
"A Soldier's Story" might be a murder mystery drama, but it's also a poignant exploration of racism in the Jim Crow South of the 1940s. As the former, it's a bit formulaic, but as the latter, it's a thought provoking film centered around an incredible, Oscar-nominated performance from Adolph Caesar.
"A Soldier's Story" (1984): ★★★1/2 (out of five)
My New Year's resolution for 2026? To watch every Denzel Washington movie ever. Inspired by an X (Twitter) post by The New York Times senior staff writer Brooklyn White-Grier, I've set out to watch one of Denzel's 52 movies every week of 2026. I'm going in chronological order, so last week, I started my Denzel Watchathon with his first movie, 1981's "Carbon Copy." This week, I'm reviewing "A Soldier's Story," a 1984 murder mystery set in the Jim Crow South of World War II.