It's funny because last night I was kind of formulating how I wanted to phrase this review and the first thing that came to mind was `by the numbers' and then this AM, when talking to a fellow Ammy friend (cough*MKIA*cough) he mentioned that a certain biopic was NOT `by the numbers'. I just find that humorous.

Maybe it was a sign.

So, `Men of Honor' suffers from that very cliché though. It is, for lack of a better phrase, very `by the numbers'; to the point where they fictionalized a character to create an even more `by the numbers' feel. Your standard biopic consists of `average man or woman overcoming obstacles to do something above average'. Some of these `standard' biopic films can overcome that generic approach by technical merits and acting that transcends the minimalist approach. Other films suffer from appearing too simple and overly formulaic and thus wind up too forgettable.

I think that is the problem with `Men of Honor'.

As much as the overall story itself is one of inspiration, it comes across as slightly cheap in production and overall impact. The acting is decent to good, but never more than that. De Niro does give us something more in parts, but his cliché ridden character (he is the fictionalized character in the story) doesn't seem to find enough footing to remain grounded. Cuba Gooding Jr. is one of those actors who just don't always work. His memorably fantastic work in `Jerry Maguire' seems more and more like a fluke with every performance I see from him. He is effective here, but nothing more than that. He never wows me. The beautiful Charlize Theron has some moments, but nothing that transcends stereotype and Aunjanue Ellis seems like an afterthought (as does her storyline).

When you look at `Men of Honor' as a made-for-TV `movie of the week' (which it certainly feels like), then it becomes more palatable. The film is far from bad, and it has moments of uplifting inspiration, but overall it fails to really deliver what it is capable of. Instead it relies on a ridiculous amount of clichés and borrowed themes to create something we've seen done a million times before; much better at that.

This movie shows you can do anything if you put your mind and heart into it.

i think this is a wonderful movie for young and old alike. i would recommend it to anyone you can't go wrong.

If you are looking to purchaser a good drama movie, this is it! Have a a great cast with excellent performance and great story. Bottom line, a great drama movie for your collection.

Chronicles the inspirational, true-life exploits of Carl Brashear, who became the Navy's first African-American Master Diver. Brashear runs into formidable opposition in the form of Billy Sunday, a rebellious senior officer and celebrated Master Chief Navy Diver. But it is Sunday who ultimately helps Brashear, the son of a Kentucky sharecropper, overcome a crippling injury, fight racism and bureaucracy, and make military history. Cuba Gooding Jr. delivers a credible, engaging performance. Robert De Niro and Cuba Gooding Jr. are eminently watchable. An excellent movie about courage and determination.