Cadence (1990) PG13 - 4 Stars

A classic movie that many have not heard of and everyone should see at least once. Starring both Charlie and Martin Sheen, this great hit shows you why you've come to love both these actors, especially together. If for no other reason, rent it to see the great marching song where a group of black men teach this white boy how to get his groove on.

This is the story of a young soldier who after learning about the death of his father, gets drunk, goes AWOL and ends up in a military barrack. The stockade is run but a stern racist Sergeant (or is it Sargent?) and occupied mainly by African American males that don't welcome this white boy easily their hood. The Sarge. and Bean portray the perfect conflict of being caught in the middle of a generation gap during the rebellious years of the 1960's. Though the movie starts out racial it isn't about the race but instead looks way deeper into the soul of the ordinary fight of a man.

Franklin Bean, Jr. (Charlie Sheen), gets a good drunk on and refuses to comply with his superiors, which lands him in a military barrack run by Sergeant Otis V. McKinney (Martin Sheen ), who guaranteed to whip him back into shape to further serve his duty. From the moment he steps foot into the compound he's challenged with his white skin by a group of African Americans doing time there. Stokes (Laurence Fishburne), seems to be in charge amongst Spoonman - Bryce (Blu Mankuma), Sweetbread - Crane (Harry Stewart), Lamar (James Marshall), Webb (Michael Beach), Gessner (Ramon Estevez) and Lawrence (John Toles-Bey). Bean is riled all the time by Sergeant McKinney and the immates but Bean doesn't surrender and instead quietly tries to do his time which drives McKinney to the verge of insanity as he's determined to break him soul.



Republic Pictures Productions, New Line Cinema
Director: Martin Sheen
Writers: Dennis Shryack, Martin Sheen
Producers: Richard Davis, Patti Allen

I viewed 12/09