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Born on the Fourth of July (1989) - Full Reaction (Patreon)

Published:
2025-06-23 19:25:23
Edited:
2026-08-19 20:00:00
Imported:
2026-06
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A complicated movie and complicated feelings. I felt very sad throughout. Amazing performance by Tom Cruise, I felt what he was feeling at every stage.

Files

Born on the Fourth of July (1989) - Full Reaction - Popcorn In Bed

Watch the full reaction to Born on the Fourth of July on Popcorn In Bed.

Comments

Bill Maurer

Cruise should have won the Academy Award for his performance. But, it's kinda hard to beat Daniel Day Lewis. PS Nice sweatshirt !!

David

Tough movie

Walter

I haven’t seen this movie since its release. My memory is it’s a tough watch but it’s also one of Cruise’s best performances. Not sure yet that I want to revisit it, but I’m glad Cassie has seen it. Tom Cruise has had an incredibly diverse career.

Doc Larry/old geezer

This movie demonstrated Tom Cruise is a movie Star his performance was outstanding. I found the movie very depressing. That is a compliment to Tom Cruise‘s acting ability. As an actor, he has a lot more range than he’s given credit for.

Cole Jennett

Agreed. Not sure I care to put myself through it again. I remember it being a whole lot of “no fun”.

Shehab Dawoud

She said ‘Eyes Wide Open’ and tried to correct it by saying ‘Arms Wide Open’ 😭😭 that was legit funny. ‘Eyes Wide Shut’, Dear Cassie. It’s a great but complex film, Kubrick’s last. Tom's character in that film wished his eyes were wide open. Hopefully it’ll be allowed. I also hope that Thomas will go back to drama now that the franchises are over.

Zane From Canada

This and Platoon brought back the War genre to what it was really like. And Tom Cruise would have an Oscar for this if My Left Foot with Daniel Day Lewis hadn't been released the same time.

bknsty14

Running out of Tom Cruise movies. Going to have to do Vanilla Sky sooner or later.

Canadianant

Looking forward to this . I've only watched this once before .

Dan M

I haven’t seen this movie in awhile, but I do remember struggling with my emotions throughout the movie. One of Cruise’s best performances in my opinion.

Henry Graham

Magnolia and Eyes Wide Shut were both released in the same year and for my money they are the two best films that Cruise has made. I think Magnolia is actually his single greatest performance, while watching Eyes Wide Shut is my annual Christmas tradition. I enjoy his action movies a lot but it's been an awfully long time since he really allowed himself to be at the service of a director's vision and to be truly vulnerable on screen, and when he does do that he shows what a brilliant actor he can be.

Doc Larry/old geezer

Sean Kay to answer your question I guess Tom Cruise can run fast. I don’t know he can fly a plane however. (so can I) Tom Cruise as 62 year-old geezer I give him credit. He looks a lot better than I did in my 60s . The most important thing from this channel is to watch Casey and Carly’s reactions and enjoy the movies.

Above Average Dave

Tough watch, Cassie. God bless. Tougher to do so knowing this is how so many people in this country treated our Vietnam veterans. The treatment added to the PTSD and mental illness of many—all for doing their duty and not dodging the draft like so many others. A great shame still sits perched on the shoulders of the people in our country who treated these young men and their service and sacrifice as disposable and reprehensible, all because the people spitting on them and castigating them disagreed with the war. Yet, I would bet any sum that if you asked every one of those guys on the line, virtually to a man, they'd say they weren't fighting for anything more than the guys on either side of them. Just a very bad time in our history. Again, incredible work by Oliver Stone. Love him or not, he makes great movies (SALVADOR will crush you). This was also probably the first movie I saw where Tom Cruise shrugged off the movie star moniker and became a serious actor. Unfortunately, he was up against Daniel Day-Lewis for best actor at the Oscars (MY LEFT FOOT). This was like a baseball team playing against the 2018 Red Sox for The World Series (that is: Not. A. Chance - right Ben 😁). P.S. LOVE your sweatshirt, Cassie!

Above Average Dave

It's a solid A-movie 9/10 that I never wanted to watch again. However, since Cassie has the sand to do it, I'll endure it one more time.

Henry Graham

Looking back at Oliver Stone's filmography from his breakthrough year, my mind is always boggled by the way he put together this run of films in less than a decade. It's not like Woody Allen pumping out a talky comedy every year either - these are some ridiculously ambitious and challenging movies! Just an unbelievable streak. 1986 Salvador + Platoon 1987 Wall Street 1988 Talk Radio 1989 Born on the Fourth of July 1991 The Doors + JFK 1993 Heaven & Earth 1994 Natural Born Killers 1995 Nixon

K, Zachary

So we are watching the Ken Burns 20hr documentary The Vietnam War. Which is eye opening. We have been glued to our TV sets watching this. Often hard to watch, gut wrenching. I don't think there has been an episode where we haven't been horrified. It's on PBS documentary channel. I strongly encourage it. Because it shows life at home and lots of footage of our soldiers doing horrible things in Vietnam. https://youtu.be/3j-3Xi5BcKs?si=1vJEN7CnwKP8c15a

Mike Lemon

1995 Indictment: The McMartin Trial (producer)

Ted Whalen

Cassie- there are definitely a lot of mixed emotions brought up watching this movie. The Vietnam War is definitely a complicated time period in our country's history (I was too young to really understand what was going on). My dad was a politician during this time period and he was very much against the war. He would always attend the funeral for any soldier from his district that was killed in action and meet with his family. My dad told me that it was always a hard conversation when the parents would ask the question "what did my son die for?" If you visit the Washington DC area, the Vietnam Memorial should be on the list of sites that you visit. I think you were wondering what other Tom Berenger movies you have seen. He played Staff Sergeant Barnes in Platoon and he was Jack Taylor (the catcher) in Major League.

JL_83

Tom Cruise got his very first Oscar nom for this role and it’s well-deserved…just too bad he was up against Daniel Day-Lewis who was nothing short of phenomenal in My Left Foot 👏

Chris Thom

I always forget that Tom Cruise has been nominated multiple times. Always think of him has a popcorn actor. But this and Magnolia were stellar dramatic oscary-baity kind of performances. Feel like he had a couple more nominations maybe but I can't remember.

Rick Rodriguez

Son of a Vietnam Vet. Thank you for watching. Tough as heck movie. But I have always found inspirational in a hard fought way. One of Stone's Best.

Clarence Newman

I agree with the folks here about your run of tough watches, Cassie. Some of these films are really turning you Every Which Way But Loose. Shall I tell you what film would NOT turn you Every Which Way But Loose? EVERY WHICH WAY BUT LOOSE!

bgb1975 (Brian)

I never saw this one. Looking forward to watching it along with Cassie.

Shehab Dawoud

Been a long time since I saw this, forgot just how depressing it is. A somewhat similar film is The Deer Hunter. The acting in that film is amazing. You can watch that in a few months and then you can be done with Vietnam war films.

Ted Whalen

The Boys in Company C is a pretty good Vietnam War movie.

Shehab Dawoud

Haven't seen that one. Hamburger Hill is another great one. But with The Deer Hunter, she'll have watched the big ones. I think that's enough.

Jake McNulty

Interesting fact: Ron Kovic was friends with Jane Fonda after meeting at an anti-war rally. He ended up being a loose inspiration for the film "Coming Home" (1978) starring Fonda, Jon Voight and Bruce Dern, and directed by Hal Ashby. Another terrific film about Vietnam veterans that's worth checking out.

Ginko

Yes, this is partly a harder, more realistic updating of "The Best Years of Our Lives". Nice reference!

clutchkman

The Creed impression was on point lol looking forward to it!

Clay F

"In many ways, the Vietnam War was our second Civil War, ripping the country apart in ways that hadn't taken place since the Civil War." --Ken Burns

Shad Kanyak

I second that. Not because we’re running out of Tom Cruise films. I love Vanilla Sky.

Clay F

+1 for SALVADOR

bknsty14

One of my favorite movies ever. At points in my life, my favorite.

Tara ✨💫

Cassie, so many people have been mentioning how Daniel Day Lewis won the Oscar that year for "My Left Foot" it is definitely one to have on your list. Tom was superb and agree he should do more drama, but DDL is on a short list of actors to have won 3 Best Actor Oscars.

Steve Holton

In the 1960’s most of the USA was under the age of 25 because of the outsized baby boom generation. Historically any nation is more susceptible for civil unrest with such an uneven age distribution as young people are more likely to push boundaries. So, a country with that demographic mix better have clear and acceptable reasons to draft people for a war. As Ken Burns points out, every 100 years in our history so far. Hope to break that streak in the 2060’s I guess.

Chris Thom

This is 'free' on Amazon Prime for one more week. For inquiring minds.

Terry Yelmene

This was NOT a movie for Cassie. It was too real and hurts her too much. On a personal note, for me, Ron's mother was a MONSTER!

Clay F

Great reaction/commentary/outro. I could tell you really felt w/Ron. Kudos to the Tom Cruise acting. I don't like the way Vietnam vets were adversely treated. Kyra Sedgwick (Donna) is an excellent actress and has been married to Kevin Bacon since 1988 (the year before Born on the Fourth was released). I like their daughter Sosie Bacon as an actress. In the Oliver-Stone movie Platoon (1986) you reacted to and that was released 3 years before Born on the Fourth, Tom Berenger is the evil guy Barnes and Willem Dafoe is the good guy Elias. I had 2 'uncles' who served in Vietnam. I was 11 when the Vietnam War ended in 1975. I started reading books and watching movies and documentaries about the Vietnam War and never stopped. I think good to watch a documentary or two about the Vietnam War. In additon to knowing history, helps provide context when watching a Vietnam War movie.

Patrick Flanagan

NIXON is criminally overlooked. It's one of my favorite films of the 1990s. Incredible performances by Anthony Hopkins, Joan Allen, Paul Sorvino, James Woods, tons of others.

Patrick Flanagan

I think there's one other major Vietnam War movie you have yet to see, and I would not recommend it. 1989's CASUALTIES OF WAR, directed by Brian De Palma, starring Sean Penn and Michael J. Fox. Besides being a relentlessly ugly and brutal story, revolving around sexual assault, it's just...a bad, bad movie. Badly directed and in some cases very badly acted. I guess COMING HOME would count as another but it's not a war movie, it's a homefront movie. The Vietnam War genre had a relatively short life, surging in popularity in the 1980s before mostly sputtering out after the 1991 Gulf War wiped out our shame and disdain for military adventurism almost overnight. During its life, it spanned the entire spectrum from Oscar-winning epics like FOURTH OF JULY, APOCALYPSE NOW, THE DEER HUNTER, FULL METAL JACKET and PLATOON, to less-remembered but earnest movies like THE BOYS IN COMPANY C, THE HANOI HILTON, DON'T CRY IT'S ONLY THUNDER and HAMBURGER HILL, to exploitation movies like Chuck Norris' MISSING IN ACTION series, OFF LIMITS, PLATOON LEADER, THE SIEGE OF FIREBASE GLORIA. It's hard to think of another cinematic genre which was so important and popular for such a short period and which faded away almost completely.

JPDotCom23

The real Ron Kovic has a cameo at the beginning of the movie, during a parade, when three veterans in a wheelchair are wheeled out during a parade, the first guy that flinches at the sound of the firecrackers is Ron Kovic. Another interesting note, Al Pacino was attached to star in 1977, Oliver Stone had written a treatment, and they were trying to get William Friedkin to direct, but Jon Voight's 'Coming Home' had bombed at the box office, after which, Pacino backed out. Stone never forgave him for years, until finally, when it came time for 'Any Given Sunday', Stone buried the hachet.

Clay F

Three Vietnam War documentaries: 1. I became captivated w/the Canadian television documentary series "Vietnam: The Ten Thousand Day War" (1980-82) (26 half-hour episodes consolidated into 13 one-hour episodes for syndication) that I watched in the early 1980's while in college. Hadn't seen anything like it. Liked how had footage of both sides. Richard Basehart is an awesome narrator. Loved hearing the episode intro music. 2. I recommend "The Vietnam War" (2017) ten-part, 18-hour documentary PBS film series by Ken Burns, which is arguably the ultimate. IMDb 9.1. RT 96%. Starts early with the French colonization of Vietnam before US involvement. 3. I recommend the PBS American Experience "Last Days in Vietnam" (2014) documentary (1h 38m) [RT=95%] that takes place in April 1975 during the chaotic final days of the American involvement in the Vietnam War. Fascinating. You would stay glued to the TV. I vaguely remember as a kid the Fall of Saigon when it happened in April 1975. There is an iconic photo.

Shawn Kildal

You forgot a recent reaction for Cruise in Collateral.

Clay F

Recommended Vietnam War movie: "THE DEER HUNTER" (1978) (won Best Picture Oscar) --No. 53 on American Film Institute (AFI) Top 100 movies all time. --Nominated for 9 Oscars. Won 5 Oscars. --Christopher Walken won Best Supporting Actor Oscar. --Michael Cimino won Best Director Oscar. --Robert De Niro (a good guy) nominated for Best Actor Oscar. --Meryl Streep nominated for Best Actress Oscar. --The movie has a lot of background.

Henry Graham

Watching this again last night for the first time in many years, I was struck by how powerfully it critiques the military industrial complex and the way patriotism can be a poison. Hard to imagine a major studio releasing something of this nature today, even though the issues it raises are still so prevalent. There are always billions of dollars available to bomb people in foreign lands, but if you ask for money to help people at home, you'll be left wanting. I was also moved by the way it depicted of how deliberately Kovic and his peers were seduced by the myth of American exceptionalism and the duty to serve - from childhood, boys are encouraged to play soldiers with toy guns, indoctrinated with speeches and flag-waving, warned that communism is an immediate threat that must be defeated, and recruited right out of school to go and fight wars on the other side of the world. And all for what? It's all so pointless and corrupt and inhumane, and it keeps on happening. 

Henry Graham

I love Nixon. Stone really finds a Shakespearean tragic dimension in that film. Hopkins performance is so good - he doesn't really look or even sound like Nixon most of the time, but he vividly captures his essence, his insecurities, his contradictions.

Mojo One Thousand

An impression of Scott Stapp from Creed was not on my bingo card, but very much appreciated, gave me a massive laugh, with the knowledge it was going to be the only one with this reaction. The movie has so many familar faces in it, some that have worked with Stone before this (Defoe, Berenger, Mark Moses, John C. McGinley), some after (Wayne Knight), Kyra Sedgwick (Kevin Bacon's wife), as well as 3 out of 4 Baldwin brothers, and many, many more (e.g. Tom Sizemore). The scene where "Ron" freezes while delivering the home town speech had helicopter sounds being heard. This reminded of an apt, poignant, classic Australian song by Redgum called "I was only 19". It has similar themes around a Vietnam war veteran struggling to integrate back into society upon returning from service. Worth a listen if one is so inclined.

Clay F

I was 5 when I first started playing war (with sticks as guns) with kids in the neighborhood. War has always been one of my favorite genres. The two sides of Americans during the Vietnam War each thought they were being patriotic: 1. Supporting the Vietnam war to temper communism = patriotic. Supporting the US soldiers and government = patriotic. 2. Against the Vietnam War (protesting the war) to save lives and because any communism associated with an independent Vietnam not a perceived significant threat to US = patriotic.

Tyler Hale

I’m glad you got to this and I’m sure pleased of your response in the description. Indeed, it’s one of Tom’s best performances and it is a rough movie given the subject matter. I’m looking forward to the YT edit.

Tyler Hale

Casualties of War is a rough one but I would say it’s very underrated. It’s horrific what happened.

Justin S.

I disagree with Casualties of War being bad. It's underrated in my opinion and more intense/engaging than Full Metal Jacket. Sean Penn gives a strong performance and Michael J. Fox is pretty good as well.

Chris Thom

As a society I think maybe we should be grateful for sports, and paintball and gyms and videogames and movies and such if they prevent real war and killing. I guess anything that gets out that aggression and competitive spirit without severe consequences is a net positive.

Chris Thom

Brian De Palma is very hit or miss. But his movies are almost always interesting in some way or another.

MikeLL

I would support a watch of Casualties of War, but agree that it would be a rough watch. It is a quality film. I was very impressed by it when I saw it in the theater.

MikeLL

Yes I very much appreciated Cassie's reference to that movie, and was very surprised that she mentioned it. But it was a very fitting reference.

MikeLL

I think this movie really brought home to Cassie how divisive the Vietnam War was for America. It is always regarded that way, but you really can't understand it unless you lived through it or saw such an excellent movie such as this. I hadn't seen this movie in a long, long time, and I was blown away by the John Williams score. A great reaction to a very good movie.

Chris Retzlaff

Im super impressed that was a great Scott Stapp....Ill give you anything.....with arms wide open

Patrick Flanagan

Sorry but I think Fox is in over his head and Penn's accent is so ridiculous it's a major distraction

Stephen Dias

Unlike Cassie, I think I could watch this more than once. It's not a fun movie, but not as depressing as some war movies. There's some patriotic stuff, a somewhat happy ending and Tom Cruise's performance is moving.

K, Zachary

When we learned Cassie was doing this movie, I knew something's about the Vietnam War my gf knew next to nothing. So we watched the Vietnam War on PBS docs to get ready for this movie. If interested look up on Wikipedia The Pentagon Papers it was leaked to the NYT it basically says that every president since JFK to LBJ to Nixon knew that there was no way we could win the Vietnam War. They lied to the American people. I won't get into what happened when a BBC was filming when Nixon was dropping Napalm bombs on North Vietnam Villages in 1972. YouTube has it but trust me don't go looking for it. Cassie this was a great reaction this was not an easy watch. We just want to say we are both so proud of you. You did a fantastic job and we were watching you carefully. You did an amazing job. You definitely made both of us cry. We were with you every step of the way. PTSD is the the name the gave it Vietnam instead of all the other names they had for since the civil war I want to leave you with John Kerry he served under the Biden Administration and the Obama Administration. He ran for president and he came back from Vietnam in 1971 and faced a congressional hearing where he said this: (I believe this was taken from the Vietnam documentary) https://youtu.be/6WvL8l1CVg0?si=xGShNfwFgQBygzXP Again Cassie amazing job on not an easy watch you We are both very proud of you. Oh and check your mentions on your YouTube page.

Benjamin Gerrald

This is outrageous! My birthday was last month!

Clay F

Great clip

Philip Alan

I knew you'd be depressed watching this one. Tough movie for me. But glad you saw it with the outstanding performance by Tom Cruise.

fastecp1

"Tom Berenger; I know him." Yes, you do. He played Staff Sergeant Barnes. He was the one who killed Sergeant Elias, played by William Dafoe in Platoon. Now, you need to watch the movie Dear Hunter. It's one of the hardest movies for me to watch about the Vietnam War, because of certain things I have witnessed that I don't want to talk about.

Clarence Newman

Mate. Those "certain things you've witnessed that you don't want to talk about" are where the rest of us hold the highest amount of respect. Films like Deer Hunter, Casualties of War, Saving Private Ryan etc speak volumes enough about it for you to not have to.

Jacob Colson

He was also in Major League as Jake Taylor!

Jacob Colson

Another Vietnam War portrayal.....The War at Home starring and directed by Emilio Estevez, also stars Martin Sheen and Kathy Bates as his parents and a young Kimberley Williams-Paisley as his sister. It's also based off a play and it plays that way! It's really good! It really deals with PTSD set in a home during Thanksgiving.

Nolofinwe

stinks. the old hollywood 60s hey the military heat vietnam nonsense Saint cloud treated to veterans coming home from Vietnam like shit like the guy in Forrest Gump who called for us the baby killer

MikeLL

Right at the beginning of the movie I was struck by some of the musical cues, and not just the fantastic John Williams score. During the parade scene during the opening credits, the marching band song was Grand Old Flag. This is a song written by George M. Cohan and is considered one of America's greatest patriotic songs. And this being a "July 4th" watch, it reminded me of one of the movies Cassie could watch in the future on July 4th, that being Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) the great musical biography of George M. Cohan starring the great James Cagney in his Oscar winning performance. Nothing would be better than a reaction by Cassie to this great patriotic movie during a future 4th of July. The other musical cue was during the prom scene when Ron came in during the rain and danced with Donna. The song was Moon River, that great song from Breakfast at Tiffany that was partly sung in that movie by Audrey Hepburn. The song was massively popular during the early 60's and Moon River became the signature song of crooner Andy Williams, who Cassie knows because his Christmas songs are played on the same old radio stations where Cassie first heard Bing Crosby sing White Christmas. Sorry about the long post that really wasn't about the movie in question.

Clay F

Recommended war movies: “THE THIN RED LINE” (1998) (WWII) [Terrence Malick]. Nom 7 Oscars incl. Best Picture. Based on 1962 autobiographical novel. Jim Caviezel, Sean Penn, Nick Nolte, and many others in a stacked cast. “M*A*S*H” (1970) (comedy/war) (Korean War 1950-53). AFI Top 100. Nom 5 Oscars incl. Best Picture. Donald Sutherland. "BRIDGE OF SPIES" (2015) (thriller/war) (Cold War) [Spielberg] [RT=91%]. Tom Hanks. Nom 6 Oscars incl. Best Picture.

Gray

I had seen it before but it's a harsh movie forsure, not being American it always wild seeing such hardcore patriotism no wonder lads want to sign up and fight so quickly. Such parallels with the present day but I won't go into that i'll just quote Ringo Starr instead "Peace & Love".

Gray

Thin Red Line is fantastic and would be the first Terrence Malick film on the channel. I was always taken by how beautiful it's shot contrasting the nature and the brutality of war.

Chris Thom

Can definitely lead to people not even really knowing what they're fighting for. People want a job and a purpose and clout. I get that. But war and killing isn't a game.