One Man's Mission To Teach The Few, The Proud... The Impossible!
An advertising man is slowly sliding downhill. When he is fired from his job in Detroit, he signs up for unemployment. One day they find him a job: teaching thinking skills to Army recruits. He arrives on base to find that there is no structure set up for the class.
Renaissance Man is a warm and witty 1994 American comedy-drama that follows the unlikely journey of Bill Rago, a down-on-his-luck advertising executive played by Danny DeVito. Directed by Penny Marshall, the film kicks off with Rago’s life unraveling: fired from his Detroit job, he’s thrust into the unemployment line until a quirky twist of fate lands him an gig teaching 'thinking skills' to a group of Army recruits. With its tagline 'One Man's Mission To Teach The Few, The Proud... The Impossible!' the movie sets the stage for a clash of worlds—corporate cynicism meets military grit—wrapped in humor and heart. Arriving at the base, Rago finds chaos instead of a classroom: no curriculum, no structure, just a squad of rough-around-the-edges soldiers who’d rather be anywhere else. Armed with little more than a love for Shakespeare and a desperate need to prove himself, he stumbles through lessons, turning Hamlet into an unlikely lifeline for both him and his students. The stellar cast—including Gregory Hines, Cliff Robertson, and a young Mark Wahlberg—brings depth to this fish-out-of-water tale, as Rago’s unorthodox methods slowly chip away at the recruits’ defenses, forging bonds and sparking unexpected growth. Released in 1994, Renaissance Man shines as a feel-good gem of the era, blending sharp comedy with a touching underdog story. It’s a celebration of second chances and the transformative power of education, even in the most improbable settings. For fans of '90s classics or tales of redemption through teaching, this film offers a delightful mix of laughs and inspiration that stands the test of time.
Year1994
Budget40000000$
Runtime128 min
Revenue24332324$
Watch online
GenresComedyDrama
Production countriesCanadaUnited States of America
