Which 1989 biographical film about Ron Kovic stars Tom Cruise?

The 1989 biographical film about Ron Kovic starring Tom Cruise is Born on the Fourth of July.

Directed and co-written by Oliver Stone, the film adapts Kovic’s 1976 autobiography of the same name. Cruise plays Kovic across several stages of his life: his patriotic upbringing, enlistment in the United States Marine Corps, service in Vietnam, paralysis after being wounded, and eventual transformation into an outspoken anti-war activist.

The title comes from Kovic’s birthday—July 4, 1946—and carries an ironic meaning because the film examines how patriotic ideals collided with the physical and psychological consequences of the Vietnam War. Kovic co-wrote the screenplay with Stone, giving the production a direct connection to the memoir and to the experiences it depicts.

The film is often confused with other major Vietnam War movies, but The Deer Hunter, Apocalypse Now, and Platoon tell fictional or composite stories rather than focusing on Kovic’s life. Born on the Fourth of July received eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Cruise. Stone won Best Director, and the film also won for editing.