list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Born on the Fourth of July on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Born_on_the_Fourth_of_July/4171/default.aspx Title: Born on the Fourth of July
Year: 1989
Director: Oliver Stone
Plot: 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. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 14
Number of Lists: 21
Number of blog posts: 5
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Thu, 19 Mar 2009 18:01:32 GMTBorn on the Fourth of July1989Oliver StoneThe second of three films by co-writer/director <a href="/players/P___112907/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Oliver Stone</a> to explore the effects of the Vietnam War (<a href=/films/26856/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Platoon</a> and <a href=/films/89380/default.aspx style='text-decoration:underline'>Heaven and Earth</a> are the others), Born On The Fourth Of July tells the true story of Ron Kovic (<a href="/players/P____86295/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Tom Cruise</a>), 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. ~ Don Kaye, All Movie Guide14Tag Target (>10)2153http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/u34953r9k0d.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Born_on_the_Fourth_of_July/4171/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/blogs/warmovieblog/archive/2009/3/19/41131.aspx Post By: WarMovieBlog
Post To: WarMovieBlog Blog
Post Date: 3/19/2009 2:01:32 PM
Body: Born on the Fourth of July (1989) IMDB Born on the Fourth of July is Oliver Stone's second entry in his "Vietnam Trilogy" (Platoon, Heavan and Earth) and in my opinion, is the most powerful of the three.  In fact, I would say it's even more relevant to today than any of them, and maybe that's why.While Platoon seems a bit cliche for my tastes (but still good), and Heaven and Earth is just too preachy (and other reasons, but also still good), Fourth of July makes a strong statement about the sacrifice the veterans of Vietnam made, and the struggles they endured after they came home. Ron Kovic (Tom Cruise) is your average all-american boy from Long Island, instilled with a strong sense of patriotism and a need to do what is right.  It's this which drives him to enlist, and of course, is sent off to fight in Vietnam.  He's critically injured, and winds up confined to a wheelchair.  From there he has to come to terms with, well, everything.  Everything from reconciling his condition, the things he did and saw in Vietnam, re-examining his patriotism, and just plain getting through it.  Eventually he ends up a part of the anti-war movement, speaking at the 1976 Miami Democratic national convention.The first part of the film simply builds up Ron Kovic's character, and while it does run on a bit, it is necessary to contrast what he becomes later.  The "All American Family(tm)" he comes from is probably typical, and the picture that is painted is one I think most of us can relate to.His world changes, though, as he takes part in a raid on a village that kills civilians, and he himself kills one of his own in the heat of battle, and has to live with that guilt.  Then he's shot, paralyzing him from the chest down, and spends time in terrible conditions in a VA hospital.  From there he goes home, and has to deal with how everyone else deals with him, including his kid brother who doesn't share his patriotic views.He quickly spirals into depression and alcoholism, causing no end of grief for his family and others around him.  Coming to terms with the fact that he'll never walk (among other things) again, sends him off of the deep end, basically.Eventually Kovic winds up in Mexico, in a sort of community for other disabled vets.  Thinking he's found a home, he realizes that everyone else is just as messed up as he is.  After a humorous and sad event which leaves him stranded, he come back to the states, and finds his old girlfriend (Kyra Sedgwick) who is part of the anti-war movement.  He comes to realize that he can make a difference at last.OK, so maybe the film is a bit too long, but it is well worth it.  Cruise pulls off a fine performance, and really everyone else is relegated to supporting roles of various kinds.  But what's the point of it all?  Part of it is Stone asking for some respect for these guys, part of it hints at the sacrifice they and their families endured, part of it leans heavily toward the anti-war slant.I especially found it relevant given the events of today, where we get reports of veteran's hospitals being closed due to dreadful conditions.  I couldn't help but think of that as Kovic lies upside down in traction staring at a pile of his own puke.  Has anything really changed in the system?  At least the public view towards today's veterans has changed, but I don't think the government really has, and that's a shame.Some other reviews I've read blast Born on the Fourth of July for being a bit oversimplistic, just too long, or various other things.  While that might be true, I don't think it hurts it any at all.  In fact, I'd hazard to say it's because of these things that it excels.  It doesn't try to sneak its meanings under the table like Platoon, it just paints a clear understandable picture.The only real trouble I had with it was the ending.  I dunno, it just didn't seem to really resolve anything.  So he speaks to a large group of people making a difference like his mother dreamed about....  but at what cost?  And for what gain? Born on the Fourth of July (1989) on Spout.com Originally posted on:War Movie Reviews and News
]]>Thu, 19 Mar 2009 18:01:32 GMTWarMovieBlogWarMovieBlog Blog3/19/2009 2:01:32 PMBorn on the Fourth of July (1989) IMDB Born on the Fourth of July is Oliver Stone's second entry in his "Vietnam Trilogy" (Platoon, Heavan and Earth) and in my opinion, is the most powerful of the three.  In fact, I would say it's even more relevant to today than any of them, and maybe that's why.While Platoon seems a bit cliche for my tastes (but still good), and Heaven and Earth is just too preachy (and other reasons, but also still good), Fourth of July makes a strong statement about the sacrifice the veterans of Vietnam made, and the struggles they endured after they came home. Ron Kovic (Tom Cruise) is your average all-american boy from Long Island, instilled with a strong sense of patriotism and a need to do what is right.  It's this which drives him to enlist, and of course, is sent off to fight in Vietnam.  He's critically injured, and winds up confined to a wheelchair.  From there he has to come to terms with, well, everything.  Everything from reconciling his condition, the things he did and saw in Vietnam, re-examining his patriotism, and just plain getting through it.  Eventually he ends up a part of the anti-war movement, speaking at the 1976 Miami Democratic national convention.The first part of the film simply builds up Ron Kovic's character, and while it does run on a bit, it is necessary to contrast what he becomes later.  The "All American Family(tm)" he comes from is probably typical, and the picture that is painted is one I think most of us can relate to.His world changes, though, as he takes part in a raid on a village that kills civilians, and he himself kills one of his own in the heat of battle, and has to live with that guilt.  Then he's shot, paralyzing him from the chest down, and spends time in terrible conditions in a VA hospital.  From there he goes home, and has to deal with how everyone else deals with him, including his kid brother who doesn't share his patriotic views.He quickly spirals into depression and alcoholism, causing no end of grief for his family and others around him.  Coming to terms with the fact that he'll never walk (among other things) again, sends him off of the deep end, basically.Eventually Kovic winds up in Mexico, in a sort of community for other disabled vets.  Thinking he's found a home, he realizes that everyone else is just as messed up as he is.  After a humorous and sad event which leaves him stranded, he come back to the states, and finds his old girlfriend (Kyra Sedgwick) who is part of the anti-war movement.  He comes to realize that he can make a difference at last.OK, so maybe the film is a bit too long, but it is well worth it.  Cruise pulls off a fine performance, and really everyone else is relegated to supporting roles of various kinds.  But what's the point of it all?  Part of it is Stone asking for some respect for these guys, part of it hints at the sacrifice they and their families endured, part of it leans heavily toward the anti-war slant.I especially found it relevant given the events of today, where we get reports of veteran's hospitals being closed due to dreadful conditions.  I couldn't help but think of that as Kovic lies upside down in traction staring at a pile of his own puke.  Has anything really changed in the system?  At least the public view towards today's veterans has changed, but I don't think the government really has, and that's a shame.Some other reviews I've read blast Born on the Fourth of July for being a bit oversimplistic, just too long, or various other things.  While that might be true, I don't think it hurts it any at all.  In fact, I'd hazard to say it's because of these things that it excels.  It doesn't try to sneak its meanings under the table like Platoon, it just paints a clear understandable picture.The only real trouble I had with it was the ending.  I dunno, it just didn't seem to really resolve anything.  So he speaks to a large group of people making a difference like his mother dreamed about....  but at what cost?  And for what gain? Born on the Fourth of July (1989) on Spout.com Originally posted on:War Movie Reviews and News http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/12/24/38807.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 12/24/2008 10:02:49 AM
Body: We’ve known for months that absolutely nothing was wrong with Valkyrie, and now we’re just a few days away from watching this tiny independent feature storm the box office, redeem United Artists as a production entity and make Tom Cruise a respectable household name again. Of course, there is the slight problem: he’s portraying Nazi Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, who may have disagreed with the party politics, but still rocked the swastika and straight salute.  How exactly did Cruise, one of the great symbols of the “Blockbuster Film” and American culture, wind up so perfectly suited as a crippled, over-zealous Nazi embroiled in conspiracy? We’ve excavated evidence from his filmography to track the transformation. Taps As resident wide-eyed reactionary Cadet Captain David Shawn, Cruise is always ready to go out guns blazing. After their coup to keep the Bunker Hill military school, the boy soldiers are dwindling, tired and worn-out after playing pretend guerillas costs a few lives.  As they finally give up when the real Army threatens to come in with a tank, Cadet Captain Cruise gets to showcase his suicidal genius: take on a tank with an M60 Machine Gun from his “fortified bunker” (read: dorm room) after everyone else has surrendered.  Later, he’d still have the right idea (use a suitcase bomb to kill Hitler) but wrong way to do it (placing said suitcase under heavy oak table, killing others but leaving Hitler with a few minor injuries.) Magnolia If there’s one necessity over all others to be a convincing Nazi, it is possessing the ability to brainwash the masses with the most general of terms.  Cruise’s Frank Mackey is slimy, misogynistic and has a loyal cadre of slobs who’d do anything he commands. Why? Because they all have cocks and that means they’re pre-destined to rule their homes/relationships/beds and women must respect them thanks to “Seduce and Destroy.”  Stalking around the stage, Cruise perfects the magnetism for converting those of weak minds to do his bidding. Mackey plays brilliantly on inadequacy and makes further strategic choices to disarm those around him (ie: doing press in his underwear, breaking down when he realizes his persona is cracking.) Born on the Fourth of July Of course, when considering ideology, one must also take into account copious baby killing and twisted politics. Ron Kovic (Cruise) starts out a patriot ready to die for his country, but becomes horrified by the haphazard war he’s been thrown into: opening fire on a defenseless village, accidently murdering one of his own in friendly-fire and then being shoved away into a decrepit facility in the Bronx where he may as well be dead.  Kovic drifts into miserable alcoholism and tries to recover from being the victim, but not before this scene with Charlie (Willem Dafoe) as his veneer shatters.   The quiet dread here would lead to Kovic would going forth and fighting for Veterans’ rights, and can be paralleled to von Stauffenberg’s own break-down that lead to leading the insurrection. Minority Report Nothing says “Nazi Training” like teaming up with Steven Spielberg on a film wedding crazed government officials, secret police and Max von Sydow.  As the head of the “Precrime” unit in Washington, D.C., Tom Cruise expertly knows how to find untrustworthy scum and black-market organs—especially when he’s on the run for a crime he didn’t commit (yet.)  Spielberg is a fan of the chase, whether it be by dinosaur or Ralph Fiennes. And you don’t get much more training in “how to run from authority figures” than when they use jetpacks. Of course, later, Cruise would likely ask Bryan Singer if the whole “metaphorical” sense of cat-and-mouse could be replaced with jetpacks.  Bryan Singer probably broke down sobbing at that point. We assume. Endless Love Spinning information may be one of the most important assets to the Nazi Party, but especially if you’re in the middle of high treason and an assassination attempt. Fitting then that Cruise’s first role got him into this right from the start, as a guy in cut-offs named Billy who recommends to David (Martin Hewitt) try out arson.  “I lit a whole pile of newspapers, you ever try to light a whole pile of wet newspapers? Geeze, it smokes like crazy” he shrieks in nasal tones.  “Do you want to hear the wild part? It’s like I’m a hero or something! They thought I saved the whole block! To this day, my mother thinks I’m a hero!” David leaves, inspired to mimic this same act and eventually wind up in a mental institution. Cruise cackles off-screen, having taken the first steps toward Valkyrie. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:02:49 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com12/24/2008 10:02:49 AMWe’ve known for months that absolutely nothing was wrong with Valkyrie, and now we’re just a few days away from watching this tiny independent feature storm the box office, redeem United Artists as a production entity and make Tom Cruise a respectable household name again. Of course, there is the slight problem: he’s portraying Nazi Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, who may have disagreed with the party politics, but still rocked the swastika and straight salute.  How exactly did Cruise, one of the great symbols of the “Blockbuster Film” and American culture, wind up so perfectly suited as a crippled, over-zealous Nazi embroiled in conspiracy? We’ve excavated evidence from his filmography to track the transformation. Taps As resident wide-eyed reactionary Cadet Captain David Shawn, Cruise is always ready to go out guns blazing. After their coup to keep the Bunker Hill military school, the boy soldiers are dwindling, tired and worn-out after playing pretend guerillas costs a few lives.  As they finally give up when the real Army threatens to come in with a tank, Cadet Captain Cruise gets to showcase his suicidal genius: take on a tank with an M60 Machine Gun from his “fortified bunker” (read: dorm room) after everyone else has surrendered.  Later, he’d still have the right idea (use a suitcase bomb to kill Hitler) but wrong way to do it (placing said suitcase under heavy oak table, killing others but leaving Hitler with a few minor injuries.) Magnolia If there’s one necessity over all others to be a convincing Nazi, it is possessing the ability to brainwash the masses with the most general of terms.  Cruise’s Frank Mackey is slimy, misogynistic and has a loyal cadre of slobs who’d do anything he commands. Why? Because they all have cocks and that means they’re pre-destined to rule their homes/relationships/beds and women must respect them thanks to “Seduce and Destroy.”  Stalking around the stage, Cruise perfects the magnetism for converting those of weak minds to do his bidding. Mackey plays brilliantly on inadequacy and makes further strategic choices to disarm those around him (ie: doing press in his underwear, breaking down when he realizes his persona is cracking.) Born on the Fourth of July Of course, when considering ideology, one must also take into account copious baby killing and twisted politics. Ron Kovic (Cruise) starts out a patriot ready to die for his country, but becomes horrified by the haphazard war he’s been thrown into: opening fire on a defenseless village, accidently murdering one of his own in friendly-fire and then being shoved away into a decrepit facility in the Bronx where he may as well be dead.  Kovic drifts into miserable alcoholism and tries to recover from being the victim, but not before this scene with Charlie (Willem Dafoe) as his veneer shatters.   The quiet dread here would lead to Kovic would going forth and fighting for Veterans’ rights, and can be paralleled to von Stauffenberg’s own break-down that lead to leading the insurrection. Minority Report Nothing says “Nazi Training” like teaming up with Steven Spielberg on a film wedding crazed government officials, secret police and Max von Sydow.  As the head of the “Precrime” unit in Washington, D.C., Tom Cruise expertly knows how to find untrustworthy scum and black-market organs—especially when he’s on the run for a crime he didn’t commit (yet.)  Spielberg is a fan of the chase, whether it be by dinosaur or Ralph Fiennes. And you don’t get much more training in “how to run from authority figures” than when they use jetpacks. Of course, later, Cruise would likely ask Bryan Singer if the whole “metaphorical” sense of cat-and-mouse could be replaced with jetpacks.  Bryan Singer probably broke down sobbing at that point. We assume. Endless Love Spinning information may be one of the most important assets to the Nazi Party, but especially if you’re in the middle of high treason and an assassination attempt. Fitting then that Cruise’s first role got him into this right from the start, as a guy in cut-offs named Billy who recommends to David (Martin Hewitt) try out arson.  “I lit a whole pile of newspapers, you ever try to light a whole pile of wet newspapers? Geeze, it smokes like crazy” he shrieks in nasal tones.  “Do you want to hear the wild part? It’s like I’m a hero or something! They thought I saved the whole block! To this day, my mother thinks I’m a hero!” David leaves, inspired to mimic this same act and eventually wind up in a mental institution. Cruise cackles off-screen, having taken the first steps toward Valkyrie. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/blogs/leeroy711/archive/2008/7/1/31946.aspx Post By: leeroy711
Post To: leeroy711 Blog
Post Date: 7/1/2008 1:51:12 AM
Body: These may not be the greatest titles of all time, but they're the right movies for right now Allright, it's the middle of the Summer, the days are long and the nights are hot. What are you gonna watch 1. Caddyshack (1980) - Harold Ramis and Bill Murray should probably go down as one of the best contemporary comedic directors/actor teams we have today. I like Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day enough but this one set the standard. 2. Jurassic Park (1993) - This film for me, epitemizes the term Summer blockbuster. I still vividly remember standing in line, in 110+ degree heat in Phoenix for this movie. I also remember the young woman in front of us passing out from the heat as we waited. I think she was from Minnesota. 3. Born on the Fourth of July (1989)- Hey, remember when Tom Cruise wasn't such a joke? Niether do I but this is still one of his best performances and it's not something that comes up in conversation very often so now would be the perfect time to take a second look at one of Oliver Stone's best movies. 4. Dog Day Afternoon (1975) - Al Pacino was destined for stardom after his performance in Sidney Lumet's classic drama about a bank robbery. ATTICA ATTICA!!!! 5. Sexy Beast (2000) - I flat out love this movie. And it just so happens to take place in the wonderful heat of the Summer in Spain. Enjoy! Emery
]]>Tue, 01 Jul 2008 05:51:12 GMTleeroy711leeroy711 Blog7/1/2008 1:51:12 AMThese may not be the greatest titles of all time, but they're the right movies for right now Allright, it's the middle of the Summer, the days are long and the nights are hot. What are you gonna watch 1. Caddyshack (1980) - Harold Ramis and Bill Murray should probably go down as one of the best contemporary comedic directors/actor teams we have today. I like Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day enough but this one set the standard. 2. Jurassic Park (1993) - This film for me, epitemizes the term Summer blockbuster. I still vividly remember standing in line, in 110+ degree heat in Phoenix for this movie. I also remember the young woman in front of us passing out from the heat as we waited. I think she was from Minnesota. 3. Born on the Fourth of July (1989)- Hey, remember when Tom Cruise wasn't such a joke? Niether do I but this is still one of his best performances and it's not something that comes up in conversation very often so now would be the perfect time to take a second look at one of Oliver Stone's best movies. 4. Dog Day Afternoon (1975) - Al Pacino was destined for stardom after his performance in Sidney Lumet's classic drama about a bank robbery. ATTICA ATTICA!!!! 5. Sexy Beast (2000) - I flat out love this movie. And it just so happens to take place in the wonderful heat of the Summer in Spain. Enjoy! Emery http://www.spout.com/blogs/cinemarian/archive/2008/5/13/28911.aspx Post By: CinemaRian
Post To: CinemaRian Blog
Post Date: 5/13/2008 5:17:12 AM
Body: Oliver Stone is, for me, the new Robert Altman. After seeing many of Altman's films I decided I didn't like his work until I enjoyed The Long Goodbye and absolutley loved A Prarie Home Companion. I thought I didn't like Stone at all after seeing two of what are purported to be his best films (Platoon and JFK), and what almost universally considered to be his worst (Alexander) but I have a new appreciation for him after seeing Born on the Fourth of July, a biopic about his friend and fellow Vietnam vetran Ron Kovic. Based on its subject's autobiography (who also co-wrote the script with Stone), the film follows his experinces from 1961 to 1976. Kovic (Tom Cruise) grows up in a devoutly Catholic family in a small town, and decides that the patroitic thing to do is enlist after he graduates from high school. Kovic joins the Marines, guarenteeing that he will be sent to the front lines in Vietnam. On his second tour of duty, he accidently kills Vietnamese civilains and a fellow soldier (Michael Compotaro) and is traumatized with guilt. Later, in a surprise ambush, he is seriously wounded- his genitials are literally blown off, and a bullet pierces his spinal cord, paralizing him from the waste down. After a harrowing stay in an underfunded hospital, Kovic returns home to a hero's welcome, but the demons of the war continue to haunt him, and he gradually realizes the war is wrong, and his life is heading in a terrible direction. Some who read my review of Platoon may wonder why I prefer this film to that one. The reason is that Platoon merely stated that war is wrong, and this film stars with the observation and goes further with it. It is also about how Kovic begins to discover the war is wrong- only after he is home for years and sees how good people- his brother and ex-girlfriend are both patriatic and anti-war. Born on the Fourth of July is also stronly benefited by Tom Cruise in the best performance of his career. When the movie started, I groaned, thinking Cruise was going to be a victim of his own stardom, but as the film progressed, I just forgot about the actor and saw Ron Kovic. Both Stone and Cruise are at their absolutle best in the hospital scenes, which is painful to watch, not only because of the men and their embarrisng injuries but because of the decripit conditions they are foreced to stay in. When you compare this material to similer scenes in Coming Home, another Vietnam film, their's no comparison. All of the other actors, most of whom are unknown, are excellent, too. Where the movie gets into the trouble is still a problem I have with Stone- he often goes over the top. Although he does moderate his tendancy here, many scenes still are too melodramatic to be beleived. An example of this is the scene late in the film where Kovic visits the parents of the soldier he accidentally killed. It thought it seemed fake as I watched it, and I was not surprised when I later learned that much of this subplot is fictional. The movie also goes on a little long and is at times too simplistic, but there are many scenes of real power, and the movie is well worth a look. This is not in the leauge of Apocalypse Now or Full Metal Jacket, but it's right on the next step. Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
]]>Tue, 13 May 2008 09:17:12 GMTCinemaRianCinemaRian Blog5/13/2008 5:17:12 AMOliver Stone is, for me, the new Robert Altman. After seeing many of Altman's films I decided I didn't like his work until I enjoyed The Long Goodbye and absolutley loved A Prarie Home Companion. I thought I didn't like Stone at all after seeing two of what are purported to be his best films (Platoon and JFK), and what almost universally considered to be his worst (Alexander) but I have a new appreciation for him after seeing Born on the Fourth of July, a biopic about his friend and fellow Vietnam vetran Ron Kovic. Based on its subject's autobiography (who also co-wrote the script with Stone), the film follows his experinces from 1961 to 1976. Kovic (Tom Cruise) grows up in a devoutly Catholic family in a small town, and decides that the patroitic thing to do is enlist after he graduates from high school. Kovic joins the Marines, guarenteeing that he will be sent to the front lines in Vietnam. On his second tour of duty, he accidently kills Vietnamese civilains and a fellow soldier (Michael Compotaro) and is traumatized with guilt. Later, in a surprise ambush, he is seriously wounded- his genitials are literally blown off, and a bullet pierces his spinal cord, paralizing him from the waste down. After a harrowing stay in an underfunded hospital, Kovic returns home to a hero's welcome, but the demons of the war continue to haunt him, and he gradually realizes the war is wrong, and his life is heading in a terrible direction. Some who read my review of Platoon may wonder why I prefer this film to that one. The reason is that Platoon merely stated that war is wrong, and this film stars with the observation and goes further with it. It is also about how Kovic begins to discover the war is wrong- only after he is home for years and sees how good people- his brother and ex-girlfriend are both patriatic and anti-war. Born on the Fourth of July is also stronly benefited by Tom Cruise in the best performance of his career. When the movie started, I groaned, thinking Cruise was going to be a victim of his own stardom, but as the film progressed, I just forgot about the actor and saw Ron Kovic. Both Stone and Cruise are at their absolutle best in the hospital scenes, which is painful to watch, not only because of the men and their embarrisng injuries but because of the decripit conditions they are foreced to stay in. When you compare this material to similer scenes in Coming Home, another Vietnam film, their's no comparison. All of the other actors, most of whom are unknown, are excellent, too. Where the movie gets into the trouble is still a problem I have with Stone- he often goes over the top. Although he does moderate his tendancy here, many scenes still are too melodramatic to be beleived. An example of this is the scene late in the film where Kovic visits the parents of the soldier he accidentally killed. It thought it seemed fake as I watched it, and I was not surprised when I later learned that much of this subplot is fictional. The movie also goes on a little long and is at times too simplistic, but there are many scenes of real power, and the movie is well worth a look. This is not in the leauge of Apocalypse Now or Full Metal Jacket, but it's right on the next step. Born on the Fourth of July (1989) http://www.spout.com/blogs/ktappe/archive/2007/8/16/18200.aspx Post By: ktappe
Post To: ktappe Blog
Post Date: 8/16/2007 1:17:49 AM
Body: If you want to see how well Tom Cruise can act when he's not bouncing on Oprah's couch, see this. This belongs right up there beside Platoon, Letters From Iwo Jima, and Full Metal Jacket as the best war films of all time.
]]>Thu, 16 Aug 2007 05:17:49 GMTktappektappe Blog8/16/2007 1:17:49 AMIf you want to see how well Tom Cruise can act when he&#39;s not bouncing on Oprah&#39;s couch, see this. This belongs right up there beside Platoon, Letters From Iwo Jima, and Full Metal Jacket as the best war films of all time. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/family/MemberTagFilms.aspxfamily
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]]>Thu, 04 Jun 2009 14:34:48 GMT334Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/4th-of-july/MemberTagFilms.aspx4th-of-july
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]]>Wed, 20 May 2009 00:26:41 GMT323Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/SoonToBeTheta7/MemberTagFilms.aspxSoonToBeTheta7
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]]>Sat, 12 Aug 2006 19:09:30 GMT16219Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/BrookesPsychologist/MemberTagFilms.aspxBrookesPsychologist
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]]>Fri, 02 Jun 2006 06:06:50 GMT919Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/paraplegic/MemberTagFilms.aspxparaplegic
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]]>Wed, 15 Apr 2009 13:03:09 GMT3200Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/selfpity/MemberTagFilms.aspxselfpity
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]]>Thu, 07 Dec 2006 23:16:31 GMT1900Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/vahospital/MemberTagFilms.aspxvahospital
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]]>Wed, 07 Dec 2005 20:14:32 GMT600Tag