Going All the Way (1997)

I love this movie so much

Very well executed

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

I stumbled upon this movie while looking for old Affleck movies on Netflix streaming. I hesitated to see it, because of the title, it led me to believe it was just a silly "horny teenager" flick, but it isn't that at all. Yes, there is a strong element of young men, fresh from the Army, wanting to get pretty girls in the sack, but that is subordinate to the overall theme. I like to think the title refers more to a young man "going all the way" to follow his instincts and become what he really wants to be.I can't say enough about the performance of Jeremy Davies as Sonny Burns, I consider it "award worthy" and am surprised to see he was not nominated for anything. Sonny was a typical nerdy guy in school, small and unathletic, he was the class photographer. Even in the military, instead of going to Korea to fight, he had an office job in Kansas City. It is 1954 and as Sonny is discharged and taking a train home he meets up old high school classmate with Ben Affleck Gunner as Casselman, so nicknamed because he had a good arm as a pitcher, and was a "natural" at sports. Sonny of course remembers him, everyone knew Gunner, but was surprised to find that Gunner remembered who Sonny was. To his surprise also, Gunner seemed genuinely interested in swapping stories of life and being friends. It seems the war and military had given him a better perspective on life. Affleck in this early role is very effective, I could find no flaw in his performance.Sonny returns to his high school sweetheart, Amy Locane as Buddy Porter, and she was anxious to rekindle their romance. But in the end Sonny just wasn't in it, he liked and respected Buddy but when he was honest with himself, could never love her like she needed. Jill Clayburgh was Sonny's overbearing mother, still wanting to treat him like a little boy. Encouraging him to attend to Buddy, stating that she would make a good wife. When Sonny asked why she never served him bacon or ham for breakfast, she dismissed him with "you know your stomach can't take grease early in the day." Sill her little boy.The story is a drama, about these 24-yr-old young men, fresh from the Army, trying to figure out their next steps in life. Gunner breaking away from his mother who seems to be a bit too attached to her son, Sonny breaking away from his parents and girlfriend, and the promise of a job at Eli Lilly. Sonny desperately trying to "find himself." But the movie is also loaded with L.O.L. funny scenes. I grew up in the 1950s, my B.I.L. was in the Army and served in Korea, so this movie brought back memories from way back. Overall their depiction of that period is very accurate.And overall this is a fine movie, much better than its IMDb rating would suggest. It was nice also to see such actors as Rose McGowan and Rachel Weisz in early roles.SPOILERS: Sonny was driving at night in the rain, Gunner as a passenger, and they wrecked into a tree. Gunner was unharmed, Sonny had to be in a cast for 2 months. He received a few postcards from Gunner in New York, having followed a girl (Weisz) there. When he was barely healthy enough he took a train, one-way, to New York, determined to make his own way through life.

This tale of two Korean War Vets and their return home to Indianapolis is apparently supposed to be a harsh critique of mainstream American life in the 1950s. As the two young men try to find a deeper meaning to life and to do what makes them truly happy, they are constantly confronted by the heavy hand of conformity. They want to be unique individuals, but everywhere they turn, they are pressured to be "normal", to not date Jewish girls, to join a Protestant church, to take a desk job with a respectable business.The problem with this movie it that it greatly overplays its hand. The church figures, anti-Communist activists, and stereotypical Midwestern parents that it so harshly criticizes are unbelievable caricatures. The result is that instead of successfully nailing its intended targets, the film plays out almost like a right-wing parody of a left-wing attack on Middle America. It therefore fails mechanically. However, strictly as a piece of entertainment, it certainly has its moments. And the anti-conformity message, which I agree with, isn't completely ruined by the overdone writing and acting. Bottom line: the movie doesn't work, but you may still find watching it an okay way to spend an hour and a half.

The folks who have trashed this excellent drama are those who saw the misleading studio hype about this film and were looking for more garbage like "American Pie". There is no schtick here, no easily recognizable stereotypes, no fart jokes for an America that has degenerated to the point where virtually everyone has the same tastes as their eight year old child. The characters are realistic, sensitive, flawed and vulnerable in a country that likes simple and macho and a story that does nothing to get in the way of their numerous bigotries. Jeremy Davies is one of the most talented actors of his generation in a country that thinks Ben Stiller is an acting genius.

This is a great movie. Brilliantly acted, especially by Jeremy Davies, but also ably supported by Ben Affleck, it is sometimes very painful to watch and one of the very rare examples of a movie about post-adolescent angst that really works. Very moving, and the director as well as Davies ( the weedy guy in Saving Private Ryan) deserve to be very big.