Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- cheerful
- witty
- warm
- lazy sunday
- workplace comedy night
What critics said
Critics found the film amiable and accessible but unevenly funny, with its cultural satire softened by an overly conciliatory approach.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Hunt Stevenson must reconcile Pennsylvania factory workers with Japanese owners whose expectations about productivity and discipline differ sharply.
Hunt's effort to save his own position is tied to preventing redundancy and preserving the automobile plant's workforce.
The film caricatures both American workplace habits and Japanese management practices while ultimately emphasizing mutual recognition.
The automobile plant and its Pennsylvania workforce ground the story in manufacturing decline and blue-collar employment anxiety.
Films like Gung Ho, and why
9 to 5
workplace comedy centered on cultural friction, labor politics, and an optimistic ensemble tone
The Secret of My Success
fish out of water workplace comedy balancing industrial conflict with buddy-movie warmth
The Gods Must Be Crazy
1980s comedy-drama about class, employment, and cross-cultural or institutional misunderstanding
Movie Details
- Director
- Ron Howard
- Release Date
- 1986-03-14
- Runtime
- 111 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (222)
Cast
- Michael Keaton
- Gedde Watanabe
- George Wendt
- Mimi Rogers
- John Turturro
- So Yamamura
- Sab Shimono
- Rick Overton
- Clint Howard
- Jihmi Kennedy
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Gung Ho about?
- A charismatic Pennsylvania foreman tries to save his automobile factory by reconciling American workers with their demanding Japanese owners.
- What is Gung Ho like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Gung Ho as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Gung Ho violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Gung Ho.
- What did critics think of Gung Ho?
- Critics found the film amiable and accessible but unevenly funny, with its cultural satire softened by an overly conciliatory approach.
- Which films are like Gung Ho?
- Films with a similar feel include 9 to 5, The Secret of My Success, and The Gods Must Be Crazy.
- How long is Gung Ho?
- Gung Ho runs 111 minutes.
- Where can I watch Gung Ho?
- In United States, Gung Ho streams on fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus.
