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Thanks for the memories!

Powerful

I wanted to but couldn't!

Absolutely Fantastic

William Dafoe and Gregory Hines are two jaded, plain-clothing army police officers whose beat happens to be Saigon. Where they find themselves up against the locals and their police force, but to make matters worse one of their very own top brass officers could be a suspect for the brutal deaths of some Vietnamese prostitutes. "Off Limits" aka "Saigon" is a pulpy, but excitingly sweaty and grippingly searing little thriller made the even more relentless by its choice of exotic setting. The essence of the period is captured (some great, fitting soundtrack choices), everything moves at a cracking pace and danger seems to lurk around every corner. Dafoe and Hines perfectly pitch out their broodingly tough persons, spitting out lean, mean and raw dialogues (sometimes darkly humorous) and encountering many heated exchanges. Director Christopher Crowe paints a hard-bitten environment, consisting of live-wire chase scenes, aggressive violence and a paranoid air. The plot moodily unfolds, as it's not much of a mystery but the simple investigation of trying to put the pieces together from scratch, while dealing with constant barriers and cover-ups stopping that from happening. However it does have some unbalanced moments of pure insanity… mainly when Glenn's character enters the frame. The revelation to who's behind the murders doesn't come as a surprise due to one sequence midway through that's a bit too convenient in the scheme of things not to be overly suspicious. Still it's one hell of a ride. Along for it also is potent performances by Fred Ward, Amanda Pays, David Alan Grier, Keith David, Raymond O'Connor and an excellently edgy Scott Glenn ("I walk it, like I talk it").

Scott Glenn's performance is one of the craziest, most unhinged spectacles I've ever seen outside of BAD LIEUTENANT. That said, I went to see this movie three times when it first came out, and I tell you what, it's flawed, and crazy, and not all there, and a lot of it is unfocused, but it belongs squarely in the 'Nam Movie' pantheon, right there with HAMBURGER HILL, FULL METAL JACKET, APOCALYPSE NOW, and PLATOON. This flick is, if only by some accident, the real deal, and in many ways, the only other piece of media I can compare this movie to is Mark Jury's stunning act of photojournalism, THE Vietnam PHOTO BOOK.The display of disorientation and malaise, the feeling of the grimy, nasty, sex-filled environments presented to off-duty soldiers in an occupied country, is second to none. I remember Roger Ebert's review of this film and particularly his opinion that it was, I quote, "Needlessly profane". Obviously Mr. Ebert was never in any military.Is this a perfect movie? NO.Is this even a good movie? Well, not really.Is this a good, or necessary Vietnam movie? Yes, it is. If you haven't seen this, you are not complete. Trust me on that.OFF LIMITS is critical war-movie viewing.

The Army has always wondered what side army CID is on so said Colonel Smokin' Joe Woodward to me many years ago. This film may answer good Colonel's question. In Vietnam the USACIDC worked for the VC.Following string of prostitute murders, Buck McGriff (Willem Dafoe) and his partner Albaby Perkins (Gregory Hines) are on the case. The suspects are all high ranking officers. Everyone including the ARVN (Army of The Republic of South Vietnam) QC (South Vietnamese Military Police) stand in their way. Only a French nun Sister Nicole (Amanda Pays) is of grudging assistance.Along the trail, they're kidnapped by troops fiercely loyal to their Colonel, witness US war crimes called playing helicopters, and finally take a taxi to VC headquarters to consort with Charlie himself.Yet despite their many adventures the answer has always been staring them in the face.Much of the film has been borrowed from WWII movies: In Vietnam with rotation and change over troops weren't quite as loyal to each other, their commanders or their units as had been the case in previous wars. The sidestory of the love affair with the French nun comes straight from HEAVEN KNOWS MR ALLISON; in the 1960s catholic nuns regularly left the convent to marry.Gregory Hines' character was about a decade before his time. The Army was late in placing Afro-Americans in the Military Police or in Criminal Investigation Command.Yet despite these shortcomings the film is well played and highly recommended.

Gregory Hines and Willem Dafoe make an excellent team in this unusual murder mystery set in Vietnam.Actual filming overseas add to the realism.Anyone ever serving in the Pacific can attest to that.The soundtrack was great, using music not usually heard in most of the Vietnam movies.Supporting actors performances were also very good ( Fred ward, Amanda Pays ).I have collected all the Vietnam movies and rate this one of the best.