19. G.I. Jane (1997)
Demi Moore’s dubious (and totally undeserved) Razzie Award win for Worst Actress aside, Ridley Scott’s G.I. Jane—a fictionalized account of the first woman to train in the U.S. Navy SEALs—is an imperfect but commendable film. Moore stars as Lieutenant Jordan O’Neil, who is hand-selected for a trial program to integrate women into the Navy. Her commanding officer, Master Chief John Urgayle (Viggo Mortensen), pushes her to the brink. In contrast to most of Scott’s work, G.I. Jane is an uplifting story about grit and perseverance, underpinned by a potent feminist message. Its noble efforts, however, are somewhat undermined by an uncritical embrace of jingoism.
