Courage Under Fire

UK Release Date. 4 October 1996
Certification. 15
Running Time. 1 hour 56 mins
Director. Edward Zwick
Cast. Matt Damon, Scott Glenn, Michael Moriarty, Lou Diamond Phillips, Meg Ryan, Denzel Washington.
Rating. 67%

Review.

For almost a decade, since an early role as Carole Bradshaw - wife of Lieutenant Nick 'Goose' Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards) - in Top Gun, the effervescent Meg Ryan played the romantic lead in a series of sweet, benign romantic comedies, the likes of When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless In Seattle and French Kiss. But in 1996, Ryan was cast, somewhat against type, as a female helicopter pilot, Captain Karen Walden alongside Denzel Washington in Edward Wick's compelling military drama, Courage Under Fire.

Captain Walden and her crew are sent to rescue survivors of a Black Hawk crash, but Walden's own helicopter is shot down by enemy forces. Major Serling (Denzel Washington), a Gulf War veteran himself, is assigned to research a proposed Congressional Medal of Honor for Captain Walden. An award that would make her the first female to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously. The investigation plays out as a series of flashbacks replaying the same event from different perspectives of those involved - First Lieutenant Chelli (Ned Vaughn), Warrant Officer Ray (Tim Guinee), Medic Andrew Ilario (Matt Damon), Staff Sergeant Monfriez (Lou Diamond Phillips) and Sergeant Altameyer (Seth Gilliam). Each character serves as a piece of the puzzle, contributing to the overarching narrative in a way that makes Courage Under Fire a more layered experience than perhaps first expected.

The ensemble cast successfully breathes life into the principal characters. A horribly gaunt Matt Damon, in particular, portrays Medic Andrew Ilario as a soldier haunted by his experience, offering a glimpse into the lasting trauma endured by many veterans. With accustomed gravitas, Denzel Washington delivers a riveting performance, capturing the inner turmoil of a man torn between duty, guilt and the pursuit of truth. The surprise, perhaps, is Meg Ryan who shines in a role that defies expectations and showcases a dramatic range far removed from her typical projects.