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Trailer

Born on the Fourth of July

1989Movie2 h 25 minR

Drama
76
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb7.2Letterboxd3.8/5Metacritic757.7Rotten Tomatoes84%76%

A deeply moving, violent drama movie about war and a real life story, with standout performances and direction.

Good for friends night · teens · thought-provoking

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood · graphic violence bothers you

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Not for warmth, laughs or comfort.

Movies with

Story

A true story of innocence lost and courage found.

Paralyzed in the Vietnam war, Ron Kovic becomes an anti-war and pro-human rights political activist after feeling betrayed by the country he fought for.

Feels like

  • Visceral War Drama
  • Traumatic Biopic
  • Anti-War Manifesto
  • Tom Cruise Tour de Force
  • Psychological Downturn
  • Historical Realism
  • Emotional Devastation
  • Political Awakening
  • Oliver Stone Direction

Cast

24 of 85

Crew

Directed by
Oliver Stone
Written by
Oliver Stone, Ron Kovic
Produced by
Oliver Stone, Lope V. Juban Jr., Clayton Townsend
Music by
John Williams

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

December 20, 1989 · 2 h 25 min · R

Released
December 20, 1989
Runtime
2 h 25 min
Age rating
R
Content
Violence, Strong Language, Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Drama, War
Original language
English
Also spoken
Spanish
Made in
United States
Budget
$14 million
Box office
$161 million
Available in
79 countries
Keywords
based on true story

Tropes

Eagleland, Creator Cameo, War Is Hell +9

  • Eagleland
  • Creator Cameo
  • War Is Hell
  • War Is Glorious
  • Strawman Political
  • Significant Birth Date
  • From Bad to Worse
  • Police Brutality
  • Accidental Murder
  • Jerkass Has a Point
  • Break the Badass
  • Foreshadowing

12 of 24 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

5 questions, like "Where can I stream Born on the Fourth of July?"

Questions about Born on the Fourth of July

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Born on the Fourth of July?

HBO Max

In the United States, Born on the Fourth of July streams on HBO Max. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, and FlixFling. It also streams in 23 other countries.

Is Born on the Fourth of July worth watching?

76
GreatGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 76 (IMDb 7.2, Letterboxd 3.8 out of 5, Rotten Tomatoes 84%, and Metacritic 75).

Is Born on the Fourth of July plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (9 of 10) and pathos (9 of 10) more than on its plot.

Was Born on the Fourth of July a box office hit?

Budget$14 million
Box office$161 million

Yes, a big one: it cost about $14 million to make and earned $161 million worldwide, 11.5 times its budget.

What tropes does Born on the Fourth of July use?

EaglelandCreator CameoWar Is HellWar Is GloriousStrawman PoliticalSignificant Birth DateFrom Bad to WorsePolice BrutalityAccidental MurderJerkass Has a PointBreak the BadassForeshadowingand 12 more

TV Tropes lists 24 tropes for it, including Eagleland, Creator Cameo, and War Is Hell.