one of the most compelling period pieces you'll see

Rating: Null/10 (12 February 2003)

Tragic but powerful and moving drama is a real life biography of Ron Kovic, an impressionable young man brought up in a conservative, Catholic home during the late 1960s. Captivated by the aura of the Marine Corps, and the impending threat of communism, he volunteers for service in Vietnam only to be wounded in combat and paralyzed from the waist down. He returns home to a much different America than the one he left, one that is torn apart by heated resentment and controversial anti-war protests. A gripping, in-depth, intensely emotional and believable look at the life of Kovic, as well as the turbulent years of American life during the Vietnam era. Long but absorbing and provocative every step of the way, anchored by Cruise's persuasive performance in the lead; a great achievement. ***½