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Men of Honor

Men of Honor (2000)

tomatometer

41

Average Rating: 5.3/10
Reviews Counted: 104
Fresh: 43 | Rotten: 61

De Niro and Goodings Jr. manage to turn in performances that make this by-the-numbers inspirational movie watchable.

55

Average Rating: 5.7/10
Critic Reviews: 31
Fresh: 17 | Rotten: 14

De Niro and Goodings Jr. manage to turn in performances that make this by-the-numbers inspirational movie watchable.

audience

82

liked it
Average Rating: 3.6/5
User Ratings: 74,807

My Rating

Movie Info

This military drama is based on the true story of Carl Brashear, who was the first African-American to serve as a diver in the United States Navy. Brashear (played by Cuba Gooding Jr.) was born to a poor farming family in the deep South, and joined the Navy in hopes of bettering himself. When Brashear applies for diving school, he first encounters Master Chief Billy Sunday (Robert De Niro), a gruff and tyrannical diving instructor who holds absolute sway over his charges. Sunday does little at

R, 2 hr. 9 min.

Drama

Scott Marshall Smith

Apr 10, 2001

$46.2M

20th Century Fox

Cast

All Critics (121) | Top Critics (34) | Fresh (44) | Rotten (63) | DVD (29)

This seaman's tale languishes in shallow waters.

June 18, 2008 Full Review Source: Newsweek | Comment
Newsweek
Top Critic IconTop Critic

It is set in the 1950s and '60s and actually feels as if it were made back then. And that's exactly what's good about it

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Sacramento Bee | Comment
Sacramento Bee
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With every dramatic scene and turn of phrase molded by a formulaic, Screenwriting 101 mentality, it's pure Hollywood pap.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution | Comment
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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The movie is an old-fashioned biopic, and I mean that as a compliment.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | Comment
Chicago Sun-Times
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If you can live with a certain by-the-numbers approach, this [movie] is a rousing one.

January 1, 2000 Comment
Boston Globe
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inspirational message plays well to mainstream audiences

June 24, 2011 Full Review Source: Old School Reviews | Comment

Stirring story--may be appropriate for some teens.

December 26, 2010 Full Review Source: Common Sense Media | Comment
Common Sense Media

Brashear is all sheer determination and nothing else, displaying none of the vulnerability that would make him into a believable human being.

January 17, 2010 Full Review Source: TheMovieReport.com | Comment
TheMovieReport.com

Strangled with formula.

September 16, 2007 Full Review Source: Bangor Daily News (Maine) | Comment (1)
Bangor Daily News (Maine)

The decision to shift some of the attention to De Niro's character...dilutes the power of Brashear's fascinating life story.

July 2, 2004 Full Review Source: Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY) | Comment

...a well-made throwback to the days of old, when telling a story was what mattered; not special effects or flashy editing.

August 1, 2003 Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews | Comment
Reel Film Reviews

An unfortunately sappy telling of a truly amazing story.

February 8, 2003 Full Review Source: Film Quips Online | Comment
Film Quips Online
More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Men of Honor

Billy Sunday: The Navy Diver is not a fighting man, he is a salvage expert. If it is lost underwater, he finds it. If it's sunk, he brings it up. If it's in the way, he moves it. If he's lucky, he will die young, 200 feet beneath the waves, for that is the closest he'll ever get to being a hero. Men of Honor is a good

February 17, 2011
blkbomb
Melvin White

Super Reviewer

Men Of Honor is a terrific film based on the first African American Master Diver. Cuba Gooding Jr. delivers in the lead role of Carl Brashear and Robert De Niro gives a phenomenal performance as well. Brashear overcame racial tensions in the Navy to achieve his goal of becoming a master diver. Despite racist slurs

January 31, 2011
TheDudeLebowski65
Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski

Super Reviewer

    1. Mac Carl's Father: Get in there and fight! Break some of their ole rules if you have to. And when it gets hard, and it will, don't you give up on me!
    – Submitted by Johnny E (10 months ago)

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