Alec B
It's arguable that exploring the Vietnam War's effects on veterans via a love-triangle romance was misguided but I happen to think that Ashby (mostly) pulls it off by coaxing surprisingly believable performances from Fonda and Voight.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
12/14/23
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Bruce R
As a 70-year-old American male, the risk of going to Vietnam was very real & Vietnam-related movies really hit home with me. (My draft number was "too high" for me to receive greetings from President Nixon.)
I like the short reviews herein that simply say this is a movie about the real-life, people-level impacts of the war (which our government knew couldn't be won about 30,000 KIAs before they quit throwing away the lives of US boys/wives/parents/siblings/friends).
You can get a similarly gut-wrenching impact by visiting the Vietnam Memorial in DC. That spot-on memorial, as well as this movie, are devastating if you slow down to think about the personal impacts of America's domino theory inspired mis-adventure in SE Asia.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
07/31/23
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W. W. W
horrific music, otherwise, fine performance except the final sermon by Voight
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
05/25/23
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Audience Member
Hal Ashby tells a complicated love triangle starring Jon Voight, Jane Fonda, and Bruce Dern Sally Hyde decides to volunteer at a local veterans hospital to occupy her time There she meets Luke Martin, a frustrated wheelchair-bound vet who has become disillusioned with the war Sally and Luke develop a friendship that soon turns into a romance, but when her husband, Bob returns unexpectedly, she must decide between staying with him and pursuing her new love The Vietnam war has changed everything particularly Bob because he sees that he doesn't belong in a foreign country to fight and he can't come home because of the things he's done American citizens see him as a monster other than a hero We also see in the movie the mistreatment of other veterans whilst they are in rehabilitation Not enough beds not enough staff are just many of the concerns brought up yet no one is willing to listen to their demands People have a hard time seeing others for who they are, soldiers at times feel like they’re just tossed aside after their job is done, people never ask how you are or what they can do if you’re damaged, how can they give you a medal for a war you don’t deserve to fight?, you’re allowed to not feel good about killing for your country whether it’s an enemy or someone dying in front of your eyes The movie gets by on the three leads, a selective soundtrack, and the clashing politics of the time It’s a bit long but everyone’s point of view is heard even if it is a depressing experience much like war itself The soldiers that come home should have to have that happen to anyone else It’s good that this adds a necessary human component to its none-too-subtle political message Acts as a sensitive, beautiful, and in the end disturbing account of the personal trauma of war and its far-reaching effects on all involved
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/17/23
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Audience Member
In 1968 California, Sally (Jane Fonda), a loyal and conservative military wife, is married to Bob Hyde (Bruce Dern), a captain in the United States Marine Corps, who is about to be deployed to Vietnam. As a dedicated military officer, Bob sees the deployment primarily as an opportunity for career progress. At first, Sally dreads being left alone, but after a while, she feels liberated. Forced to find housing away from the base, she moves into a new apartment by the beach and buys a sports car. With nothing else to do, she decides to volunteer at a local Veterans Administration (VA) hospital, partially inspired by her bohemian friend Vi Munson, whose brother Billy (Robert Carradine) has come home with grave emotional problems after just two weeks in Vietnam and now resides in the VA hospital. At the hospital, Sally meets Luke Martin (Jon Voight), a former high-school classmate. Like his friend Billy, Luke had gone to Vietnam but came back wounded. He is recuperating at the hospital from the injuries he sustained, which left him a paraplegic. Filled with pain, anger and frustration, Luke is now opposed to the war. He is at first a bitter young man, but as he is increasingly thrown into contact with Sally, a relationship starts to develop. Eventually, Luke is released from the hospital, and, newly mobile with his own wheelchair, begins to rebuild his life. His relationship with Sally deepens. She is also transformed by him, and her outlook on life starts to change. They have happy times, play at the beach and fall in love. Meanwhile, Billy, traumatized by his experiences at war, commits suicide by injecting air into his veins. Driven by Billy's suicide, Luke chains himself to the gates of a local recruitment center in a vain attempt to stop others from enlisting...
The film was released in the U.S. in February 1978. It proved popular with audiences and received generally good reviews. Charles Champlin of the Los Angeles Times commented that: "Despite an over-explicit soundtrack and some moments when the story in fact became a sermon, the movie effectively translated a changed national consciousness into credible and touching personal terms." The Toronto Sun called the film "The Best Years of Our Lives c. 1978 with the same high standards and the same lofty morals of an earlier era." Rotten Tomatoes critical consensus reads: "Coming Home's stellar cast elevates the love triangle in the center of its story - and adds a necessary human component to its none-too-subtle political message."
Hal Ashby´s Vietnam war romantic drama has a great cast and some truly great performances. Jane Fonda, Jon Voight and Bruce Dern are simply magnificent and believable in their respective roles. But I also think that Robert Carradine as Bill Munson truly puts an emotional mark in the film as well, even if he´s not in so many scenes. The Vietnam veterans emotional/psychological problems and the loss of their mobility they have to deal with in this film, effects you in a strong way and Jon Voight truly carries that weight in "Coming Home". And Hal Ashby´s solid direction is of course a big part of this film. Well worth to see.
Trivia: It premiered at the 1978 Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the Palme d'Or, with Voight winning the Best Actor Prize. The film received various awards and nominations. At the 36th Golden Globe Awards, it received six nominations including for the Best Motion Picture – Drama, with Voight and Fonda winning Best Actor and Best Actress respectively. At the 51st Academy Awards, it received eight nominations including for the Best Picture, winning three; Best Original Screenplay with Voight and Fonda winning Best Actor and Best Actress respectively.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/21/23
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Audience Member
I saw this movie when it came out. Loved it. Started searching for it today to watch again in 2021, and can find it nowhere!! Not even a pay per view site. Why????
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/01/23
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