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Volunteers

4.7

456

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Original title

Volunteers

Year

1985

Running time

105 min.

Country

United States

Director

Nicholas Meyer

Screenwriter

Ken Levine, David Isaacs

Cast

Music

James Horner

Cinematography

Ric Waite

Producer

HBO, Silver Screen Partners, TriStar Pictures

Genre

Comedy | 1960s

Synopsis

Lawrence is a rich kid with a bad accent and a large debt. After his father refuses to help him out, Lawrence escapes his angry debtors by jumping on a Peace Corp flight to Southeast Asia, where is assigned to build a bridge for the local villagers with American-As-Apple-Pie WSU Grad Tom Tuttle and the beautiful and down-to earth Beth Wexler. What they don't realize is that the bridge is coveted by the U.S. Army, a local Communist force, and a powerful drug lord. Together with the help of At Toon, the only English speaking native, they must fight off the three opposing forces and find out what is right for the villagers, as well as themselves.

Critics' reviews

"It's a shame that this often cute script couldn't have better served, and been better served by, its actors."

Gene Siskel: Chicago Tribune
"'Volunteers' is for the most part so good-natured and eager to please, or at least to solicit laughs, that it may be forgiven many sins."

Bill Cosford: Miami Herald
"Hanks is excellent and has a way with funny lines that marks him as one of the better droll comic actors, if given the right material"

TV Guide
"Toplined Tom Hanks gets in a few good zingers as an upperclass snob doing time in Thailand, but promising premise and opening shortly descend into unduly protracted tedium."

Variety Staff: Variety
"A blasé Hanks redeems this string of sexist, racist, comic clichés with winning charm. It's funny."

Michael Starr: Time Out
"'Volunteers' is a collection of one-liners, mostly good, wrapped around an undeveloped story, generally dull. Despite its frequent glimmers of intelligence, it's an unsatisfactory comedy that yawns to a close."

Paul Attanasio: The Washington Post

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User history

Volunteers

1985

Nicholas Meyer

4.7

(456)