Born On The 4th of July (DVD)

Reviews

"Born on the 4th of July" by Micky B - 15 February 2013

A long film (145 minutes,) this one is well up to celebrated director Oliver Stone’s usual high standards. And it’s a pleasure to see that Tom Cruise <i>really can act,</i> and is not just a pretty face! Although nominated for an Oscar, he was a tad unlucky to lose out to Daniel Day Lewis (“My Left Foot”) for that particular year. The film is factual, being the autobiography of Ron Kovic – played here by Tom Cruise. Also in the cast, and previously in Oliver Stone’s <i>Platoon</i> that also features the war in Viet-Nam are Tom Berringer, and Willem Dafoe (Stone himself is a Viet-Nam veteran!) The film points out the irony of the situation of the American soldiers who fought bravely in Viet Nam…only to return home to find that they are now almost outcasts to their families and former friends – and that tin their absence, the USA has become a battlefield – with vicious racial violence – not dissimilar to the Eastern country they have just left! I am personally not a great lover of movies about the Viet-Nam war, but this one is really good! Yes, there is a fair amount of warfare action, but the whole thing is extremely thought-provoking; and (as I’ve said before) features marvelous acting on the part of Tom Cruise! Highly recommended!