Film Snail

6.3

Hero

PG-13·1992·117m

Comedy

Drama

Comedy

Drama

Summary

Bernie Laplante is having a rough time. He's divorced, his ex-wife hates him and has custody of their son, the cops are setting a trap for him, then to top it all, he loses a shoe whilst rescuing passengers of a crashed jet. Being a thief who is down on his luck, Bernie takes advantage of the crash, but then someone else claims credit for the rescue.

Cast

Dustin Hoffman

Bernard 'Bernie' Laplante

Geena Davis

Gale Gayley

Andy García

John Bubber

Joan Cusack

Evelyn Laplante

Kevin J. O'Connor

Chucky

Chevy Chase

Deke - Channel 4 News Director

Maury Chaykin

Winston

Stephen Tobolowsky

Wallace

Christian Clemenson

James Conklin

Tom Arnold

Chick

Warren Berlinger

Judge Goines

Cady Huffman

Flight Attendant Leslie

Susie Cusack

Donna O'Day

James Madio

Joey Laplante

Daniel Baldwin

Fireman Denton

Richard Riehle

Robinson

Don Yesso

Elliott

Don Pugsley

Jury Foreman

Lee Wilkof

Prosecutor

Steven Elkins

First Bailiff

Leslie Jordan

Court Official

Raymond Fitzpatrick

Second Bailiff

Bobby Collins

Mendoza

Ric Salinas

Mendoza's Friend

Richard Montoya

Vargas

Herbert Siguenza

Espinosa

Don S. Davis

Probation Officer

Darrell Larson

Flight Attendant Freddy

Harry Northup

Mr. Fletcher

Jordan Bond

Richie Fletcher

Eric Poppick

Mr. Smith

Julia Barry

Kelly

Marnie Mosiman

Susan

William Duff-Griffin

Mr. Brown

Peggy Roeder

Bag Lady on TV

Kate Butler

Makeup Artist

Kevin Jackson

Inspector Dayton

Don Gazzaniga

Fire Captain

Lance Kinsey

Paramedic

Michael Talbott

State Police Officer

John Ackerman

Bag Man

Paul Hewitt

Parker

Marita Geraghty

Joan

Shirley Pierce

Anchorwoman - Channel 4

Sam Derence

Reporter - Channel 8

Rick Plastina

Reporter - Channel 13

Martin Starr

Allen in Coma

Jeff Garlin

News Vendor

John M. Watson Sr.

African American Wannabee

John Mohrlein

Fighter Wannabee

Tony Fitzpatrick

Fighter Wannabee

Vito D'Ambrosio

Another Wannabee

Jay Leggett

Mud Face Wannabee

Dev Kennedy

Tall Wannabee

Darryl Davis

Tough Prisoner

Turk Muller

Tough Prisoner

James Alfred Whitaker

Tough Prisoner

Collins Williams Daniels

Rasta Prisoner

I.M. Hobson

Waiter/Captain

William Newman

Millionaire

Clea Lewis

Sylvia

Jeff Kline

Street Kid

John Merrill

Street Kid

Lynn Oddo

Buxom Woman

Milton L. Cobb

Viet Nam Vet

Robert Pabst

Viet Nam Vet

Tom Milanovich

Guard at Jail

Cordis Heard

Nurse Roberts

Mandy Duncan

Teen in Hospital

Gerardo Murillo-Carr

Teen in Hospital

Henry Brown

Hospital Guard

Robert Munns

Doctor

Tamar Teufenkjian

Child in Hospital

Jose Reyes

Child in Hospital

Michael Mullen

Child in Hospital

D'Angelo Ferreri

Child in Hospital

Kody Cullum

Child in Hospital

Heidi McNeal

Teenage Girl in Hospital

Michael O'Dwyer

Cop at Hospital

Edwin Scheibner

Donna's Boyfriend

James T. Callahan

Police Chief

D. David Morin

Fireman on Ledge

Daniel T. Healy

George Bush Look A-Like

Margery Jane Ross

Barbara Bush Look A-Like

Edward Herrmann

Mr. Broadman - Man Committing Suicide

Fisher Stevens

Director of Channel 4 Crash Feature

Crew

Director

Stephen Frears

Screenplay

David Webb Peoples

Story

Laura Ziskin

Story

Alvin Sargent

Reviews

GenerationofSwine

January 13, 2023

My dad (rest his soul) loved this movie. For him it all came down to one quote which, for years, he said was probably the most honest thing he's ever heard about life in a movie:

"People are always talking ya about truth. Everybody always knows what the truth is, like it was toilet paper or somethin', and they got a supply in the closet. But what you learn, as you get older, is there ain't no truth. All there is is bullsh**, pardon my vulgarity here. Layers of it. One layer of bullsh** on top of another. And what you do in life like when you get older is, you pick the layer of bullsh** that you prefer and that's your bullsh**, so to speak."

It was one of his most favorite quotes and he'd paraphrase it all the time. Honestly I can say why, it's funny and true and that really works. it also really explains the movie.

It's about redemption, people that you'd never would expect anything good out of are honestly capable doing some amazingly heroic things. People that you would expect to be honest are capable of the worst lies.

The comedy is about perceptions and expectations and reality and it manages to have a profoundly honest message hidden in the layers of bullsh** that it builds up around it.

And, most importantly, it entertains while it's doing it.