Gung Ho (1986) User Reviews

What a time capsule! ...

[AlsExGal · 7/10 · 2 February 2019]

... and I'll get to how it is a time capsule in a moment.

Directed by Ron Howard, the film is about a Japanese car company that decides to buy up a shuttered American car factory in a town where it was the major source of employment. There is friction because of the numerous cultural/work culture differences between the Japanese management and the American workers. The main work problem is that the Japanese think "team" and the American workers on the line are individualists. Michael Keaton stars as Hunt Stevenson, who is promoted to liason between the American workers and the Japanese management. His problem is that he doesn't want to tell the unvarnished truth to the workers, and this gets him into trouble when he tells a lie he just can't take back that could mean the end of the plant. Gedde Watanabe plays the Japanese manager of the plant who is trying to go against his nature of caring about the home life of the workers and be "tough" so that the factory will be considered a success by the CEO back in Japan. Eventually he and Hunt form a friendship of sorts.

George Wendt of "Cheers" fame plays a worker who gets demoted to janitor. John Turturro is practically unrecognizable as another factory worker in a small part before the Coen brothers discovered him. If Ron Howard is directing then Clint Howard is not far away, usually playing a bit part, and that is true here too. Oh, if you are expecting the Michael Keaton of Birdman and Spotlight, then you are in for a surprise. This is the rather smart mouth character Keaton started out playing in the early 80s. Think of Bill Blazejowski of 1982's "Night Shift" (also directed by Ron Howard) but with a much bigger I.Q.

Why is this a time capsule and will probably be hard for you to find? When the American workers get angry they refer to their Japanese bosses with terms such as "rice a roni". Also, when Michael Keaton goes up to see the boss he refers to his Japanese secretary as "sugar puss". He isn't flirting, but that still would never make the grade in an American film today. George Wendt's character gets drunk and basically bullies and harasses the big boss' wife in a supermarket one day. Everybody just writes the episode off as the guy being angry about his demotion, as though that is acceptable behavior! It's just funny to have seen this in the theater back in 1986 and realize how much times have changed.

I'd recommend it as a great look back and as a comedic take on some of the economic issues confronting Americans in the 1980s. That decade was not as prosperous and carefree as you might have been led to believe.

Not edgy, but funny

[FunnyMann · 7/10 · 17 November 2001]

Surprised to see the rather low score for this movie. Just saw this film for the first time in 10 years, and was reminded why I like it.

Come back with me, children, to a time when Michael Keaton was a straight-up comedy guy, and you might find some joy in this film. It's a gentle comedy -- the kind Ron Howard specializes in -- but if that's your thing, you should check this out. Keaton's low-key charm is just right for this project.

"Gung Ho" is a bit dated, because it takes places in the last stage of the pre-global economy world, when it still mattered what country a business was based in. That said, it delivers laughs as well as a lesson on how people can learn from each other, to great benefit.

You could watch this film and enjoy it without remembering one scene in particular you really liked, but that's because the whole movie provides a slow but constant stream of laughs. It's like an I.V. drip. And I mean that in a good way.

"It's just cars, not brain surgery."

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 12 December 2015]

This was my second favorite Michael Keaton flick from the Eighties, "Beetlejuice" was the first. I always liked Keaton for his wisecrack manner and facial language, for me one of the best. Watching today the picture has lost some of it's vibe from three decades ago. Times change and tastes change, so I guess that accounts for most of my sentiment.

The culture clash between American and Japanese workers is at the heart of the story here, and how mid-level managers Hunt Stevenson (Keaton) and Oishi Kazihiro (Gedde Watanabe) direct their approach to work. Americans are industrious and competent, but by the Eighties, the demands of family life often took priority. Whereas for the Japanese, work is the defining characteristic of one's life and other considerations are not allowed to intrude. The picture seems to take a fairly well balanced approach in bringing each side over to the other's point of view.

I had forgotten most of the supporting players here. Mimi Rogers, George Wendt and John Turturro had modest roles supporting Keaton, and after a while I came to realize that a different name was used for Watanabe's character every so often, like Kazoito and Takahira. In his own inimitable style, Keaton called him Kazmania and my own personal favorite, Kazmonaut.

Well like the man said, it's not brain surgery. The ending of the picture seems to come together out of left field to reward the citizens of Hadleyville for pulling out a win in the fourth quarter like Hunt promised. It's a little convoluted and feels forced, but if you're a Michael Keaton fan, it ought to work well enough for you.

Cultural Clashes

[Rodrigo_Amaro · 7/10 · 9 April 2013]

With no laughs but with important messages, "Gung Ho" manages to be a reflexive entertainment about the cultural and economical clashes of two nations when they join forces to rise from the ashes an automobile factory that can be the only hope of saving a town. Michael Keaton plays an American executive who gets the job of rescuing such factory with a new leadership coming from Japan with a desperate executive (Gedde Watanabe) trying to save his career from potential failure. The latter's task is to command the American plant and their workers, accustomed to work in a particular way, trying impose the Oriental methods of working for long hours for the benefit of the company and such clashes with the interests of Keaton who's trying to look good before his friends who aren't used to such working journey.

But let's face it: the movie isn't funny. Babaloo Mandel and Lowell Ganz are terrific writers ("Splash", "Parenthood") but they didn't create much moments we could say they were funny, most of the time is just using of caricatures to make some amusing moments, they barely work, maybe two or three scenes. Their concentration to the more engaging aspects was what made "Gung Ho" something really worth seeing. It pokes fun on the culture comparisons between U.S., specially when it comes to both nations traditions but it also establishes a greater sense of supporting each other, one might be better than the other but only together they come up with something bigger, better and stronger. Having a movie like this made on a decade where American superiority was presented in every single movie and also in politics is something of a miracle. It basically says: "We're no longer the strongest nation in the world, neither the most efficient but we can aspire to be if we follow some other examples around the world". Sure, it doesn't paint a fair picture for both sides (Japanese as workaholics who can't contest their bosses and Americans as lazy and incompetent), often recurring to stereotypes but presents something good out of those.

Although a little sloppy, clichéd and never serious enough, "Gung Ho" can be used as a source of inspiration, at least for those who have a company and doesn't know how to bring out the best with their employs, it's always there to bring out of the best of a team, push them to the limits and show them the advantages of following new directives. I know this movie is something of a classic between Administration students in here, and most of them enjoy it. Out of this department, it might be a disappointment for Keaton and Ron Howard fans, they're not at their best. The supporting cast formed with the likes of Mimi Rogers, George Wendt, John Turturro, Rance and Clint Howard save this for a bit, but the most interesting in scene is Watanabe, the funniest in the show.

In the end, it reaches its purpose of presenting a parallel between cultures, but never takes our fully enjoyment, neither much of our laughs. Easy to watch and quite motivational though. 7/10

light-hearted fun from difficult subject matter

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 23 January 2016]

The auto plant in Hadleyville, Pennsylvania had closed down after 35 years. The town is desperate. Foreman Hunt Stevenson (Michael Keaton) travels to Japan to convince Assan Motors to reopen the plant. He's successful to his complete surprise. He's hired by new plant manager Takahara Kazuhiro (Gedde Watanabe) as liaison with the American workers. Takahara had been shamed for being a bad executive. Hunt struggles between the demands from Japanese management and the expectations of the American workers.

Director Ron Howard makes light-hearted fun from a difficult subject matter. For the most part, it works for me. It can be off-putting for an audience that is either pro or anti-union. Howard essentially splits the difference by having both workers and management come together in a happy ending. Michael Keaton is fun. He faces the challenge with charm. Another director would make this a tougher movie but Howard is not that guy.

Not many laughs but a good story

[view_and_review · 7/10 · 22 June 2008]

Wow, it's been years since I last saw this movie. Watching it in 2008 is certainly different than watching it in 1986. Initially I didn't' think I would make it through the movie. Hunt Stevenson (Michael Keaton) was so obnoxious, arrogant and disrespectful that I found it hard to watch him. He embodied every negative stereotype of Americans. If that wasn't bad enough, once the small American town's finest workers were shown, the image only got worse. They were wild, uncontrollable, and undisciplined. On the opposite spectrum the Japanese were presented as emotionless, robotic workaholics. The movie wasn't even all that funny, I only hung in there because of the nostalgic value of it. And I'm glad I continued the watch.

Just like in boxing, judges are swayed by how you finish the round. This movie went from about a three up to the seven I rated it because of the ending. The end was excellent. You always want a harmonious ending and this was just that. It was great that the town got to keep there jobs and keep the factory, but what was most special was the marriage between the Japanese customs and values and the American customs and values. It was a mediocre movie that ended on a high note.

When studying Multi-Cultural or Inter-Cultural communications...

[dibrager · 13 April 2004]

Having watched this movie as part of a homework assignment, it is my opinion that this film is quite honest at a lot of viable levels. By studying the communication assumptions and mistakes that each party makes in reference to the other, based on the fact that symbolic communication is a receiver-based standard, this movie is ideal to show exactly how, when people do not understand the shared symbols, how chaotic and confusing such communications can become.

Therefore, before hucking it under the pile, never to be seen again, you might want to look upon it in a most serious light and see if it doesn't share some elements of truth that you've experienced when interfacing with other cultures in your life.

Just a thought.

David I. Brager

This is a typical Keaton comedy...excellent!

[honesty · 7/10 · 20 December 1998]

This comedy is bound to be good from the get-go. East meets west and east doesn't want to lose...west doesn't know what losing is like. It starts a little slow but it grabs you very soon and it doesn't let go. This is definitely worth seeing.

Welcome Back to the Lost World of the 80's.

[NJ_jimcat · 8/10 · 22 October 2002]

Sherman, set the wayback machine for... 1986. The United States was just climbing out of its worst postwar recession, while Japan was enjoying an unprecedented industrial boom. Manufacturing industries were still a significant part of the US economy, and factory workers were a good example of the "average American". The word "downsizing" hadn't entered the general vocabulary yet, but everyone knew the phenomenon. Bruce could be heard on the radio singing, "Foreman says these jobs are going, boy, and they ain't coming back to your hometown." Chrysler had just been bailed out by Uncle Sam. Bumper stickers could be seen saying "Buy American -- the job you save may be your own."

"Gung Ho" does a better job of capturing the mood of the American industrial workforce than just about any other popular movie made during that period. Certainly the movie has its flaws -- some loose plot threads and mediocre acting jobs by everyone except Michael Keaton and Gedde Watanabe. But the story really is about the meeting of East and West: Keaton's Hunt Stevenson personifies America, brash and confident on the outside yet insecure underneath. Watanabe's Kazuhiro personifies Japan, on top of the heap with a successful system, but wondering if there is more to be learned from their Western rivals. The movie's plot, flawed as it is, simply provides a framework for the conflict, and eventually synthesis, of their two personalities.

Keaton's acting overshadows everyone else's, and practically makes the movie by itself. I've always admired Keaton for his ability to deliver lines that feel improvised, no matter what script he's following. His character, Hunt Stevenson, is a likable, affable everyman, a natural leader with a wise-ass streak. But he has a fatal flaw common to many of us: he doesn't want to disappoint anyone. He'll distract the crowd with inspirational anecdotes, and even lie, rather than point out the ugly truth.

Kazuhiro is the mirror image of Stevenson: shy and introspective, but also, because of his Japanese upbringing, reluctant to be the bearer of bad news. The scene in which Stevenson first comes to Kazuhiro with the employees' grievances captures perfectly the Japanese approach to workplace conflict. Kazuhiro replies to Stevenson's complaints with "I understand what you are saying," but won't refuse his requests out loud. Stevenson misinterprets this as agreement, and goes away saying, "Okay, we've got that settled." (This is still a problem in Japanese-American business relations in the 21st century!)

Ultimately, Kazuhiro and Stevenson have the same problem: get the factory working smoothly, meet production goals, and fulfill their responsibility to the workers under them. In working towards this goal, they each have to take a page from the others' book. Kazuhiro's family becoming more "Americanized" is an obvious example. Also note that Stevenson thinks it's odd when Kazuhiro explains how he had to make a public apology to his workers for failing them -- and yet, later in the movie, Stevenson does exactly that himself.

The plot and its resolution are a little cornball, but hey, this is a comedy. If you can overlook the movie's flaws, there is a great story about self-realization and open-mindedness here.

Only in America, only in the '80s, only in the movies.

[punishmentpark · 6/10 · 3 May 2015]

Hunt Stevenson would have been tarred and feathered for all the scamming he does in 'Gung ho', but here (for instance) his angry girlfriend is turned on when it comes out he lied to the whole village and played with their jobs... Sure, I get it, it's supposed to deal with various issues between America and Japan, and at its core there are only good intentions, but this movie really takes the cake when it comes to suspending disbelief.

I must admit that the film has its charms, and even if Michael Keaton hams it up to the max, he still gets away with it - most of the time. The Japanese were über-stereotypical to the point of being very annoying, and some of the Americans, too. Oh, well...

Certainly not a good movie, but somehow it wasn't very hard to sit this one out. 5 out of 10.

A crude comedy at the worst, and weak satire at the best

[SimonJack · 5/10 · 26 July 2020]

Some of the IMDb reviewers to date have noted aspects of bigotry and prejudice in this film. As one commented, the "Gung Ho" of 1986 would never be made today - in 2020. To no longer have cultural prejudices is a worthy goal. But, that we might no longer have freedom of speech and the liberties associated with that is scary.

Not having seen this film until recently, I saw another aspect of it - satire. But it seems not to have been so obvious to others. I can't find anything on the Web that says director Ron Howard intended "Gung Ho" as a satire. So, one doesn't know if he planned it that way or not. What one is left with is a typical comedy of the late 20th century. It lampoons people, places and things in the name of comedy.

So, what to make of "Gung Ho" as a comedy -- or satire? It's crude, it highly exaggerates, and it portrays bigotry. But, portraying bigotry is not the same as being bigoted. Especially where the film lampoons aspects of both Japanese and Americans, their respective cultures of the time, and their work ethics.

And, with that, the film clearly throws political correctness to the wind. For the most part, lampooning PC is good and healthy because it had been carried to such extremes by the end of the last century. The specter of a "thought police" loomed in the future. So, PC itself often clashes with aspects of freedom and liberty, as well as common sense.

Of course, the idea of devotion to the company above all else makes industry a god. And the film clearly shows how the humanity of mankind suffers then, in the families and social structure. I like the undertone of this plot that compares individualism with team work. It points out the strengths of both, and their shortcomings. Its conclusion is very appropriate for a healthy - and happy, society.

If one can see the offsetting poking of fun at the Americans and Japanese in this film, a little lesson emerges about the need for society to get along, and to accept and appreciate our many differences. There's a little of the ugly American in here in George Wendt's meanness with the Japanese manager's wife in the super market. But there's also a depiction of American failure. Again, Wendt's character, Buster, is the source when he argues with a Japanese supervisor on the auto assembly line about allowing occasional flaws to go through. That, indeed, was a striking difference that was at the heart of the Japanese recovery from World War II.

I don't know if anyone connected with this film in 1986 was familiar with that history and how the Japanese industrial supremacy came about. It started in 1950 with a Wyoming-raised American statistician and engineer by the name of W. Edwards Deming. I was fortunate to have attended a talk by Deming in the early 1970s in Washington, D.C., when he related his work with the Japanese to help their industries and economy recover after the war. For his mostly non-scientific members of the audience, Deming kept it very simple. I can never forget his ball bearings example. It was based on his actual statistical studies.

It went something like this. For every 1,000 steel ball bearings that American car makers had been using for wheels, three would be defective. They might be flattened and not perfectly rounded from a flaw at the ball bearing plant. Most wheel bearings will last 100,000 miles or more. But those cars that got wheels with faulty bearings would have wheel problems after just a few thousand miles. Deming used this example with Japanese companies to convince them to single source their suppliers and use zero defects checking up front. By applying this and other principles he used, the Japanese auto industry soon eliminated early car operating problems in all areas.

The result was automobiles that were far more efficient, trouble-free and well made than American cars that had held market sway for decades. Since the early 1980s, Japanese autos have set the standards for quality and workmanship. American and European car makers have been playing catch-up ever since.

So, there's considerably more to this film than a slangy, mocking comedy. One suspects that the director and writers knew and intended that all along. But, packaging it the way they did, it would have some appeal as raw and crude comedy that was something of a fad among many - but not all, movie buffs of that time.

As the reviewers to date indicate - indeed, as with many movies, some viewers may like "Gung Ho" while others may think it's quite bad. Those who haven't yet watched it and may be considering it, should take these things into account.

The last thing that should be mentioned as worthy of note is the acting. There's nothing above average by the American actors -- except for Michael Keaton. He nails the character of Hunt Stevenson, whether one likes him or not. And, Gedde Watanabe is superb as the perplexed, conflicted plant manager, Oishi Kazihiro. Most in the Japanese cast are very good.

Had this movie been made more clearly as a satire, it could have been very enjoyable and entertaining. By thus quashing its otherwise bigoted tone, it could have earned a couple more stars than the six I give it.

Here are some favorite lines. . Hunt Stevenson, "You know, the amazing thing is, I'm not even nervous." Audrey, "Babe?" Stevenson, "Yeah?" Audrey, "You just put your garbage in my car."

Oishi Kazihiro, "You're right! You're right!" Hunt Stevenson, "I am? Are you shittin' me?" Kazihiro, "No. You are in much more trouble than me. Ah ha, ha, ha. I feel much better."

Oishi Kazihiro, after Hunt follows him into the river, "I'm not drowning myself. I'm just freaking out."

Michael Keaton At His Best! A Great Comedy!

[gitrich · 9/10 · 20 September 1999]

Gung Ho is one of those movies that you will want to see over and over again. Michael Keaton is put in charge of wooing a Japanese car company to come to his town thus creating jobs for the residents of Hadleyville. What happens after that is one hilarious moment after another. The two cultures clash and it is up to Keaton to hold things together. Look for great performances from Keaton, Gedde Watanabe, George Wendt, Mimi Rogers, John Turturro, Soh Yamamura and Sab Shimomo. All are perfectly cast. Don't be fooled by the low number rating. This is a 7.5 in my book. It is interesting to note that the town name of Hadleyville was also used in High Noon. Yes, there is a real Hadleyville but in Oregon.

Were there some things that it didn't get into?

[lee_eisenberg · 6/10 · 1 March 2006]

Focusing on a Japanese car company buying a factory in a Pennsylvania town, "Gung Ho" brings to mind the fact that in the '80's, the US was very much into the Japanese companies; obviously, things changed in the '90's. The movie also shows the company trying to bust the union, and one gets the feeling that Japanese workers are afraid to ever challenge their bosses. But it seems like there was more at which the movie could have looked. Oh well. It's a pretty funny movie overall. Michael Keaton is great as the all-American leader not about to let anyone stand in his way. You'll really like his trip to Japan, and the Japanese woman's attempt to say "hard place".

Funny and fun Michael Keaton vehicle

[chvylvr80 · 5/10 · 25 September 2003]

Michael Keaton used to be a great comedy actor and before he pretty much left comedy he made some great comedies in the eighties like Mr. Mom, Beetlejuice, and Gung Ho. Gung Ho is a bit dated as far as the "Japanese stealing American jobs" idea is concerned. Still, it's a fun, light hearted family comedy of the type that Ron Howard excels in making. The supporting cast bring up the rear quite well with the likes of George Wendt, Gedde Wanatabe, and John Turturro. Ron Howard manages to fit his brother Clint into the movie like he always does and thank God that Ron became a director or Clint would be wandering the streets somewhere. The story itself contains a continuous series of laughs and also has the moral of "we can learn from each other" at the end. Bottom Line: A serviceable 80's comedy from Michael Keaton's glory days.

Feet of Clay

[tieman64 · 17 December 2014]

"Thus did a handful of rapacious citizens come to control all that was worth controlling. Honest, industrious citizens were classed as bloodsuckers if they asked to be paid a living wage, and praise was reserved henceforth for those who devised means of getting paid enormously for committing crimes against which no laws had been passed." - Kurt Vonnegut

Ron Howard's "Gung Ho" stars Michael Keaton as Hunt Stevenson, a factory worker at an auto plant in Hadleyville, Pennsylvania. When the plant is purchased by Assan Motors, a Japanese company, Hunt becomes a liaison between Japanese bosses and American workers.

For most of its running time, "Gung Ho" is a slick, well-shot and funny feature. Here, Japanese capitalism is shown to be dangerously obsessed with production, exploitation and servitude. In contrast, American workers and bosses are shown to be slovenly, lackadaisical and overly individualistic, traits which hamper corporate profits.

By the film's end, however, Howard reveals "Gung Ho's" quite sinister message: the worker of tomorrow is better off if he adopts a mixture of Eastern and Western values. Work hard, increase production and put your job first, and mega-corporations won't fire you, abandon you and go seeking cheaper labour elsewhere. But don't work too hard; after-all, an alive worker is a good worker.

That this is not only a form of social blackmail, and a false binary – the worker forced to choose between two types of the same exploitation – doesn't occur to Howard. That capitalism's many contradictions means that it must, in aggregate, lead to bankruptcy, debt, unemployment, downsizing, lowered wages and unemployment regardless of "efficiency" or "the behaviour of the worker", doesn't occur to him either. Co-starring Mimi Rogers, the film quite cleverly positions its audience to sympathise with what would otherwise be deemed racial stereotypes.

7.5/10 - Worth one viewing.

A Clash of Cultures

[Uriah43 · 6/10 · 13 March 2020]

This film begins in the town of Hadleyville, Pennsylvania nine months after its auto plant has closed and resulted in severe economic problems for most of the residents residing there. So in a long-shot bid to persuade another auto company to take its place a former foreman by the name of "Hunt Stevenson" (Michael Keaton) flies to Japan to make the best sales pitch that he can. At first, he doesn't think he was very successful with his presentation but after a week or so he learns that the Japanese car manufacturer has indeed listened and agrees to set up shop in Hadleyville after all. What nobody expects, however, is for the clash of cultures that begins almost immediately after operations begin. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was an okay comedy helped to some degree by the performance of Michael Keaton and to a lesser extent by Gedde Watanabe (as the Japanese executive, "Oishi Kazihiro"). Admittedly, there were times when the stereotypes were a bit overplayed but all things considered I enjoyed this film for the most part and for that reason I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

They built a gazebo in Beaver for this

[BandSAboutMovies · 6/10 · 10 December 2022]

Not only was this film shot in Beaver, PA, it stars Michael Keaton, who was born in Kennedy Township and grew up in McKees Rocks, Coraopolis and Robinson Township and went to high school at Montour. His first acting work was on public station WQED and he played one of the Flying Zookeeni Brothers on Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, where he was also a production assistant. How big of a yinzer is he? He negotiated a break during the filming of Batman in case the Pittsburgh Pirates made the playoffs that year.

Of course, they didn't.

While the movie is set in Hadleyville, Pennsylvania, the factory was in Shadyside, Ohio and the town itself is the aforementioned Beaver, a town minutes from where I grew up. It was a big deal for the town that they donated a gazeebo and it's still there.

Keaton plays Hunt Stevenson, who has traveled to the Japanese offices of Assan Motors Corporation to convince them to reopen the closed plant in his hometown. They agree and send Takahara "Kaz" Kazuhiro (Gedde Watanabe) to run it in the Japanese style, which conflicts with the blue collar workforce played by George Wendt, John Turturro, Rick Oberton and Clint Howard (Ron directed and got him and their father roles, but he's as always awesome in this; Howard, Keaton and writers Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel had all worked on Night Shift together).

You can see the conflict coming. Stevenson wants to please everyone and ends up nearly costing the town everything - Rance Howard plays the mayor who has a breakdown and tells the entire assembled townsfolk that much - while losing the respect of his friends and almost causing his girlfriend Audrey (Mimi Rodgers) to finally dump him.

According to Bloomberg Businessweek, Toyota's executives in Japan have used this movie as an example of how not to manage Americans.

Movie Needed A Better Script!

[gab-14712 · 7/10 · 27 July 2020]

Ron Howard's Gung Ho sounded like a promising film. It is a movie about a culture and economical clash; about a Japanese firm taking over a small-town Pennsylvania auto factory. The man who directed Splash and Cocoon reteaming with Michael Keaton? Yeah, that really sounds promising. The only thing this movie needed...was a competent script. The script, which was written by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel, was horrendous. The portrayal of the Japanese was stereotypical and one-dimensional. In reality, the Japanese were insulted. Yes, they are extremely hard workers, but nothing to the extent depicted here. In fact, the Japanese use this film to show their workers how not to behave. Is that not ironic or what?

When Howard signed up to direct the film, maybe there should have been a clause where he needed to rewrite the screenplay. It really is not a good one. In addition to the portrayal of Japanese management, the American assembly line workers are one-note. George Wendt, who played an assembly line worker and got demoted to janitor, seems to do nothing but wave his mop in the air. The main protagonist, played by Michael Keaton, is given a girlfriend that holds no relevance to the story. So, the film is filled with pointless characters and plot movements. Even though the screenplay is not great, the film is not entirely awful. The performances are decent, and Howard managed to save the film from the deepest parts of the gutter. Too bad he could not save it from obscurity.

The movie takes place a number of months after a small Pennsylvania town's auto factory was shut down. The town is going through some tough economic times. Hunt Stevenson (Michael Keaton) travels to Tokyo to see if a Japanese firm would be interested in taking over the assembly line. He thought his proposal failed because of their slack-jawed response. To his surprise, they accepted it and now the factory is back in business. The only problem here is that there is a culture clash between the Americans and Japanese and no one is happy. Hunt works with the Japanese plant manager Oishi Kazihiro (Gedde Watanabe) who is fed up with his bosses as well. Hunt is at a crossroad here. He is either loyal to the Americans or to the Japanese.

Thankfully, the performances are more than up to the task to save the movie from utter drivel. Michael Keaton previously worked with Ron Howard is the director's debut film, The Night Shift. He once again brings forth a manic energy. People seem to forget that Keaton was a fine comedian in the 1980's and this is one of those performances. He showed some excellent chemistry with Gedde Watanabe. If the name sounds familiar, you may recognize him from his thankless role in the teen comedy Sixteen Candles. Thankfully, his role here is better developed and not as insulting. Despite playing poorly-developed characters, the supporting cast did the best they can. George Wendt, John Turturro, and Mimi Rogers are faces to watch.

Overall, I did not connect well with Gung Ho. It is not a horrible film, but I am sure Ron Howard does not want to be remembered for this film. Luckily, most people do not know about it. I never even heard of it until I combed through Howard's filmography. The main issue is the dated, insulting, and one-dimensional screenplay. It takes a good idea and ruins it. Sadly, it is not the funny film I expected. Despite that, the film receives a passing grade because the performances save the film. Ain't Michael Keaton a hero? I still cannot get that they believe the Japanese workers are forced to do exercises like jumping jacks before their shifts. That really is crazy.

My Grade: C

Pretty Good

[Eraser81 · 7/10 · 30 January 2002]

I liked this movie, I used to watch it all the time in the early 90's. This was Michael Keatons best performance until Batman came along. It was funny how the Japs started acting like Americans by arguing and listening to Twisted Sister. Good supporting cast helped too. My favorite part was when Keaton punched George Wendt and he fell onto the cheese puffs LOL. And did anyone notice that one of the spectators at the softball game had a Hulkamania shirt on? How cool is that!

WOW! I can't believe this movie is so poorly rated.

[BennyTheGreat · 8/10 · 16 July 2002]

I think it great example of the differences between two cultures. It would be a great movie to show in a sociology class. I thought it was pretty funny and I must say that i am a sucker for that "lets band together and get the job done" plot device. It seems most people don't realize that this movie is not just a comedy. It has a few dramatic elements in it as well and I think they blend in nicely. Overall, I give it a solid 8.

Actually, I kind of like it...

[keith-mcconnell · 7/10 · 27 February 2006]

I saw this movie when it was new. Later I rented it in Japan after having been here three years, afraid that I would cringe when I viewed it in the harsh light of my expanded international experience. The movie pleasantly surprised me with how accurately it portrays the culture clash between Japan and Pennsylvania (where I'm from). Not all the stuff is factually spot on, but the tone is perfect.

I'm still in Japan many years later, and I continue to enjoy this film for its even-handed treatment of the two sides in the story. Interestingly, although the Japanese-American actors spoke Japanese in the original, the dialog is redubbed in the Japan version to cover up obvious second-language delivery problems.

I noticed one reviewer uses this in a Japanese class. I think you can learn more about what to expect from an encounter with Japan by watching this film than by reading any of the "serious" books on the matter (most of which were written in the 80s and financed by propagandizing Japanese companies).

Don't be fooled by drag on the average rating caused by one-star reviewers who, among other things, found it implausible that the Japanese would want to build cars in the US. (Of course, the Japanese operate many factories there to be close to the customers and to avoid trade friction.) This is a very warm and funny movie that I would rate higher were it not for a few 80s clichés, like the dancing around to cheesy electronic disco music. Michael Keaton has never been funnier.

Now I remember why I didn't love the 80s

[Stu-42 · 5/10 · 18 June 2007]

OK, we all like Michael Keaton and it's fun to sit back and watch a light silly 80s movie. The only thing is after Night Shift and Mr. Mom, they must have ran out of ideas because this one fell far short. It had some funny moments and some decent ideas, but it didn't really go anywhere. There was a strange awkwardness throughout the whole film as if there wasn't a clear vision of what was supposed to happen. Many scenes were almost funny or even almost dramatic, but very rarely hit the mark. Also, by the late 80s pop music hit an absolute low and here we get to sample some of the most awful tunes including one near the end in the factory that actually spoiled a scene that could have accomplished something. I must also point out the strange acting or was it bad casting or directing? Watanabe was great in Sixteen Candles, but was he a little young to play a top executive or was that just me? George Wendt was very odd, doing things that didn't quite make sense or feel right. I really wanted to like it and I guess it was pleasant enough, but I realize now why it's only rated a 5.7. It reminded me of The Dream Team- you wished it was good, but it just wasn't.

terrific, underrated movie

[melrod43 · 9/10 · 29 November 2004]

This is a wonderful movie with a fun, clever story and the dynamics of culture differences and the running theme of what's important in life make this a very under-appreciated movie. Don't let the cynics of the world deter you from seeing this. Keaton has wonderful moments and I wonder at the fact that comedy is never appreciated, because actors like Keaton make going from humor to serious bits look tremendously easy. Great movie all around!

Better then I expected

[space_girl27 · 7/10 · 15 January 2006]

I recently saw this movie in my International Business class. I was not expecting anything other then another boring documentary (not to say I don't love documentary I've just hard bad luck with movies in that class) Imagine my surprise when this movie, that's actually a movie, came up.

This film is a tell all of cultural differences in the work place and how they need to cooperate to get anywhere. The culture clash shows just how different the world is and just how differently we perceive ourselves until someone comes along and gives us a wake up call. I would highly recommend this film to anyone in business or who just wants a laugh, because yes it is funny.

Well, that's about it! Cheers

Gung Ho Hum

[jlacerra · 5/10 · 30 June 2001]

Here is a Michael Keaton outing that starts off promising and then thoroughly falls apart! It's the type of movie that has you sitting there straining to control yourself, saying "Why on Earth did they go in that direction?" The factory finale is apparently based on those old B musicals that have Mickey Rooney saying to Judy Garland, "Hey, I know what we can do to save Aunt Mable's farm, we'll put on a show!"

If only Keaton, Wendt, and Rogers could have put on a show.