Directed by: Oliver Stone
Starring: Tom Cruise, Willem Dafoe, Kyra Sedgwick, Raymond J. Barry, Caroline Kava, Frank Whaley, Jerry Levine
Oliver Stone's Platoon was a story of the fighting in Vietnam itself. Born on the Fourth of July is a story of its aftermath, embodied in soldier Ron Kovic (Cruise), who comes home paralyzed, forgotten by his country, and jeered by anti-war protesters. He steadfastly supports the war, even after his stay in a horrifying VA hospital with conditions akin to those in a supposed third world country. But then, his anger, guilt, and remorse mounts. What used to be clear to him no longer is. He drowns his sorrows in alcohol and self-destructive behavior which alienates him from his family. Then, after years of aching soul-searching, Kovic realizes his purpose is to speak out against the war; to join the protesters who gave him the finger or called him "baby killer". He knows more about that than those who stood on the sidelines. In Born on the Fourth of July, this transition is painful and soon inevitable.
Born on the Fourth of July does not take Kovic's transition lightly. It follows Kovic from patriotic teenager eager to fight for his country in the early days of the Vietnam War to his role as a wheelchair-bound anti-war advocate. You may wonder why Kovic didn't immediately turn against the war once he was paralyzed from a bullet wound. For Kovic, his belief in his country ran deep. He defended it even while staring face down at his own vomit for hours in a VA hospital. He defended it even though his guilt and rage haunted his waking hours while unable to move without wheelchair assistance ever again.
Tom Cruise was Oscar-nominated for Best Actor for his role here. If I had a vote, I would've cast it for Cruise. He never steps wrong. We see him as a wide-eyed, true believer in the Vietnam War which causes him to sign up for service as soon as he graduated high school. We see him grow up fast in the horrid conditions of Vietnam. We see him make two crucial mistakes which haunt him for the rest of his days and serve as the eventual impetus for his change. When he returns home, he stubbornly, defiantly tells others, "Love it or leave it," He soon learns there is plenty of gray area.
This all exists seamlessly and convincingly in the same person. Cruise is never less than sympathetic, fascinating, and compelling. He allows us to be a witness to his internal suffering, which is not something every actor can do well.
Stone allows Kovic to be his argument against U.S. foreign policy in which we shoot first and ask questions later. That happened in Vietnam. And in Iraq. The repercussions are still felt today and will forever more. The government sent young men and women to die in wars that were unnecessary and unjust; started only because the government thought there were perceived threats that didn't exist. Or maybe it thought we needed a war right about then. Stone, a Vietnam veteran who has stared into the inferno of war, has made his cynicism about the government well known not just here or in Platoon, but in JFK, Nixon, and W. Stone is at his best in the political milieu. He lends a heart to oppose the cold bureaucracy of his government.
Born on the Fourth of July allows us to witness Kovic's transformation which is a long time coming. It is at first harrowing, then immensely powerful. The Cruise performance, along with Magnolia (1999) represents his best work to date. These days, Cruise is content on making multi-million dollar action blockbusters which keep him in the money, but don't actually showcase his considerable talent. Watching Born on the Fourth of July again reminds me of his pure ability. While Kovic's changes represent an ideological awakening for him, there is always the sobering reality that, no matter what, Kovic will always be confined to a wheelchair; a daily reminder of his sacrifices. It is more sobering to know that there are others whose sacrifices were even greater...and sadder because they were in the service of the Vietnam War.
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