Directed by:
Oliver StoneCinematography:
Robert RichardsonComposer:
John WilliamsCast:
Tom Cruise, Willem Dafoe, Kyra Sedgwick, Raymond J. Barry, Jerry Levine, Frank Whaley, Caroline Kava, Ed Lauter, John Getz, Michael Wincott, Stephen Baldwin (more)VOD (4)
Plots(1)
Tom Cruise delivers a riveting and unforgettable portrayal of Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic in Oliver Stones Academy Award® - winning masterpiece. Based on a true story, the acclaimed film follows the young Kovic from a zealous teen who eagerly volunteered for the Vietnam War, to an embittered veteran paralysed from the mid-chest down. Deeply in love with his country, Kovic returned to an environment vastly different from the one he left, and struggled before emerging as a brave new voice for the disenchanted. (Fabulous Films)
(more)Reviews (6)
The politics in Stone's films take some getting used to, though with this film the director is quite artful in keeping with the fact that he was making a story about a real person, even if the book is relatively sympathetic to his views. The small Vietnam section is technically amazing, and since most of the filmmakers head for the rainforest, its sand sequence is relatively original and all the more impressive for it. Nevertheless, the entire burden of the film rests on Tom Cruise's acting, which forced me to develop my own controversy about how someone who can play such a part par excellence can subsequently put himself down in all sorts of ways. The believably civil speech and the excellently handled parts (particularly the one in the veterans’ hospital is amazing) make Cruise a master actor in this film. It’s a bit unfortunate that Willem Dafoe’s space wasn’t utilized, as well as the momentary sentimentality, which, however, seems to be part of all this. It can be said that Stone has contributed a lot of interesting works to the issue of the Vietnam complex, which makes everyone think not only about how to treat retired soldiers.
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One of a series of films attempting to deal with the painful Vietnam syndrome, symbolized by the unsuccessful military campaign in Vietnam, with many dead, missing, and disabled soldiers, and ultimately, the alienation of Vietnam veterans in American society during the 70s and 80s. Unlike Platoon, which was full of wartime action, the crucial part of this drama unfolds after the main protagonist's return home. The life of the paralyzed young man is full of bitterness, and Oliver Stone knows how to work with human emotions very well. Moreover, he intimately understands the subject matter, having his own war experience in Vietnam. One of his best films and also one of the finest films about the Vietnam War. Tom Cruise delivers a solid performance, and this was one of the movies that propelled him to stardom. Overall impression: 85%.
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Stone cuts deep. The parts in Vietnam are excellent, but the real hell begins after he returns from it. Kovic, who comes across as a typical, dumb American gains depth as we watch. Cruise plays his excellently. The viewer can see the emptiness in him and maybe that’s the most scary thing. Only a curse is worse than death.
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Its plot structure reminded me a bit of The Deer Hunter. Tom Cruise gave such a top-notch performance that I would have handed him the Oscar myself. Oliver Stone knows war.
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This Oliver Stone reminiscence of Vietnam is finally a success. He needed about two hours of film to capture the horrors of the war in Platoon (and the result was not great), while here he only needs to stay in Asia for about twenty minutes and spend the rest of the time focusing on what is happening in America, its transformations and the transformation of the protagonist and other characters. Born on the Fourth of July is a damn impressive story, first and foremost thanks to Tom Cruise, who gives an amazing performance and is great in every position, secondly thanks to the direction and thirdly thanks to John Williams' beautiful, tear-inducing score. JFK is undefeated, but it's close.
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To anyone who still doubts Tom Cruise’s acting talent, I’d make them watch this film. I can’t understand why his Oscar nomination didn’t lead to a win. Over the years, I’ve understood that Tom can act, but his portrayal of the real-life figure Ron Kovic completely blew me away. The audience feels with the protagonist until the final credits, experiencing his transformation from a war-enthusiastic young man to someone who matures and understands that war is evil, and Cruise conveyed this flawlessly. Oliver Stone really knows how to handle anti-war films (including Heaven & Earth and Platoon). Combining social drama with the war genre requires real talent. It’s an exceptional cinematic experience, filled to the brim with powerful emotional scenes (like the recovery in the Bronx hospital, the reunion with the family of a fallen comrade, etc.). I truly don’t understand the Oscars. I give it 8.5/10.
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