Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Roughriders- true to form, accurate and inspiring!
Of all of the recent genre of movies depicting vignettes of American history, Roughriders goes the extra mile to capture the essence, mood and feeling of Victorian America as it flexed it's international muscles for the first time! Berenger and the supporting cast are outstanding, and the battle scenes are among the most accurate ever made. This is a must see!
Rating: - Outstanding war movie!
I really enjoyed this film. Despite its 3 hour length it was gripping and engrossing and I felt very connected to all the characters. A truly worthwhile movie. And I felt educated on a little bit of American history too. Not a bad deal.The acting was all supurb. For one thing, I felt like Tom Berenger disappeared, and Teddy Roosevelt emerged -- Berenger did such a great job in his roll, I could hardly recognize him after a while! He was Teddy all the way. He had those big horsey teeth and round glasses and after a while you really couldn't see the actor anymore. He was this eccentric, hyper, lovable Teddy Roosevelt fellow, through and through. Absolutely amazing. I also enjoyed all the costars. Brad Johnson as Henry Nash was really almost as important a character as Roosevelt. He starts out as a selfish weasley guy, and ends proving himself to be much more than he ever intended or believed he could be. A wonderful character. Sam Elliot is always great in these kinds of movies, and this film is no exception. I also thought Gary Busey was fantastic and fiesty as a Southern General, and I enjoyed every scene he was in. Chris Noth was great as a educated "gentleman" who went to war to prove to himself that he could be brave. Illeana Douglas plays Mrs. Roosevelt, and I think she was a fine choice. Beautiful in an unconventional way, and a devoted wife with a good sense of humor. All these people were very good casting choices. Some other excellent roles are played by Adam Storke as the writer Stephen Crane -- his "description" of the battle to a fallen companion is stirring indeed. A wonderful scene. And it's always nice to see character actor Geoffrey Lewis (who plays a grizzled old soldier called Eli). I couldn't help rooting for Eric Allan Kramer, (or as I thought of him, "the big blonde guy"), who plays a henpecked husband who "escapes" to war and finally stars living. There were so many great people in this cast, and the story is laid out so that you get to know each one of them, and care what happens to them. You grieve and mourn when any one of them is hurt, or falls in battle. Intermingled in with the characters and action is the history of the Spanish American war. It is so well told and directed, it is a pleasure to watch. Great direction by John Milius and rousing score by John and Peter Bernstein. Highly recommended!
Rating: - This movie has it all; historical accuracy AND human drama.
It is almost an injustice to call this movie a war movie. It is more like a coming of age, for both the characters in the movie and the United States. There is not a single bad performance in this movie; Sam Elliot is a standout Captain O'Neill, Gary Busey is a riot as the cantankerous General Wheeler and of course, Tom Berenger is a standout as the very human Theodore Roosevelt, full of brag and bluster one moment, then sobered by war's cruel losses the next and then finding the resolve to not only continue on but take command as well. John Milius's direction is meticuluous and accurate but he does not lose sight of the humans involved while staging his battle. (Check out Chris Noth as Trooper Wadsworth; his internal battle says it all.) This is how all movies should be made; accurate, yet inspirational. Bravo, Rough Riders!
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