Clint Eastwood takes a revisionist approach to his tough-guy persona once again in HEARTBREAK RIDGE. As he had done in TIGHTROPE and PALE RIDER, and as he would do even more memorably in UNFORGIVEN, Eastwood probes beneath the surface of his prototypical character, a man who feels most at ease... [More]

Clint Eastwood takes a revisionist approach to his tough-guy persona once again in HEARTBREAK RIDGE. As he had done in TIGHTROPE and PALE RIDER, and as he would do even more memorably in UNFORGIVEN, Eastwood probes beneath the surface of his prototypical character, a man who feels most at ease amid violence. HEARTBREAK RIDGE is a deft blend of service comedy, action film, and, most surprisingly, a genuine adult love story, as Sergeant Highway tries, with touching earnestness, to win back the affections of his ex-wife (Marsha Mason), after his devotion to the corps has kept them apart for too many lonely years. Meanwhile, he has to whip his inexperienced, undisciplined troops into shape. Highway often runs afoul of his own commanders, who resent his maverick ways and feel threatened by his combat experience and his chest full of medals. He gets the chance to prove his effectiveness yet again when his men are unexpectedly called to battle in Grenada. Like many of Eastwood's films, HEARTBREAK RIDGE is an underrated, solidly entertaining work. [Less]