Taglines: We’re all heroes if you catch us at the right moment. Even Bernie LaPlante.
Hero movie storyline. Bernie LaPlante (Dustin Hoffman) is a pickpocket and petty criminal who anonymously rescues survivors including TV reporter Gale Gayley (Geena Davis) at an aircraft crash. His motives are not “pure” as he enters the burning airliner in order to steal some of the passenger’s purses and wallets, losing a shoe in the process.
After finding his car is towed away from the crash scene, he flags down John Bubber (Andy Garcia), a homeless Vietnam veteran, and tells him about the rescue at the Midwestern Airlines crash site, giving him his remaining shoe. When Deke (Chevy Chase), the television station news director, offers $1 million to the “Angel of Flight 104”, Bernie realizes he cannot claim the reward, due to his arrest while fencing credit cards he stole from the people he rescued. John, however, contacts Gale, recounting Bernie’s tale of the rescue and provides the single shoe to take credit for the selfless act.
When Bernie tries to tell people that John is a fake, the media, after sensationalizing the heroic image of John, will not believe his story. Gale, as one of the crash survivors, considers herself to be in John’s debt and soon grooms his public image. She finds herself falling in love with John even though she has questions about his authenticity. Despite his reluctant acceptance of his fame, John turns out to be a decent person, using his notoriety and reward money to help sick children and the homeless.
John finds himself in an ethical dilemma since his persona is inspirational to countless people. Meanwhile, Bernie continues to aggravate ex-wife, Evelyn (Joan Cusack), and fails to bond with his son, Joey (James Madio), who is now enamored with John. Bernie begins to feel that if Joey is going to idolize anyone, perhaps John is the better choice.
Hero (released in the United Kingdom and Ireland as Accidental Hero) is a 1992 American comedy-drama film directed by Stephen Frears. The film was written by David Webb Peoples from a story written by Peoples, Laura Ziskin and Alvin Sargent and stars Dustin Hoffman, Geena Davis, Andy García, Joan Cusack and Chevy Chase (uncredited). Following the critically acclaimed The Grifters (1990), Hero was the second American feature film by British filmmaker Frears.
Hero (1992)
Directed by: Stephen Frears
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Geena Davis, Andy Garcia, Joan Cusack, Kevin J. O’Connor, Maury Chaykin, Stephen Tobolowsky, Susie Cusack, Warren Berlinger, Christian Clemenson, Marita Geraghty
Screenplay by: David Webb Peoples
Production Design by: Dennis Gassner
Cinematography by: Oliver Stapleton
Film Editing by: Mick Audsley
Costume Design by: Richard Hornung
Set Decoration by: Nancy Haigh
Art Direction by: Leslie McDonald
Music by: George Fenton
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for uses of strong language.
Distributed by: Columbia Pictures
Release Date: October 2, 1992
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