Under Fire

An historical drama loosely based on the events surrounding the fall of the repressive US backed Somoza regime and the rise of the popular Sandinista government, which occurred during the Carter administration. Because it is a fictionalized account it does not always ring true, but the tension of being a journalist in a war torn country is well portrayed. The love triangle between Hackman's, Nolte's, and Cassidy's characters adds an interesting twist to the main plot. Well acted by an excellent cast.

Russell Price (Nick Nolte) is a photojournalist covering a military conflict in Chad, where he runs into Oates (Ed Harris), a mercenary who he knows. Russell then returns to his hotel, where he attends a "Bon Voyage" party for his friend Alex Grazier (Gene Hackman), who is giving up covering foreign conflicts to take a lucrative job as a news anchor in New York. It is revealed that Russell is having an affair with Alex's girlfriend, fellow journalist Claire Stryder (Joanna Cassidy). Alex's article about the conflict in Chad is paired with Russell's photography to land a cover story in Time magazine. The journalists then travel to Nicaragua to join the international press corps covering a conflict between the government of President Somoza and rebels led by Rafael, an underground figure who has never been photographed. Russell is arrested for no legitimate reason and spends a night in jail. He and Claire meet Marcel Jazy, a French spy who is closely connected to Somoza, who tips them off that they might find Rafael in León, even though the press corps believes the fighting is shifting to Masaya... Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times awarded the film three and a half out of four stars, praising the performances and declaring it one of the year's best films, saying, "The actors in Under Fire never step wrong. Nolte is great to watch as the seedy photographer with the beer gut. Hackman never really convinced me that he could be an anchorman, but he did a better thing. He convinced me that he thought he could be one. Joanna Cassidy takes a role that could have been dismissed as 'the girl' and fills it out as a fascinating, textured adult. Under Fire surrounds these performances with a vivid sense of place and becomes, somewhat surprisingly, one of the year's best films." Geoff Andrew of Time Out praised the film as "tak[ing] an honourable place alongside classic war-torn romance pictures like Casablanca and To Have and Have Not" and concluded by calling it "a thrilling film, with a head, a heart, and muscle." John Simon of the National Review wrote- "Under Fire is no masterpiece, but it gives you plenty to absorb and think about. How many films nowadays can make that claim?" Vincent Canby of The New York Times, however, viewed the film less favorably, saying "Under Fire, which was written by Ron Shelton and Clayton Frohman, from a story by Mr. Frohman, means well but it is fatally confused. It's silly enough to use a real, bloody war as the backdrop - the excuse, really - for the raising of the consciousnesses of a couple of mini-characters." (Via Wikipedia) "Under Fire" has by far a great cast in Nick Nolte, Ed Harris, Gene Hackman and Joanna Cassidy which all give us great performances and believable characters. It's a film that visualize the danger and craziness in being a journalist covering difficult conflicts, war etc as you can never be certain that you will come out of it alive. The problem with "Under Fire" is however the somewhat unbalanced screenplay that never really make sure that you become engaged and to be honest emotionally involved. I have seen this film before, and I guess I felt the same now as when I saw it many years ago, that I did not feel all that moved by the violence and political atrocities shown in the film. It's like you do believe this largely fictional story, but yet not. There´s something that simply don't add up to me. It was nice to see the always stunning Joanna Cassidy in the role as Claire Stryder and the rest of the great cast which is the highlight of the film.

A fine well acted movie where a photographer goes to a South America country and photos injustice by a brutal dictator.

Nick Nolte is terrible.

One of my favourite movie which shows the crucial point. Highly recommended

A lot of meaning in this movie

I am very happy that the movie shows us the steps and choices that are necessary in the life of a great person. I like the movie.

A pivotal movie for me. Coming out of the shadows of Nixon-Reaganite parents, and listening to NPR radio back in the early 80s, this brought home the war in Nicaragua. Along with The Year of Living Dangerously, it challenged the right wing narrative of the East/West proxy wars and presented the dangers of political parties and extremist ideologies of all stripes. This applies even to today with the proxy wars includig Ukraine, where both sides portray their motives as patriotic and existential but once you scratch the surface, there is a lot of ugly, bloodlust, money and personal power-grabbing. Typically I do not like historical fiction but these two movies somehow are as memorable as the Godfather, Rollerball and other classics. As always, follow the money and question everything. Always ask: what is their nature and what do they really want?

I don't think the script did it justice but the acting did.

A look at war-ravaged Nicaragua during the Somozoa regime and the revolution that brought it down, through the eyes and camera lenses of some very brave journalists.