'Volunteers' has a few sparkling moments, but they are few & far between. A wittier & funnier Screenplay was the need of the day!'Volunteers' Synopsis: Lawrence is a rich kid with a bad accent and a large debt. After his father refuses to help him out, Lawrence escapes his angry debtors by jumping on a Peace Corp flight to Southeast Asia, where is assigned to build a bridge for the local villagers with American-As-Apple-Pie WSU Grad Tom Tuttle and the beautiful and down-to earth Beth Wexler. What they don't realize is that the bridge is coveted by the U.S. Army, a local Communist force, and a powerful drug lord. Trouble Follows...Despite an interesting premise, 'Volunteers' doesn't amuse much. The jokes here range from good to bland. The first-hour is dull, while the second-hour picks up & offers a truly funny last act. Keith F. Critchlow, David Isaacs & Ken Levine's Screenplay appeals, but only in bits. Nicholas Meyer's Direction is decent. Cinematography is striking. Editing isn't impressive. Performance-Wise: Tom Hanks is terrific, as always. He elevates the film at times, with his impeccable comic-timing. The Late/Great John Candy gets limited scope, but he doesn't fail to engage. Rita Wilson is sweet. Tim Thomerson is alright.On the whole, 'Volunteers' is so-so!

GREAT movie! One of the classics of the 80s! I love Tom Hanks & John Candy together--good foils-in fact, the two of them and Rita Wilson are a good example of very different personalities being forced to live and work together--we have all been there! And Gedde Watanabe (aka Long Duc Dong from "Sixteen Candles") is classic--he gets many of the best lines ("What have we learned, Dorothy?", etc). The subtitle gag was totally stolen by Mike Myers for his subsequent Wayne's World, the funny graphics/maps was stolen for EuroTrip (and many others)...it's just too amusing! And it's nice to find a comedy that has a sweet message too-this one fits the bill.

I don't see why this film has such a bad reputation, and is probably regarded as the worst in Tom Hanks' career. Sure, it's no "Forrest Gump," but as a broad comedy it works out well. Hanks is passionate about every role he plays, and this case was no different. He's very funny as his snooty rich character. Adding to the comic relief are Gedde Watanabe (of "Sixteen Candles") and the always-funny John Candy. The plot is predictable, but there are many amusing moments. Plus, it's refreshing to see a comedy that's Rated R!!! Sure, it's no hard R, but nowadays filmmakers are so afraid to release comedies with R-ratings that it's not even funny--no pun intended. My score: 7 (out of 10)

Tom Hanks is fantastic...the rest of the cast adds strong support. This film made me laugh so hard throughout. John Candy is great, Rita Wilson is wonderful, and the native characters add authentic flavor to the film. Honestly, anyone who doesn't appreciate the acting ability of Tom Hanks in this humor-filled picture is missing a lot. This is the kind of film you could watch a few times to fully appreciate all the underlying gags and subtle jokes. Terrific film!!!!!