An Officer and a Gentleman

Richard Gere plays Zack Mayo, an aloof, taciturn man who aspires to be a navy pilot. Once he's arrived at training camp for his 13-week officer's course, Mayo runs afoul of abrasive, no-nonsense drill sergeant Emil Foley (Louis Gossett Jr.). Mayo --or "Mayonnaise," as he is dubbed by the irascible ...more

An odd film that succeeds despite its abundance of flaws, this romantic drama coasts on the appeal of its first-rate cast, who seem to play the roles for all their worth, even though the script sometimes feels as if it has festered in mothballs for ages. An Officer and a Gentleman is never truly surprising and follows an expected pattern, but as a routine entertainment, it suffices. Richard Gere has one of his best early roles here, and the film wisely uses his sometimes cocky demeanor to good ...more