If there is one comedian we should all know and love from the 80's, it's gotta be Bill Murray. So why not review one of his better, more successful comedies, that is before Ghostbusters. Stripes is a militalistic comedy about a slop who joins the army and turns into a low level celeb, well, sorta.
Here's the rundown of the plot:
John Winger is a broken down man who doesn't give a crud about life hardly anymore, especially after he faces losing his job and his girlfriend leaves him. So he and his pal Rus decide to join the army, pretty much out of a sexual desire because, well, as Murray put it, priests don't get as much action.
So John and Rus end up in boot camp, which is taken under the care of Sergeant Hulka, a tough grited man who smiles as much as he frowns and yells, but also is one of the better characters and performances of the film. We are introduced also to several other army trainees, mainly Ox, a big guy who came to the army to lose weight.
The first week or so proves disasterous for John after being repeatedly abused, well, more like a pet peve for Hulka, and having to do numerous push ups and take a lot of insults after he complains.
Other characters we should know are Louise and Stella, two MPs who happen to like John and Rus, and Captain Stillman, a lump of a captain who likes to peek at ladies and play with little action figures all day.
Hulka is injured after trying to prove a point of commitment to strength to John and after Stillman has a squad fire without setting coordinates. Basic training is almost over, and graduation is coming up, but with Hulka gone, the men do what they want.
When the group goes to a mud wrestling place and, well, bad things happen, the MPs come and take care of the place. The trainees, except John and Rus, are warned by Stillman if they don't pass graduation requirements, they must repeat basic training. John and Rus, meanwhile, meet up with Stella and Louise and have a fun old time at the visiting General's house.
With Hulka gone and the group incompedent, John must teach them the moves to graduate, and after a humorous scene at Graduation they are given assignment in Italy, but Hulka returns and gets the group ready for a special mission...guarding an armied-out RV.
John and Rus decide to steal it for fun and take Stella and Louise with them. Stillman finds out it's missing and claims John and Rus are Russian spies, and when the rest of the group, excluding Hulka who knows he's in trouble, get caught and arrested, John and friends must save them.
Now the picture becomes a little action-packed, but still funny. John rescues them and all return home as heroes. Ox, Stella, Rus, Louise, and John all get magazine cover articles, while it is revealed poor Stillman is re-assigned to a base in Alaska.
Ratings:
Acting: 9 out of 10. A fantastic job by the cast, especially Murray.
Entertainment: 10 out of 10. Never stops being entertaining.
Screenplay: 7 out of 10. A few gags here and there aren't quite as good.
Directing: 5 out of 10. Very basic.
Technical Credits: 5 out of 10. Standard.
Genre Fit: 7 out of 10. A little action here and there, but it is army, so what do you expect?
MPAA Rating: 8 out of 10. Perfectly R rated. Really no attempts at PG.
Stupid Scenes: 8 out of 10. Not everyone likes Stillman's scenes, but I do. Still, though, some feel a little unecessary.
Deeper Message: 5 out of 10. Kind of shows how slobs can turn into soldiers and overcoming things can be done.
Beginning: 24 out of 30. Once we get to the army scenes, it gets better.
Middle: 25 out of 30. Takes a break only once in a while.
Ending: 28 out of 30. Lots of laughs and stunts.
Final Score: 141/180 or a 78%. A B+, which means it's really good.
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