Where to watch
Each link opens a search on that service. Checked 13 October 2026.
Streaming data from JustWatch
Born on the Fourth of July
1989
· Movie
· 145 min
B
MEANRANK
77/100
Where it ranks
- Mean Score #1084
- IMDb #1710
- Google retired #1313
- Rotten Tomatoes #1622
- Metacritic #929
- Letterboxd #1304
+8 more
- Rotten Tomatoes Critics #1683
- Rotten Tomatoes Audience #2020
- Metacritic Critics #1056
- Metacritic Audience #918
- Douban #863
- Kinopoisk #1111
- AlloCiné #1449
- Trakt #2416
Every rating
71–90
out of 100
The true story of Ron Kovic, a patriotic all-American boy who volunteers to serve in the Vietnam War. He is paralyzed from the chest down by a gunshot wound and returns home to a country deeply divided over the war. He becomes disillusioned and embittered by his treatment and the government's betrayal, eventually transforming into a fierce anti-war activist.
Details
- Director
- Oliver Stone
- Writers
- Oliver Stone, Ron Kovic
- Based on
- Born on the Fourth of July by Ron Kovic
- Released
- 20 December 1989
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English, Spanish
- Runtime
- 145 min
- Rated
- R
- Budget
- $14.0M
- Box office
- $161.0M
- Awards
- 8 wins, 16 nominations
This title elsewhere
Cast
Full cast (103) →
Awards & nominations
See all 24 →7 major awards won · 8 wins from 24 nominations across 11 ceremonies
| Academy Awards 1990 | Best Director | Oliver Stone | Winner |
| Academy Awards 1990 | Best Film Editing | David Brenner and Joe Hutshing | Winner |
| Golden Globe Awards 1990 | Best Motion Picture – Drama | Winner | |
| Golden Globe Awards 1990 | Best Screenplay | Oliver Stone, Ron Kovic | Winner |
| Golden Globe Awards 1990 | Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama | Tom Cruise | Winner |
| Golden Globe Awards 1990 | Best Director | Oliver Stone | Winner |
| Directors Guild of America Awards 1989 | Outstanding Directing – Feature Film | Oliver Stone | Winner |
| Academy Awards 1990 | Best Picture | A. Kitman Ho and Oliver Stone | Nominee |
Awards from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA.
More like this
Beyond the numbers
All lists →
30 October 2026
Denzel Washington is more than an actor: a global Black cultural icon
How global visibility, artistic freedom and a commanding public presence gave his career a meaning that reaches beyond the films.
29 October 2026
Five great biopics, ranked: when a life becomes a film
Raging Bull, Lawrence of Arabia, Schindler's List, The Social Network and Oppenheimer—judged for the choices they make, and the lives they leave outside the frame.
9 October 2026
Highest-rated sitcoms by Metacritic users: scores with the samples attached
Twenty-five stored user scores. Small tallies stay visible, ties stay ties, and the recommendations concern the comedy rather than voter stereotypes.
9 October 2026
Highest-rated sitcoms on Metacritic: the stored critic scores
Twenty-five Metascores from the catalogue, with review counts and a clear distinction between a season, a whole series and an approval percentage.
9 October 2026
Highest-rated sitcoms on Rotten Tomatoes: the audience list
Twenty-five stored audience percentages, with counts, ties and comic reasons to look beyond the highest number.
9 October 2026
The highest-rated sitcoms on IMDb: twenty-five saved favourites
The ratings in their own units, the ties that matter, and a practical guide to choosing among very different comedies.
Just released
See all →
Coming soon
Trailer — Born on the Fourth of July
×Full cast — Born on the Fourth of July
×
24 awards — Born on the Fourth of July
×
Golden Globe Awards
5 nominations, 4 won
| Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama | Tom Cruise | Winner |
| Best Director | Oliver Stone | Winner |
| Best Motion Picture – Drama | Winner | |
| Best Screenplay | Oliver Stone, Ron Kovic | Winner |
| Best Original Score | John Williams | Nominee |
Academy Awards
8 nominations, 2 won
| Best Director | Oliver Stone | Winner |
| Best Film Editing | David Brenner and Joe Hutshing | Winner |
| Best Actor | Tom Cruise | Nominee |
| Best Cinematography | Robert Richardson | Nominee |
| Best Original Score | John Williams | Nominee |
| Best Picture | A. Kitman Ho and Oliver Stone | Nominee |
| Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium | Oliver Stone and Ron Kovic | Nominee |
| Best Sound | Michael Minkler, Gregory H. Watkins, Michael Hoskinson, Wylie Stateman and Tod A. Maitland | Nominee |
Directors Guild of America Awards
1 nomination, 1 won
| Outstanding Directing – Feature Film | Oliver Stone | Winner |
Berlin International Film Festival
1 nomination
| Golden Bear | Oliver Stone | Nominee |
Writers Guild of America Awards
1 nomination
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Oliver Stone, Ron Kovic | Nominee |
National Board of Review
1 nomination, 1 won
| Top 10 Films | Winner |
British Academy Film Awards
2 nominations
| Best Actor in a Leading Role | Tom Cruise | Nominee |
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Oliver Stone, Ron Kovic | Nominee |
Los Angeles Film Critics Awards
2 nominations
| Best Cinematography | Robert Richardson (Runner-up) | Nominee |
| Best Director | Oliver Stone (Runner-up) | Nominee |
American Society of Cinematographers Awards
1 nomination
| Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases | Robert Richardson | Nominee |
Artios Awards
1 nomination
| Best Casting for Feature Film, Drama | Risa Bramon Garcia, Billy Hopkins | Nominee |
National Society of Film Critics Awards
1 nomination
| Best Actor | Tom Cruise (Third place) | Nominee |