Hugely popular in its day and appealing to the incurable romantic in all of us, this is a highly manipulative mixture of “boot camp is good for you” and “every girl loves a man in uniform”. More sophisticated thoughts on human relationships form no part of Taylor Hackford’s glossy hymn to overcoming a trailer-park background. Richard Gere looks a treat in his pristine white togs, and gives a performance more wooden than a wardrobe, but who cares! Not even the combined talents of Debra Winger and an Oscar-winning Louis Gossett Jr can turn this one into a great movie, but if you’re in the mood for a wallow, it’s perfect. — Sue Heal