Robin Williams' greatest gift was versatility: he could instantly switch from humor to seriousness, fart jokes to heart-rending pathos. But Williams' dramatic roles (Dead Poets Society, Good Will Hunting) have worn better than his oft-creaky comedies. Williams' comedies were fitted to his manic standup persona, while straight roles stretched his talent. Arguably his best movies play to both strengths.Williams earned his first Oscar nod for Barry Levinson's Good Morning, Vietnam (1987). It's a perfect vehicle for Williams, allowing him to generate laughs and flex his acting muscles. It helps that Vietnam's a fine flick, an acerbic service comedy that generally avoids cliches.
Adrian Cronauer (Robin Williams) arrives in 1960s Saigon as a disc jockey for the Armed Forces Radio Services. Cronauer's raucous show, mixing improvised standup mixed with rock music, proves a hit with American servicemen. Officers tolerate Cronauer until he reports a classified Vietcong bombing, after which he's suspended. Cronauer considers resigning until he realizes how important his work really is. But Cronauer's superiors, especially Sergeant Dickerson (J.T. Walsh), eye Cronauer's friendship with Vietnamese Tuan (Tung) warily.
Good Morning, Vietnam came amidst bleak Vietnam dramas like Platoon and Full Metal Jacket. Levinson's story repackages their irreverence as comedy. Cronauer's wild radio shows openly mock censorship and public figures, and his unwillingness to tow the line gets him in trouble. His humor's subversive yet not explicitly antiwar: Dickerson and Co. prove themselves fools through overreaction. Cronauer forges bonds with both soldiers and the Vietnamese people, giving him perspective on both sides of the conflict.
A Republican activist, the real Cronauer didn't appreciate being made into a rabble-rouser. And Cronauer's conflict with the brass leads Vietnam down some dubious paths. Sergeant Dickerson isn't just a constipated prig, he tries to arrange Cronauer's death. Lieutenant Hauk (Bruno Kirby Jr.) is a more fitting adversary, thinking his Charles Boyer impressions and polkas uphold Western Civilization. The wildcard is General Taylor (Noble Willingham), torn between Army protocol and respect for Cronauer.
But Levinson and writer Mitch Markovitch sell Vietnam in other ways. Escalating violence (Vietcong terror attacks and American reprisals) keeps events grounded, with Americans growing from friendly bystanders into an occupying army. Tuan's introduced as native guide to Vietnamese chaos, but his late scenes destroy Cronauer's concept of their relationship. The American's proclamations of friendship mean little to Tuan and his sister (Chintara Sukapatana), who see Cronauer as an invader.
Robin Williams, needless to say, relishes his role. His radio shows indulges Williams' pensions for manic non-sequitur and celebrity impressions; these scenes (especially his impromptu performance for a stranded convoy) may exhaust non-fans. Williams is funnier in other moments, poking holes in Hauk's pretension with guarded barbs or hijacking an English class. He sells the emotional scenes through his friendship with Tuan and clashes with superiors with equal aplomb. It's Williams as both comedian and thespian, blending to brilliant effect.
Levinson backs Williams with an exquisite supporting cast. Forest Whittaker is amiable though he never develops beyond adoring sidekick. J.T. Walsh (Nixon) is dependably slimy, but Bruno Kirby Jr. (The Godfather Part II) steals every scene as the hideously humor-impaired Hauk. Tung Thanh Tran and Chintara Sukapatana invest their stock characters with warmth and surprising complexity.
Good Morning Vietnam has some minor flaws - overindulging its star, some questionable plotting - but mostly remains refreshing. It's both funny and touching, a solid movie and a perfect showcase for Robin Williams.
