Lauren Braun

EMC 4375
A Few Good Men Plot Assessment and Character Treatment

The film opens, setting the location on a well-defended military base. The camera
follows two gentlemen in uniform up stairs and into a room. Inside the room, on a small
cot, is a third gentleman, asleep. The two gentlemen standing wake up the third male,
who begins to start yelling No! The two hold him and place a rag in his mouth, and
tape it shut with duct tape. The now gagged gentleman attempts to flee, knocking into a
bedside table and causing noise. One of the attackers grabs him, roughly throws him on
the bed, and the free attacker tapes up the gagged mans legs. We see his attempts to
struggle become weaker as he disappears off the screen.
Act one creates the setting and world for the film, as well as the characters the
audience should invest in. In the first act, the audience is introduced to Lt. Kaffee,
Commander Galloway, and the two gentlemen accused of killing Mr. Santiago - Mr.
Dawson and Mr. Downey. Lt. Kaffee is assigned to the case of Mr. Santiagos death,
against the wishes of Commander Galloway, who wanted the case herself. Kaffee does
not seem to take the case seriously, and is overly confident and arrogant. This maintains
throughout the beginning of the film until the inciting incident in Act 1. Although
arguments could be made for many of the scenes around this period of time, this audience
member believes the inciting incident took place when Col. Jessep, head of the base in
Guantanamo Bay, admitted the existence of code red harassment, was reluctant to
provide the transfer order for Santiago, and challenged Kaffee, all taking place in one

breakfast scene. Kaffee traveled, along with Galloway, to GITMO, to investigate not only
the crime scene and the feel of the base, but interview the people involved outside of their
own clients. When he asked Jessep questions involving the night of the incident, Jessep
seemed completely helpful, explaining how he had ordered Santiago. Jessup had no
indication at this point that Jessep was lying. However, upon the admittance of the
existence of code red actions being taken on the base, Kaffee attempts to excuse his
team, stating to Jessep that a copy of the transfer order will be required for the case file.
Jessep, almost suspiciously, questions this, and pauses, before reassuring Kaffee that he
will be able to accommodate the request. Either in an attempt to cover this flub, or simply
due to his boasting personality, Jessep basically reprimands Kaffee for his disrespectful
form of request, demanding some f***ing courtesy. Thrown off guard, Kaffee
reextends his request politely, appeasing Jessep. It was in this scene that Kaffees
character began to take the case more seriously, and gave an inkling of suspicion that the
case may not be what it, or easy as it seemed on paper.
The big event is much easier to pinpoint. As more and more is slowly revealed
about Dawson and Downey, Kaffee begins to heckle for a way to avoid the case going to
court. When Ross, the apposing lawyer, presents the option of avoiding court, dropping
the charges down to only assault, in which the defendants would serve only two years,
and return to the U.S. in six months, Kaffee is thrilled. Returning to the defendants, they
refuse to take the plea deal. Their characters center around their honor and behavior, and
in the case that they take the deal, they would be dishonorably discharged. Kaffee is faced
with his first major choice, the big event. Does he stay their council, which he knows is a
sinking ship, or assign them new council, giving into the fear of not being a success like

his father? Tempted to assign new council, he makes his choice. To everyones surprise,
stays on the case, and enters a plea of not guilty. His decision centers around my personal
favorite line of the film
Whydoesajuniorgradewithsixmonthsexperienceanda
trackrecordforpleabargaininggetassignedamurdercase?
Woulditbesothatitneverseesthe insideofa
courtroom?

(In one page) Summarize four obstacles in Act II.

(In one-half page) Describe Plot Point 2 (the Crisis).
(In one-half page) Summarize the action of Act III, describing
the showdown and realization.
(In one-half page) Describe the ending scene or sequence.

The main character (Lt. Daniel Kaffee) analysis should conform to the
following guidance:

(In one-half page) Paragraph on professional life.

(In one-half page) Paragraph on personal life.
(In one-half page) Paragraph on private life.
(In one page) Write the characters Backstory. The
Backstory is a defining moment, usually between ages 12
and 18, when the characters adult identity is forged by
adversity.
(In one page) Define the characters: Dramatic need (flaw);
Point of view (way of seeing the world); Attitude (approach to
life); and any change the character goes through in the story.