Born on the Fourth of July (1989)

 Born on the Fourth of July (1989)

In some sort of a spiritual sequel to Platoon, director Oliver Stone returns to the world of Vietnam with Born on the Fourth of July. He tells the story of Ron Kovic, an American soldier who became disillusioned by the war. In Platoon, Stone focused on the battles and the unit. Here, he focuses on how a man can go through extreme change. At first, Kovic was a small-town soldier who wanted to fight in the war and was afraid to miss the action. In other words, he thought about himself as an American patriot. Over time, he learned the truth about Vietnam which branded him an “enemy of the United States” for speaking out against the war. Stone is never afraid to involve his politics in his films and that remains a fact here, but he does rein in his horse to a degree. We get a powerful, if not a bit long, movie about the American experience in Vietnam and how it translated to the homefront. Going back-to-back with Rain Man, this is the film that proved Tom Cruise is more than a pretty face. As Cruise’s character confronts the horrors of war, the audience can see how adept the man is as an actor. He is an actor dedicated to his craft. He even spent lots of time learning how to ride a wheelchair. Talk about dedication!

Being a former soldier himself, Oliver Stone got involved with the project in the 1970’s. Al Pacino was originally interested in the film after watching Kovic at the 1976 Democratic Convention. His agent/producer Martin Bregman got involved but Paramount dropped the film after Bregman and Pacino were unhappy with the script. That is how Stone got involved as Bregman wanted screenplay assistance. He bonded with Kovic over their experiences in the war. However, Bregman and Pacino left the film after Bregman deemed the film impossible to produce after the success of Coming Home, a similar movie. Stone put the project on the backburner and told Kovic he would return to the project if his career took off. Well, Platoon happened and here we are. People did voice concerns about Cruise’s casting including Kovic himself but rest assured, Cruise put all those concerns to rest. The cinematography is fantastic and thanks to Robert Richardson’s steady hand at the camera, the battle sequences are clear and precise. In addition, we get an unlikely pairing between Stone and composer John Williams. Williams’s score does a great job invoking emotion.

The story is essentially the biographical portrait of Ron Kovic (Tom Cruise). Growing up with smalltown ideals, Kovic was ready for war. He was ready to make the ultimate sacrifice if necessary. Once in Vietnam, he experiences everything except glory. He becomes seriously injured and is paralyzed for the rest of his life limiting him to a wheelchair. He returns home a different person. Participating in a parade, Kovic sees how some people spew hatred towards him because of his participation in the war. War has seemed to get the best of Kovic. He is lashing out at his parents and lives a life of booze, drugs, and women. He later becomes an important member of the anti-war and pro-human rights movement making him a traitor in the eyes of some.

This is the film where people realized how great and committed an actor Tom Cruise is. He was surrounded by special effects in Top Gun and people were down on his The Color of Money and Rain Man performances (although I liked them). Once we see Cruise in the midst of the action and beyond, he is able to take total command. The rest of the cast is solid although most actors were limited to glorified cameos. Still, we get a chance to see people like Willem Dafoe, John C. McGinley, and Tom Sizemore to name a few.

Overall, I enjoyed Born on the Fourth of July. It takes some time to get going and the film feels long at times, but Oliver Stone and Tom Cruise are a great tandem. Politics are involved, even if in a diminished capacity, but Stone paints a clear picture about the state of these politics at the homefront. The story is about a man who is able to see the light after suffering through life-altering experiences. My eyes were opened to see the shocking, revelatory politics behind the picture. If anything, Stone is committed to this picture and is a worthy spiritual sequel to Platoon.

“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” (line from JFK’s inaugural address that hovers over the very idea of the movie).

My Grade: B+