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Well written characters mean nothing if the actors can't pull off the role, and here is where the movie truly shines. Jack Nicholson is a straight up tour de force. He's utterly brilliant and I consider this to be his finest role. As I mentioned, there are many subtle notes to Buddusky, and Smiling Jack plays them like the virtuoso he is. Randy Quaid shows little sign of his eventual insanity here, in what was one of his very first roles. For such an inexperienced actor, he comes away with flying colors, subtly endowing his character with both the strength and virtue of a true martyr. I hate to speak ill of the dead (he passed away in 2001), but Otis Young is perhaps merely serviceable here. But his serene, avuncular presence is sufficient to counterbalance his two costars, and is more than worthy of mention.

As with any good product, The Last Detail does come with a warning label. Remember that these characters are sailors, and by God do they act like it. They curse, they fight, they covet women, and pound for pound, there may be more profanity in this film than anything not made by Martin Scorsese. I don't consider it an issue, but if you have tender sensibilities, beware.

But while some may find it jarring, the film is shot in a subdued, almost documentary style that gives it a modest, genuine feel. It never comes across as over the top, never tries to be flashy, and best of all it never tries to convince us that the story is anything other than what it is. It's about three simple men on a complex road to self discovery. Mule and Bad Ass set out to teach Meadows something about life, and to some degree, end up becoming students themselves.

Which reminds me - there's another Japanese saying that tells us “even monkeys fall from trees”. We all make mistakes, yet we all remain worthy of redemption. The Last Detail doesn't provide us – or its characters - with all the answers, but it definitely poses some worthy questions.

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