10 Films That Prove Disability Doesn't Hold You Back

5. Born On The Fourth Of July (1989)

The first Tom Cruise film to appear on the list and by no means the last, Born on the Fourth of July, is a searing biopic of Ron Kovic. He was paralysed fighting in Vietnam and turned to protesting against the war and for human rights. When people think of great Tom Cruise performances, they think of films like Jerry Maguire, Minority Report and Interview with the Vampire. However this is the one that showcases his talents to their full extent. Kovic starts out an idealistic teen with his whole life ahead of him; idolising the troops and basking in a misplaced patriotism. His world comes to a screeching halt when he is wounded and rendered quadriplegic. Oliver Stone shows the viewer Kovic's ordeal in the filth of a military hospital and life back home following his discharge from duty. He is left a broken man, physically and mentally; terrified of cracks and bangs, cursing his immobility, his inability to have sex, and the betrayal he feels his country has dealt him. To this day, Kovic is still an activist for the cause, and this is where the film relates to the article. He could have sat and wallowed in his grief but he has become a key figure in the fight for pacifism (an oxymoron indeed). Born on the Fourth of July follows him through all emotions, from the lows to the highs, as well as analysing other quadriplegics like Willem Dafoe's character; a veteran who took his disability in a different direction: "F**k Nixon, f**k 'em all!" he says, hiding down in Mexico, drowning his sorrows in booze and women. Disability can be a nightmare, the film seems to philosophise, but you'd be damned if you didn't go out and do something with your life anyway. Kudos to Oliver Stone for that at least.