User reviews

Army recruits categorized as, shall we say, neither the best nor brightest, but they somehow get turned on when reluctant teacher DeVito reads Shakespeare's Hamlet to them and it hits a chord. The high point of the film is reached when one of those recites on command his "irrelevant" Shakespeare on a rainy night's drill to Sergeant Gregory Hines and finds in his memory from "Henry V" (with lead-in not at hand) "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers. For he today that sheds his blood with me, Shall be my brother." This is a truly nice movie, about heroes but not about touting war. At a later point, my usually stoic wife shed some tears. Danny De Vito is surprising to me. He generally leaps over my expectations, no matter how far I raise them up.

I've always liked Danny Devito and he is such a consummate professional that he makes this film look easy which of course it's not. It's friendly and engaging and a feel good movie. You know what you get with Danny, so just settle down and soak up the laughs.

"The choices you make dictate the life you lead. "To thine own self be true."

I remember first time I had watched Renaissance Man. I was twelve years old, I knew somewhat about the military, Shakespeare, and illiteracy so even though I was a little to dumb to understand what the movie was about it did peak my interest enough to revisit it a numerous amount of times since. I have to say this is Penny Marshal's most underrated film.

Bill Rago (Danny Devito) is a recently fired and divorced advertising agent who is given a job at a nearby Army Base by an unemployment agency. Rago, with no teaching degree and not wanting to be there, must find a way to help eight underachieving army recruits pass basic training. When the students become interested in a play Rago is reading he soon begins to explain why Hamlet is the greatest thing every written.

As each of the eight students become interested in Hamlet, Mr. Rago becomes interested in them, helping the students become ideal candidates. Before the remaining students can graduate though they must pass Mr. Rago's test if they choose to take it. In the end Mr. Rago finds love and respect from his students, the drill instructors, his daughter and even a new woman.

Although Renaissance Man is not a popular film I guarantee you it is a better and more dramatic film then those that followed (Major Payne, Sgt. Bilko). Danny Devito can do no wrong, this isn't the best character he's played but he certainly outshines the rest of the cast which includes Gregory Hines, James Remar, Stacey Dash, Kadeem Hardison and Marky Mark (Mark Wahlberg). The movie is wonderfully written by Jim Burnstein who's only other notable writing credit includes D3: The Mighty Ducks.

If you're in the mood to revisit a classic do yourself a favor and make it RENAISSANCE MAN. Trust me you'll like it.

What a polarity of opinions on this one! It's either love it or hate it time. Put me definitely in the camp of this movie's admirers and supporters. I noticed that many of this film's fans were from all over: Texas, Canada, Scotland, Brooklyn, Australia, and Paris! Many noticed the similarity to Dead Poets Society as did I. Other movies it could be compared to are Mr. Holland's Opus and Konrack, and the more recent French film, The Chorus, movies in which other teachers too are celebrated for enriching the lives and spirits of their students. I think your Parisian correspondent sums it up the best: to see fine art working its way into the psyches of those previously unaware of it and to see people growing in spirit as a result of their exposure to and interactivity with it: that's what makes this story such a treat and an inspiration. It's what makes being a teacher worthwhile and justified. It moved and touched me. I had a personal connection to this movie's plot line as well: I knew a teacher who used to go into inner city schools and also taught the kids Shakespeare, especially the old-fashioned swear words the author used in the plays! Quite successfully too. Also, I grew up in Detroit so I appreciated the opening of the film set on familiar streets of the Motor City. A beautiful and touching film. None of the film's critics or supporters commented on the plot line in which the teacher recovered the true history of his recruit's father's unrecognized heroism. That was beautiful too. Go see this film and be inspired.

Tells the take of a failing business man (Danny DeVito) being down on his luck then getting sent to an army as a new found job to team a bunch of underclass army types into passing a course.

Now it may seem relatively simple but there are a few interesting subplots along the way to keep interest.

Had little expectations but came away enjoying the film more than expected. The comedy side of the film isn't what's best, but more so the drama aspect. It is quite an inspirational tale and has several touching and feel good parts.

The aspects about Hamlet and Shakespeare made it more engaging as such. As well as the occasional army drill training scenes. It was a solid blend of both.

Although it may be predictable, we enjoy it for the characters as there are several and we see the development in these characters from start to finish. It is left with a satisfying ending.

An uneasy, but very likeable mix of DEAD POETS SOCIETY (1989) and AN OFFICER AND GENTLEMAN (1982) from usually assured director Penny Marshall has fine-as-usual Danny De Vito playing a business man who gets fired and has to work on a U.S. military camp teaching some not-so-bright cadets about, well, Shakespeare. Aside from being the most respectful, positive, naive portrayal of the U.S. Army in decades, this predictable, formulaic comedy mixes drama and humor unwisely, despite some appealing performances by the young actors, especially from Lillo Brancato, Jr., who played Robert De Niro's son in A BRONX TALE (1993) and spoofs him here, much-talking Kadeem Hardison and Richard T. Jones as the strongest. Also with sexy Stacey Dash, stupid bloke Mark Wahlberg, James Remar as captain and Gregory Hines as a light variation of Louis Gossett, Jr., from AN OFFICER... In the end, neither boring, nor successful movie with a healthy enthusiasm for Shakespeare's works.

Renaissance Man is directed by Penny Marshall and stars Danny DeVito, Gregory Hines, James Remar, Mark Wahlberg, Stacey Dash and Kadeem Hardison. Hans Zimmer scores the film and it's written by Jim Burnstein. The story sees DeVito as Bill Rago, a divorced advertising executive who loses his job and finds himself unemployed. Not only that, but the relationship with his daughter has started to feel the financial strain. However, the unemployment agency find him a short time position at U.S. Army training base, Fort McClane. The position entails him to teach basic comprehension to a class of academic under achievers. Initially he's not enthused by the job, nor are the class particularly responsive to his civilian status. But just maybe this odd coupling may turn out to be good for both parties? That is if Drill Sergeant Cass (Hines) lets them that is?

A box office flop that was first marketed as a comedy, then as a drama {it's very much both}, Renaissance Man holds no surprises what so ever. The formula remains the same as every other piece featuring a teacher and an unruly/troubled/under educated class. So with that in mind, and considering the film has largely been kicked by the professional critics, I'm not here to sell this movie to anyone, because sometimes you have to acknowledge that a film can hit a spot of your own personal psyche, yet at the same time be a million miles away from someone else's.

The choices we make dictate the life we lead

For me personally, Renaissance Man is one such film. It was one dark rainy night back in the mid 90s and I had the blues, I popped over to the video store to see what was available, I couldn't find anything that remotely sounded like something to lift me out of the stupor I was in. I then spied a copy of Renaissance Man, a film I hadn't heard anything about, and although I took that as a bad sign, Danny DeVito's beaming smile on the cover of the box lured me in. I was thinking how much I had enjoyed him in Twins at the back end of 1988, so to me it didn't seem such a bad gamble to take. I was expecting a comedy and I got one, but the bonus was that what I also got was a very uplifting dramatic tale about the human condition, people learning from each other, a tale that shows the power of artistry and how it can unite and lift people. A tale that shows that maybe some folk aren't as clever as others, but if they can grasp a straw and be all that they can be, then their heads will be well and truly held up high.

Renaissance Man, I believe, is a sadly undervalued film on this, or any other film related site. But that's just me, because hey! We all got different psyche's right. Right? 8/10

RENAISSANCE MAN / (1994) *1/2 (out of four)

By Blake French:

The more serious a subject is, the easier and more fun it is to spoof. The comedy from Penny Marshal, "Renaissance Man," has a great target: the army. But it fails to create funny material within its concepts. The film seems to have uncertainties within its structure; the scenes simply do not blend well together. It is possible to incorporate comedy with sentimental emotions, but this movie does not know how to do it. It goes from straight humor to straight solemnity, leaving out subtle changes in its pace, attitude, or character's actions. When a movie can include a scene that has Danny Devito climbing a "victory" tower at a military training facility, and another where Army students rap to a theme of Shakespeare's "Hamlet," without being funny in the least, you know there has been some major miscalculations.

Devito is the right actor for a divorced, bankrupt Detroit advertiser who applies for unemployment and gets a job as a civilian instructor for an Army training facility. He must counsel a class of eight difficult students. Of course, DeVito's character has no idea of how the Army works, and proves himself to be a misfit in the base. After some effort, he eventually finds the students express interest in Shakespeare. "He wrote plays. Plays...?" he explains. "You know, like TV without the box." The class becomes a course on the understanding of the complex tragedy of "Hamlet."

We keep waiting for the movie to take off and to be about something, but it never does. It simply juggles around various ideas that go absolutely nowhere. The movie feels obligatory as it follows the predictable, contrived path in which the students reject their authorities, then the students respect their authorities, then the authorities reject, then except. Except and reject what, you ask? It doesn't really matter since the entire plot is an exercise in recycling story nuggets of movies like "Dead Poets Society" and "Private Benjamin."

To make things even worse for this excuse for a comedy: many of the performances are horrible. Danny Devito is fine, as is the rest of the more experienced cast. But the Army student cast has scenes that are down right laughable. Mark Wahlberg sits in his desk and makes childish faces to his fellow classmates, reciting his dialogue as if rehearsing a part in a high school play for the first time. During one scene, as the students explain the reasons of why they joined the Army, one breaks down in tears because of a sad emotional past. This could have been powerful if actual actors had taken the parts. But instead, we try to respect the art of filmmaking by holding a straight face while his expression of sorrow becomes so poorly portrayed we don't know whether to wince or chuckle.

"Renaissance Man" is a contrived, labored, unconvincing attempt at a comedy spoof. Without a doubt, if handled the right way, it could have had funny results. But Penny Marshal, who also directed movies like "The Preacher's Wife," and "Big," constructs scenes so awfully familiar and labored, no possible talent can save them. Even the closing sequence, the traditional false suspense moments when students show their loyalties and manhood, feels out of place. Everything feels out of place here. I feel sorry for Danny Devito, who brings a life to his character on his own. But he is stuck in a movie so mislead, even he looks like he should be contributing his talents to another production.

This is a feel good movie, not very deep BUT well conceived, written and acted. DeVito is excellent as a failing marketing man being transformed into a thoughtful, caring army educator. As important is the film's excellent presentation and discussion of the works of Shakespeare.

No surprise, DeVito's self centered abrasiveness meets with antipathy. Army officers don't care. Convinced of their own worthlessness, DeVito's students are disinterested, at best. During the semester, DeVito, mellows, students learn enough to advance,and Army brass begins to appreciates the new teacher.

The best part of this film is not DeVito's or the student's redemption but the film's beguiling Shakespeare presentation. DeVito teaches the Bard with passion. The writers deliver illuminating, focused student dialog. As one who didn't "get" Shakespeare until seeing MacBeth a year after graduation. This movie was a better class than anything I took in high school or college.

Enjoy the film and the class.

I hadn't seen this for years but now it's on Disney+ I jumped at the chance to watch it, in hope that it stood the test of time.

It did just that and the themes and messages hold up just as well.

'Renaissance Man' is a film about a teacher who is hired to teach literature to a group of rebellious army recruits. It is a film about the relationship that this teacher has with the students and the changes that all of them make. The teacher learns how to appreciate the army recruits and gets a sense of understanding from them; at the same time, they learn how to buckle down and actually enjoy reading and learning about Shakespeare's 'Hamlet'. This is one of those feel-good films. I got really sick of watching this film as it was always on television and one of those films that my family tended to watch and rewatch at least a dozen times. This film has its share of laughter and succeeds in providing a feel-good story and a happy ending.

I love this movie. I first saw it when I was about eight, and it inspired me to read Shakespeare. Of course, because of my age, I was unable to understand HAMLET, but I thought I would just mention it. This movie is a great portrayl of how a formerly selfish man changed himself and his students through Shakespeare. This movie is deep, but it's also very funny and entertaining. There are some great, brilliant moments in here, especially when DeVito says, "All I know is, the choices you make dictate the life you lead. To thine own self be true. " There is also an excellent scene where one of the students recites Shakespeare for Hines, the drill sergeant. This is a fantastic movie that I absolutely loved, as did my English teacher. I highly recommend it. Of course, if you only find Bruce Willis movies entertaining, this movie is not for you.

Bill Rago (Danny DeVito) works for an advertising firm. But when one day he had been fired from his job, his new job is somehow very unlikely from his past nature of work. Teaching army recruits.

Soon he was being 'thrown' into a life so different from what he had known. Initially Bill had no idea how his class should ran, till one day his students was asking what he was reading.

Thus it became the time where Bill was teaching 'Hamlet' to his students. They began to slowly warm up to the idea of learning one of Shakespeare's works and that even Bill drove all of them to go watch the play.

All along the way, Bill did had some run-ins with his students' commander on the way how they should handle their (same) students. But in the end, one had to win his way out. And it's not what one may kind of expect whom to be.

The moment Bill was teaching 'Hamlet' to his students, I sort of realised how the movie title came about. Imparting teaching methods which may deemed so different is not what everyone can accept, but to a bunch of unlikely people, it can be quite a challenge altogether.

This is just one of those movies where one can enjoy in a no-frills manner.

Halt thyself, thou knave. I shall tell thee of a film in which a great thespian of our time plays a man who teacheth a group of milit'ry people about one of the greatest playwrights of all time. Never have these men and wenches known such masterful work, but eager they are to learn.

OK, I'll cut the Shakespearean talk. But the point is that "Renaissance Man" is a really cool movie, with Danny DeVito as a literature teacher who joins the army and teaches some of the recruits about Shakespeare. This was certainly one of the under-appreciated comedies of the 1990s (specifically, one showing that you don't need scatological humor to make a good comedy). At the very least, it should be interesting to see Mark Wahlberg in his film debut. But even beyond that, I would say that there's lots to admire here. I definitely recommend it.

Also starring Kadeem Hardison and Cliff Robertson.

I realize that there have been a lot of bad movies, but this movie gets my nod for the worst movie ever simply because it never gets quite bad enough to enjoy, but never good enough to be less than painful. Hearing Marky Mark rap out the story of Hamlet had me wishing someone would kill me before the scene was over. (Who could know that Mark Walburg would actually become a respected actor!!) Oh dear God, do NOT see this movie; its not even good for a laugh. This movie pays homage to the idea that a group of total idiots, when motivated, can be something other than motivated idiots. Go see "To Sir, With Love" if you want a movie about underachievers. This movie is an insult to all that is holy.

Let me start off by saying that this movie is miss-marketed as a comedy. As a comedy, this movie is, at best, mediocre. Sure, there are some funny moments, but it isn't nearly as hilarious as it claims to be. However, what this movie lacks in comedy, it makes up for with it's other qualities. This is a warm, fuzzy, feel-good movie with a lot of wisdom in it. The character development is excellent and we really get to like the characters. The bond between DeVito and his students is strong. This movie is very touching, with a few funny moments in-between. Sure, there are some corny scenes (the rap scene) but hey, every teacher has their own way of making their students understand their material, right? I would recommend this movie, although not as a comedy.

Danny De Vito is Bill Rego, a successful ad exec and father who is made unemployed when a stressful journey to work causes the loss of an important contract for the ad company. After suffering the humiliation of having to start unemployment, he is assigned a teaching post at a military base due to a master degree from University (making him an eligible teacher). The military believes if they can help recruits cut the mustard at physical aspects, they can help the lower IQ'd in the brain department as well. After the initial conflict with his class due to their varying social background and much to the resentment of their drill instructor, he starts to teach them Shakespeare (in true sarcastic DeVito style), gaining their respect along the way. Also features Mark Walhberg in an early role. A thoroughly good film, well acted and very well scripted.

Overall rating: 6 out of 10.

This is simply the worst film I have ever seen. I it so predictable that it insults my intelligence. Why is it that Hollywood continues making these "underdog teacher reveals truth of life for bad students". Just name one that worked - Dangerous minds didn't eiter!

I didnt expect much from this film, and I didnt get much. This is a movie that tries to force emotions on you, and it doesnt work. It has a nice cast, but in this case it has no redeeming value. It's a silly story, with bad acting, and humor. Not recommended. 4 out of 10.