Windfall

The screening of "A Few Good Men" came to an end. Watching the movie's conclusion, Daniel Kaffee stood in the center of the spacious courtroom, surveying his surroundings. Finally, with determined steps, he walked away from the empty courtroom. The overwhelming emotions of the audience in the cinema were undeniable.

Not only because justice was finally served in the movie's ending, nor just because of the intense confrontation between Kaffee and Jessep, but also because of the reflection left behind by the movie. Jessep, Dawson, and Downey didn't believe they were wrong or understand where they went wrong. However, the fact remained that an innocent soldier died, and they were directly or indirectly responsible. Jessep was incarcerated, while Dawson and Downey were dishonorably discharged. Was this really a satisfactory outcome?

Hugo sat in his seat, feeling the impact of the movie. Rob Reiner had endowed "A Few Good Men" with not only the charm of the characters but also delved into the depth of the entire story, making it worthy of appreciation. Perhaps this is the charm of movies, the charm of actors. Hugo gained a lot from it, exploring acting skills and contemplating the essence of movies.

The applause resounded from the audience, like a roaring wave, engulfing the entire theater. In an instant, the suppressed emotions of the 140-minute film were released in an exhilarating manner.

Hugo's thoughts were interrupted by the thunderous applause. He then felt a warmth in his right hand and turned to see Uma's joyful face. She mouthed the words, "You were amazing!" and her smile bloomed amidst the applause from all sides.

Uma released Hugo's right hand and stood up, applauding. It was then that Hugo noticed everyone around him gradually rising and expressing their respect in this manner. Hugo couldn't help but stand up as well, with a beaming smile, meeting the delighted gaze of Jack Nicholson, Rob Reiner, Kevin Bacon, and others. Hugo knew he had succeeded!

Following "Scent of a Woman", "A Few Good Men" achieved success once again, and this time, Hugo's breakthrough in acting began to shine on the big screen. Effort will always be rewarded, and when the opportunity is within reach, it must be seized with twice the sweat. Fortunately, Hugo didn't miss it.

The happiness of this achievement filled Hugo's chest in an instant. The immense sense of accomplishment made his eyes slightly warm. He applauded and stood up, embracing his colleagues from the cast and crew, celebrating the resounding success of the premiere of "A Few Good Men". While waiting for the reviews from critics and audience feedback would require time, this moment was for savoring victory. Opening his arms to embrace the applause was the best choice.

Rob led the cast to the front of the big screen. The theater lights gradually brightened, and people welcomed the arrival of the creators, preparing for the exciting Q&A session to follow. Although it couldn't match the gossip-filled press interviews, this was a rare opportunity for the audience and the cast to communicate through the work, and no one would miss it.

The staff quickly approached, handing microphones to the main actors. Jack declined the one offered to him and instead passed it to Hugo, giving him a pat on the shoulder with a slight smile. However, Rob had prepared an extra microphone for Jack. The audience gradually settled down, preparing for the upcoming Q&A session.

But at this moment, as the end credits of the movie played in the theater, the style of the background music changed. The upbeat music from the climax transitioned into a soulful jazz melody. The nostalgic tunes of the 1940s carried a delightful charm, and a warm and bright voice blended smoothly into the melody, exuding a sense of comfort. It made one's fingers unconsciously tap along to the rhythm. Unknowingly, the surrounding noise faded away, and everyone's attention was guided back to the big screen.

People suddenly realized that the subtitles were still rolling on the screen. They were too caught up in the excitement earlier and had overlooked this fact. After the movie ended, there were still subtitles and an end credits song. But at this moment, silently, their focus was immersed in the ambiance created by the closing song.

The singer's soothing and elegant voice possessed an indescribable charm. It was mellow yet clear, and the lyrics intertwined cleverly with the storyline of "A Few Good Men". The original song was actually about a man's feelings after a breakup, expressing that the woman had betrayed him, but he would no longer be despondent. After they meet again, he will make her regret. However, under the lively and graceful interpretation, it evoked thoughts of Kaffee's journey in the movie. From the beginning, Kaffee, like countless lawyers, believed that winning and losing were more important than right or wrong. This was the biggest flaw in the current American legal profession, constantly criticized by European countries. Lawyers were no longer guardians of the law but exploiters of it. Their greatest ability was to use the law to seek the maximum benefit for their clients, disregarding morals, right and wrong, and the concept of justice.

Before meeting the defendants and reading the case reports, Kaffee already saw reducing the sentence to twelve years as a victory. Later, he couldn't resist the temptation of the deal offered by the prosecution, a six-month sentence. Whether the defendant would be able to reintegrate into society after being released and whether they were truly "criminals" were not the main focus. Kaffee was a typical American lawyer.

However, as the story unfolded, Kaffee gradually understood that there were things that couldn't be resolved through negotiation. Lawyers were not salespeople who used negotiation and deals to enforce the law. The honor of soldiers and the relationship between law and justice were beyond the scope of "negotiable". In the end, Kaffee used his wisdom and actions to win the confrontation with Jessep, gained Dawson's respect, and won the hearts of all the audience.

Interestingly, a mid-tempo jazz song, "Next Time You See Me", had been interpreted in a different style, bringing back the images from the movie to the minds of the audience. It was as if the story of "A Few Good Men" was being retold through music, creating a wonderful and magical sensation.

Not only the audience, but Jack Nicholson also noticed the beauty of the end credits song. He glanced at Rob with an inquisitive look, and Rob, observing the audience's reactions, was also somewhat surprised. However, he gave Jack an affirmative answer, which made Jack look at Hugo again, his gaze filled with curiosity.

Sensing the gradually settling noise in the theater and observing the audience's expressions, whether they were attentively listening or exchanging glances, Hugo also realized that something was not right. He looked at Uma, who was sitting in the audience, seeking an answer. However, Uma was engrossed in the music and didn't respond to Hugo's gaze. Hugo only saw the intoxicated expression on Uma's face and furrowed his brow as he looked at Rob. Then, he got the answer he sought: Rob pointed to his own ears, and Hugo heard his own voice flowing slowly through the speakers.

Although Hugo had composed several songs since his time travel, this was the first time he heard the effect of his voice after being recorded. It felt somewhat unfamiliar. His voice now seemed richer, more delicate, and more substantial when interpreting certain details, allowing him to carve the songs into a more vivid form.

But unfortunately, Hugo's singing skills still seemed a bit green, and he couldn't fully bring out this advantage. However, luckily, Hugo's expressive performance made up for it. After experiencing ten years of ups and downs, an incredible time travel, and a year of passionate struggle, Hugo's understanding of music had evidently improved by two levels compared to before. This allowed him to effortlessly touch the soft spot in people's hearts with his rendition of "Next Time You See Me".

This was definitely a huge surprise.

After the end credits song finished, applause unexpectedly filled the venue, and many audience members revealed expressions of surprise. Details determine quality, and an excellent movie undoubtedly has countless details worth pondering over. Clearly, the end credits song of "A Few Good Men" could be considered one of those details.

Thus, the first question during the Q&A session took an unexpected turn. "Is the end credits song specially produced?" Normally, nobody would care about such a question, and even if they did, they could wait until the official release of the movie and check the end credits subtitles for relevant information. At least no one would waste an opportunity to ask during the Q&A session after the premiere screening.

"Oh, for this question, I think Hugo can answer because he is the arranger and performer of this song." Originally, the first question was directed at the director, but Rob directly passed the question to Hugo. As soon as these words were spoken, the venue immediately erupted with murmurs.

Hugo Lancaster and music? This was an unheard-of combination. Everyone was surprised by the fact that the performer of the end credits song was Hugo, even more so that, in addition to delivering a fantastic performance, he had also contributed a beautiful piece of music. This truly caught everyone off guard, including all the journalists and film critics present. Such a gain was definitely not part of their plan.

Hugo picked up the microphone in his hand, and he absolutely did not anticipate that his first question would be about the end credits song. Should he feel happy that his music received attention or disappointed that his acting skills didn't get recognized? A helpless smile appeared on Hugo's face. "Yes, this end credits song is my adaptation of a original song by Junior Parker, and I performed it myself." Then, a smile bloomed on the corners of Hugo's mouth. This was a good thing, and there was no need to feel disappointed. "It seems that many people here like it, which eases my mind. At least if the movie fails, Rob won't blame me for it."

As soon as Hugo finished speaking, Jack blurted out, "You're the male lead. If not you, then who should be blamed?" This caught Hugo off guard, and the entire audience burst into laughter.