MovieChat Forums > Good Morning, Vietnam (1988) Discussion > Just watched it for the first time

Just watched it for the first time


And if somebody would have warned me it was just 2 hours of Robin Williams doing bad standup I could have saved me the hours.

The jokes where bad, the script was bad and for based on a true story, it was really unrealistic.

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I tend to agree.

I watched the movie recently and came away utterly unimpressed.

The script and the editing were bad-- the characters were uneven and all over the place.

The story, such as it is, exists only to provide some sort of framework that allows Williams to do his stand up.

As for Williams, his character was a mystery-- no back ground is given, no details or belief's revealed, nothing. He's a blank slate.

There's no real commentary on the war-- if you don't know anything about Vietnam going in to this movie (and sadly, many younger people do not) you would be hard pressed to understand exactly what is going on.

This movie is chiefly remembered for the Robin Willimas radio riffs as his character does his show. SOme of the material is funny, but it's not that great. Over rated in my opinion.

I liked Robin Williams, and enjoyed many of his movies-- he was a very talented man. However, this movie is completely over-rated and not an example of his best work. The script is so poor that it simply doesn't allow for any other outcome.

AE36

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Agree with both of you, it's just a vehicle for Williams's overbearing comedy.

http://hawkensian.com/2014/08/23/good-morning-vietnam-1987/

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[deleted]

I can't agree more. I thought it would be very funny from all the praise it gets.

It's very boring at times and hardly ever made me chuckle. The word overrated gets thrown around a lot. However I think this movie is the very definition of that word.

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I disagree, it was one of the best movies starring R. Williams. His non-stop gag lines were hilarious. He was the perfect on-air personality, so of course a lot of the humor would be stand-up while he was sitting down at the microphone. It was the nature of a comedic DJ who entertained the troops.

I'll admit his portrayal of Cronauer was a bit exaggerated. The real-life Cronauer wasn't as controversial or comedic. Still made for a good entertaining movie though.

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The real Cronauer never joked on the air. That was all Williams doing stand up.

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I came to this board because I was afraid to be alone on this.

I've started watching GMV twenty minutes ago, and had to pause because... I don't find it funny at all, so far. I don't think it's Robin Williams' fault because I fairly enjoyed his "machine-gun humor". It's just that SO FAR, nine jokes out of ten aren't funny.

Seeing plenty of characters laughing their asses off doesn't help (it's always risky, like composing a song for a fictional singer in a movie and make everyone in it react like it's a masterpiece while it's not a masterpiece at all). It almost felt like hearing a laugh track in an unfunny sitcom.

Can someone tell me if it gets better ?

_______________
- Stay foxy.
- Die lonely.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine

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Just watched it yesterday and i fully agree. Didn't laugh at all and didn't get the point of the movie. 4th highest grossing movie of 87 tho..

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Yes the film repeatedly shows all the laughing men around Williams to try and convince you that he's hilarious, they were just canned laughter rather than characters.

http://www.hawkensian.com/

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Comedy often changes over time. Robin Williams became a huge star because people found hm very funny...back then.

All we ever see of stars are their old photographs. - Dr. Manhattan

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I disagree, but maybe its because i'm young and unwise and didnt exist when this movie came out or when the war in Vietnam was being fought.

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same here. just watched it a week or so ago for the first time and didn't like it either. Not enough story, parts of it made no sense. It played like a bunch of scenarios that were set up for Robin Williams to respond to comically. Attractive girls walking down the street. Flamboyant GI bar owner. English class for native Vietnamese that Robin Williams takes over (and they all get his jokes and laugh even though they are apparently learning the language). Which is fine I guess but I was hoping for more compelling storyline and I don't particularly enjoy Robin Williams' standup.

Sorry to be harsh, but obviously many people do like this movie. It is not for me though.

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You didn't grow up in the 60s, so it wouldn't make sense to you. I did, so I understood 90 percent of the humor.

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you are clearly a fool then

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have some respect for your elders and betters!
:p

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Holy shit we got another gramps in here. Go eat a 3 year old caramel candy and get on my level.

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I will! just as soon as I find my teeth

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lmao

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Interesting how people make assumptions about other people without knowing anything about them. That is the hallmark of a very ignorant person. My post was not meant to be as mean spirited as yours is. It makes me wonder how parents raised people like you.

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If you grew up in the 60's that means you are old. Do the math. Oh wait, you probably can't

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Again, making assumptions. What is sad is that you assume that old people are not smart. I guess you feel that way about your parents and grandparents. That is REALLY sad.
Hopefully, someday you will actually learn how smart we really are.

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Yeah dude, boomers are stupid. Followed traditional life paths that led to 50% divorce rates, unfulfilling lifestyles, terrible debt, and ungrateful children. Sounds like they were genius, doesn't it?

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Why? Is that what your parents did? That sad. You have my sympathy.

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This is the majority of the boomer generation. It is what they were taught to do by their own parents. Yes it is sad.

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Not true. I am a boomer (and VERY proud of it!) You didn't grow up in that era, so you really don't know what you are talking about. And divorce rates are higher now than fifty years ago.

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Boomers weren't getting married 50 years ago. They would've been 10. Not growing up in that era doesn't mean I haven't met a whole bunch of boomers throughout my life

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No, but their parents were.

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