldier's their mail. Jessica Simpson would just get harrassed for the mass amounts of it, but it's against the law to keep it from them.
The company that picks you up at the Reception station is not the company that trains you. I guess that's forgivable by Hollywood standards to keep consistent with the same cadre but still. . . a discrepency.
Jessica Simpson's hair is out of regulation through 90% of her military scenes. A Drill Sergeant would jump all over that and wouldn't let it fly.
Half the time the soldiers are out of uniform and the drill sergeants don't say anything? That's one of the main reasons for yelling at Privates is uniform issues.
When the privates show attitude toward Drill Sergeants and First Sergeants, that's a good excuse to get the crap smoked out of them and followed up with an Article 15 (non-judicial punishment) for disrespect.
Jessica Simpson NEVER holds her weapon right through the entire movie. When they lock and load doing the firing range, yeah, that's asking for a negligent discharge. And no, the army doesn't do any firing exercises remotely close to that.
Pony tails are not allowed in uniform, even in PT (physical training). I guess they wanted to keep Jessica Simpson looking 'cute' for her role, but that reminds me.
No drill sergeant would ever see a Private as 'cute'. Flashing a smile and flirting with the Drill Sergeants is a good way to find yourself in the front lean and rest and while getting yelled at.
Drill Sergeant Evans in this role is just asking to lose his hat and spend some time in jail. Especially in the last scene. ***spoiler*** Kissing a private right after graduation? Yeah, let's see how that flies with the real military. This guy is just begging for somebody to take his hat. I don't care if he supposedly is going to Iraq in a week, he won't be going now.
***more Spoiler Goodness***
What's with the privates hooking up with the drill sergeants at the end of the movie anyway? Who was that with Pvt Jeter may I ask? A drill sergeant? I guess he wants to lose his hat too.
The First Sergeant wouldn't have been able to get a security clearance to be First sergeant if she had starred in a porno. For precisely the reason made apparent in this movie.
***End Spoilers****
Some facts they do get right in the movie.
Chocolate cravings are a very very real thing. By week 6 you'd do almost anything for a snickers bar.
All in all, for a Army Sergeant, this is a very difficult movie to watch.