Born On The Fourth Of July (1989):

Starring:

Tom Cruise -  Ron Kovic

Kyra Sedgewick - Donna

Raymond J. Barry - Mr. Kovic

Caroline Kava - Mrs. Kovic

Frank Whaley - Timmy

Jerry Levine - Steve Boyer

Stephen Baldwin - Billy Vorsovich

Michael McTighe - Danny Fantozzi

Willem Dafoe - Charlie

Director:

Oliver Stone (Platoon; JFK; Any Given Sunday)

Synopsis:

The second of three films by co-writer/director Oliver Stone to explore the effects of the Vietnam War (Platoon and Heaven and Earth are the others), Born On The Fourth Of July tells the true story of Ron Kovic (Tom Cruise), a patriotic, All-American small town athlete who shocks his family by enlisting with the Marines to fight in the Vietnam War. Once he is overseas, however, Kovic's gung-ho enthusiasm turns to horror and confusion when he accidentally kills one of his own men in a firefight. His downfall is furthered by a bullet wound that leaves him paralyzed from the chest down. He returns home, spends an appalling, nightmarish stint in a veterans' hospital, and follows an increasingly disillusioned and fragmented path that ultimately leaves him drunk and dissolute in Mexico. However, Kovic somehow turns himself around and pulls his life together, becoming an outspoken anti-war activist in the process. The film is long but emotionally powerful; many consider it Stone's best work and Cruise's best performance. Both were nominated for Oscars, as was the film itself, but only Stone, who co-wrote the film with Kovic from the latter's book, won for Best Director.

Review:

Oliver Stone & his love of Vietnam. Not quite as good as Platoon, haven't seen Heaven & Earth so I can't compare. Watched in on the Universal 100th Anniversary Blu-ray. Held up incredibly well both in production value, the story & plot as well as Cruise acting. Love him or hate him Tom Cruise is a top quality actor. Wasn't sure what to expect going in, I think I was under the impression that it would have a lot more actual combat & a lot less post-war life, again comparing it to Platoon. Loved the movie. Everything about it was great. Only down side was having to look at Kyra Sedgwick, thankfully it's not The Woodsman where I had to see her nude. The cast is filled out by many small cameo's by some well known actors including 3 of the Baldwin brothers..... the less talented ones. I love all of Oliver Stone's movies, he's one of my top 5 favourite directors of all time. I will say that at a certain point it features one of my favourite & most ridiculous film moments of all time. Tom Cruise & Willem Dafoe, in wheelchairs. Spitting on each other, then proceeding to have a leg less fist fight & grapple on a desert road in the middle of nowhere. Was very intrigued by the scenes of Cruise in a military hospital living in unsanitary conditions.

Budget: $14,000,000

Box Office: $232,343,002

Profit: $218,343,002

Rotten Tomatoes: 90%

Flixster: 70%

81%

Lead Acting: 14/15

Supporting Cast: 12/15

Plot: 9/10

Compared To The Genre: 8/10

Cinematography: 14/20

Intrigue: 15/20

Extra: 9/10