Tom Cruise finally proved that he was more than a pretty face by acting, and acting well, in this powerful fact-based drama from director Oliver Stone. In the early 60s, growing up in a large working-class Catholic family, Ron Kovic (Cruise) unquestioningly accepts his mother's belief in a healthy body in a healthy mind, the community's patriotism and Communist phobia, and the national success ethic. Heartbroken when he fails his school in a wrestling match, Ron eagerly accepts the challenge of joining the Marines and is sent to Vietnam. And then tragedy strikes and Kovic returns to his family a broken bitter paraplegic. But that's only just the beginning of this remarkable man's story.