SimilarScreen
Born on the Fourth of July

Born on the Fourth of July

A true story of innocence lost and courage found.

19897.02h 25m

Overview

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.

Directed by Oliver Stone
Written by Oliver Stone, Ron Kovic
Produced by Oliver Stone, Clayton Townsend, A. Kitman Ho
Box OfficeBudget: $14.0MRevenue: $161.0M

Top Cast

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise

Ron Kovic

Raymond J. Barry

Raymond J. Barry

Mr. Kovic

Caroline Kava

Caroline Kava

Mrs. Kovic

Kyra Sedgwick

Kyra Sedgwick

Donna

Willem Dafoe

Willem Dafoe

Charlie

Jerry Levine

Jerry Levine

Steve Boyer

Stephen Baldwin

Stephen Baldwin

Billy Vorsovich

Josh Evans

Josh Evans

Tommy Kovic

Rob Camilletti

Rob Camilletti

Tommy Finnelli

Vivica A. Fox

Vivica A. Fox

Hooker

Themes & Keywords

vietnam warvietnam veteranpost-traumatic stress disorder (ptsd)1970swheelchairbiographybased on true storybased on memoir or autobiographydesertfourth of julyanti wardrunkenness1950s1960s

About Born on the Fourth of July

Born on the Fourth of July is a drama, war film released in 1989 exploring themes of vietnam war, vietnam veteran, post-traumatic stress disorder (ptsd), 1970s, wheelchair, biography. Directed by Oliver Stone, it stars Tom Cruise, Raymond J. Barry, Caroline Kava. 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.

Movies Similar to Born on the Fourth of July

Discover titles like Born on the Fourth of July — ranked by similarity and community votes

We found 15 movies similar to Born on the Fourth of July

If you enjoyed Born on the Fourth of July, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, director filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of Born on the Fourth of July.

Heaven & Earth
37% Match

In a small Vietnamese village torn apart by war, a young woman faces unimaginable horrors before deciding to escape to the city. There, she encounters a compassionate Marine who offers her hope and a chance at a new life, igniting the possibility of a future together.

Platoon
34% Match

Platoon(1986)

Movie7.7/10

As a young and naive recruit in Vietnam, Chris Taylor faces a moral crisis when confronted with the horrors of war and the duality of man.

The Deer Hunter
33% Match

Three steelworkers enlist in the army and are sent to Vietnam, one leaving behind a rushed marriage, the others a shared love. What they encounter during the war changes their lives forever.

Coming Home
29% Match

In 1968 California, a Marine officer's wife falls in love with a former high school classmate who suffered a paralyzing combat injury in the war.

JFK
29% Match

JFK(1991)

Movie7.6/10

Follows the investigation into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy led by New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison.

Full Metal Jacket
28% Match

A pragmatic U.S. Marine observes the dehumanizing effects the U.S.-Vietnam War has on his fellow recruits from their brutal boot camp training to the bloody street fighting in Hue.

Jarhead
27% Match

Jarhead(2005)

Movie6.7/10

Jarhead is a film about a US Marine Anthony Swofford’s experience in the Gulf War. After putting up with an arduous boot camp, Swofford and his unit are sent to the Persian Gulf where they are eager to fight, but are forced to stay back from the action. Swofford struggles with the possibility of his girlfriend cheating on him, and as his mental state deteriorates, his desire to kill increases.

The Pianist
27% Match

The true story of pianist Władysław Szpilman's experiences in Warsaw during the Nazi occupation. When the Jews of the city find themselves forced into a ghetto, Szpilman finds work playing in a café; and when his family is deported in 1942, he stays behind, works for a while as a laborer, and eventually goes into hiding in the ruins of the war-torn city.

Apocalypse Now
27% Match

At the height of the Vietnam war, Captain Benjamin Willard is sent on a dangerous mission that, officially, "does not exist, nor will it ever exist." His goal is to locate - and eliminate - a mysterious Green Beret Colonel named Walter Kurtz, who has been leading his personal army on illegal guerrilla missions into enemy territory.

The Killing Fields
26% Match

New York Times reporter Sydney Schanberg is on assignment covering the Cambodian Civil War, with the help of local interpreter Dith Pran and American photojournalist Al Rockoff. When the U.S. Army pulls out amid escalating violence, Schanberg makes exit arrangements for Pran and his family. Pran, however, tells Schanberg he intends to stay in Cambodia to help cover the unfolding story — a decision he may regret as the Khmer Rouge rebels move in.

Schindler's List
25% Match

The true story of how businessman Oskar Schindler saved over a thousand Jewish lives from the Nazis while they worked as slaves in his factory during World War II.

Thank You for Your Service
24% Match

A group of U.S. soldiers returning from Iraq struggle to integrate back into family and civilian life, while living with the memory of a war that threatens to destroy them long after they've left the battlefield.

Girl, Interrupted
24% Match

Set in the changing world of the late 1960s, Susanna Kaysen's prescribed "short rest" from a psychiatrist she had met only once becomes a strange, unknown journey into Alice's Wonderland, where she struggles with the thin line between normal and crazy. Susanna soon realizes how hard it is to get out once she has been committed, and she ultimately has to choose between the world of people who belong inside or the difficult world of reality outside.