Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert review four new movies and in the "X-Ray" segment they take a look at what is not yet a trend but could be and should be. Two thumbs down for the latest break-dancing movie,
Body Rock (1984). They agree it's machine-made and empty. Two surprised thumbs up for
Irreconcilable Differences (1984). The comedy starts out like a sitcom but turns out to be unexpectedly serious and sharp-eyed. A split vote on the racial drama,
A Soldier's Story (1984) (which prompted the "X-Ray" segment). Ebert disliked what Siskel particularly enjoyed: the movie's flashback structure. Two thumbs up for
Love Streams (1984). John Cassavetes takes chances, fails at some of them, but comes up with another offbeat movie. For the special segment, Gene Siskel examines the images of black men in the movies and finds very few ordinary guys.
—J. Spurlin