In an interview to the Variety magazine, Tom Cruise said he had made the film out of deep respect for Robert Redford's body of work, which he said had inspired him since Ordinary People (1980).
Release prints were delivered to theaters with the fake title 'Barrie'.
The state flag in Irving's office is Illinois'.
The combat patch worn by many of the special forces soldiers (including LTC Falco) is from the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, which is garrisoned at Fort Irwin, California.
The photo that Jenine (Meryl Streep) observes on Senator Irving's (Tom Cruise) office wall of him dressed as a young cadet is a still photo from Cruise's role in the 1981 film Taps (1981).