Touches You

Memorable, crazy movie

Good movie but grossly overrated

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

This is not a military movie. Sure, it takes place in a military brig, and everyone in it are soldiers, but that is only a set for what this movie is really about.It is a generational movie about the WWII/Korea generation represented by MSgt. Otis V. McKinney (Martin Sheen), and the Vietnam generation represented by Pfc. Franklin Fairchild Bean (Charlie Sheen).I read the other day around Father's Day about some psychologist stating that we need fathers like McKinney. Well, like Charlie, I had one, and I can assure you that I would much rather have a father like Tim Russert. The fathers of McKinney's generation had some concept in their heads about discipline, which is good, but they forgot to meld that with love. McKinney cannot understand why his son, who is Bean's age, doesn't want to talk to him. I can.I don't know if it was novelist Gordon Weaver's intention, but I see why Bean found it easier to join the black convicts rather than McKinney. After all, most, if not all of them, grew up in fatherless homes. With the distance between McKinney's and Bean's generation, it can be said that he grew up fatherless also. Sure, Bean has a sense of responsibility in the end, but he also had a deep sense of compassion. One, he got from his father; the other he had to develop on his own.This is a movie that speaks highly to my generation. If anyone wants to understand us, then you definitely need to watch it.

Perhaps, it was my having seen this movie with a bunch of my Army buddies - while in the Army. Or maybe, being a Larry/Laurence Fishburne FANATIC! It could be that I saw this with my heart open and my mind closed...nah, none of the above reasons are why this movie ranks as one of my all-time favorites. It is the camaraderie and class of the relationship that Martin Sheen created with his main characters.Never have I seen a movie with such honesty and triumph. Truly, I saw the ending before it came...but I didn't care. Isn't that what a GOOD director will do - make you appreciate the movie and not focus on what the end result will be.The "End of My Journey" rips through me every time I hear it. A great film study on what true friendship is when race is not factored into the equation. 9/10 - And, I know flicks!

Martin Sheen's son Charlie Sheen had film debuting bit parts in Martin's 1974 made for TV film "The Execution Of Private Slovik" and Martin's 1979 theatrical film "Apocalypse Now." Martin also had a supporting role in Charlie's 1987 star making vehicle "Wall Street." This 1989 (made then but released in 1991) New Line Cinema release finally gives these two talented actors the chance to appear together throughout an entire film. It's very unfortunate that this boring mess is what resulted. Martin also supplies the direction for this film which finds him portraying an army base sergeant who is frequently at odds with a defiant and arrogant young trooper portrayed by Charlie. It's such a letdown that even the Sheens must have realized it and went back to bit part appearances in films every now and then (Martin has a gag cameo in Charlie's 1993 film "Hot Shots Part Deux"). They wouldn't have another full fledged screen teaming until early 2002 when Martin had a hilarious guest spot on Charlie's TV series "Spin City." That half hour was much better than this hour and a half.

this movie was average at best, the plot was relatively predictable, the acting was good, and i had prepared myself to never watch this movie again, until i saw, or heard rather, the last 5 minutes of this movie. harry 'sweetbread' crane, played by actor/singer harry stewart has perhaps the greatest voice i've ever heard. the song he sings which he also wrote, "End of my Journey", was simply breathtaking. It was his voice alone that brought my overall rating of this movie up from a 5 out of 10 to an 8 out of 10, he is that good. Unfortunately there was no soundtrack for this movie, though after searching for about 5 or 6 months, i was finally able to locate an mp3 of "End of my Journey". this movie is worth watching if only to hear stewarts voice soar...