Movies

Oliver Stone - who appears briefly as a TV interviewer - had already focused on the Vietnam War with "Platoon", but he did an even better job with "Born on the Fourth of July". Telling the story of Ron Kovic (Tom Cruise), an all-American boy turned anti-war activist, Stone brings political issues to the screen once again. The movie specifically chronicles how Kovic grew up playing baseball and going to church (and even supported the war at first), but totally changed after he saw what his government was doing in Vietnam and lost the use of his legs. This may have been Tom Cruise's best role ever; since then, his roles have gotten kinda silly.On a side note, Stew Albert - who guided me with my bar mitzvah - knew Ron Kovic. In fact, Stew's good friend Abbie Hoffman appears in the movie.

A very moving anti war pic. So topical given the USA's relentless invasions of foreign lands all in the name of capitalism and at the expense of young American soldiers and defenseless, innocents in those lands.Cruise is fabulous and I would think it would be one of his greatest performances.A fascinating look inside middle American families and their religious fanaticism. Still so real now and, possibly, growing in an increasingly polarised country.35 years old and still so very relevant. A disturbing but powerful watch!

"Born on the Fourth of July" had a certain impact of me. I first watched it at the cinema when I was 13. I didn't understand much about politics or war at the time. But it certainly struck some chord within myself. And then I watched that film a couple of times more in my "adult" life and, to me, it's one of Oliver Stone's very best. As well as Tom Cruise's induction into serious Hollywood stardom, forget "Cocktail" and "Top Gun". The way patriotism is depicted, it's veil of ignorance, god-family-and-the-flag...the way Vietnam 'vets' were betrayed, used...cannon-fodder for US politicians is fantastic. The beauty is that "Born on the Fourth of July" is not agonisingly political or in any way patronising.