The Grass

Rating: 8/10 (24 July 2003)

My views on Oliver Stone are mixed. I think Platoon, JFK, Wall Street, and Nixon are both extremely detailed dramas that illustrate American history. However, such work as The Doors, Natural Born Killers, and Any Given Sunday are lesser in quality and, ultimately, fall short of hopes. Make no mistake, the man can write with persuasion and he can illustrate a story eloquently through camerawork and editing like few others can.
Born on the Fourth of July is both good and evil. The first half, involving Tom Cruise as young Ron Kovic going off to war, are both fascinating in capturing his naivety and youthful angst. Unfortunately, the second half scrapes along the ground until it finally grinds to a halt.
Tom Cruise demonstrates that, between this movie and Rain Man, that he can perform in roles beyond Ethan Hunt and Maverick (roles I am happy to admit that I am entirely sick of). While I am happy he made this movie, I do not like the overlong runtime. This movie should not have received it's Oscar for Best Editing and Stone didn't deserve Best Director. John Williams' score is not as powerful as it could have been. In many respects, it was only a primer to JFK, nothing more. The movie also lacks the feeling of authenticity that Stone's better works secrete like sweat, hurting the credibility factor.
Overall, required viewing for anyone who wants to consider enlisting in the military. Drama buffs might find it engaging, but everyone else will most likely be turned off by it--even mainstream Cruise fans. 2.5 out of 5 stars.