The five best Fourth of July movies to watch on Netflix
The flags have been hoisted to commemorate the Fourth of July. And just in time, the Netflix library has suited up in the Americana glow. The Fourth of July calls for a weekend of remembrance and patriotism. But there’s no one-size-fits-all definition of patriotism. It is subjective, multifaceted, and open to interpretation.
For some, patriotism could mean a commitment to the principles the country represents. For others, it could translate to taking pride in their country’s achievements. For Americans, the Fourth of July is etched in history. However, how each one celebrates the day differs in many ways from the other in the room.
Americans have a lot to take pride in. Whether it comes to awakening the American spirit from revisiting history, honouring those who serve the nation, or just watching a movie that feels like home, every form of celebration is viable.
But if you’re one to belong to the third category, we’ve selected the five best movies on Netflix to light up the Fourth of July for you.
Five movies on Netflix to stream on the Fourth of July
Purple Hearts (Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum, 2022)
When the credits roll at the end of Purple Hearts, tears tango in sync. Based on Tess Wakefield’s novel, the Netflix romantic drama follows a waitress, Cassie, who is an aspiring singer-songwriter and a Marine with a dark past, Luke. Cassie and Luke’s lives are worlds apart, but they have one thing in common: they both need money. In order to receive military benefits, afford health insurance, and pay their debts, they agree to marry on the condition of divorcing a year later.
But when the ruse goes up in smoke and the connection gets real, they must confront the complex situation head-on. Purple Hearts is when patriotism meets romance with thorns in the way.
The Six Triple Eight (Tyler Perry, 2024)
Tyler Perry’s vision board is a fix for every season. And a Fourth of July run on Netflix is incomplete without his critically acclaimed Oscar-nominated film The Six Triple Eight. Based on the 688th Central Postal Directory Battalion and Kevin M Hymel’s Fighting a Two-Front War, the film follows the true story of the first and only Women’s Army Corps unit of colour during WWII.
The 855 women who made up the corps unit were deployed in Europe with the task of clearing a nightmare backlog of 17 million mail in six months. They worked three eight-hour shifts to complete the assignment at hand. The Six Triple Eight revolves around the odds they defied to carry out their mission.
Born on the Fourth of July (Oliver Stone, 1989)
Based on Ron Kovic’s 1976 autobiography, Born on the Fourth of July is an epic biographical anti-war film starring Tom Cruise. Set in 1956, Massapequa, New York, the film is based on Kovic’s life, which unfolds over a 20-year time frame. It chronicles Kovic’s childhood in detail and what drew him to his military service. On his Fourth of July birthday, Kovic and his family visit an Independence Day parade. Later, a 1961 inaugural speech by President John F Kennedy inspires him to join the United Nations Marine Corps.
But when an incident leaves him paralysed during the Vietnam War, Kovic rediscovers his patriotism in anti-war activism.
Mudbound (Dee Rees, 2017)
Based on Hillary Jordan’s 2008 novel, the historical drama tells the story of two WWII veterans, Ronsel Jackson and Jamie McAllan. Mudbound follows their return to rural Mississippi, where each encounters a struggle of a different type. One of them is Black and the other is white. And both stand against racism and PTSD in their own ways.
Mudbound is a story of survival, and it’s just as much of a story of life after survival. It depicts the trauma of war and peels back the layers of civilian life in post-war days.
Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood (Richard Linklater, 2022)
Set during the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969 and the events leading up to the milestone moment, Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood is an animated comedy drama that has been praised worldwide. The coming-of-age film depicts a fictional fourth-grader as he becomes the first person to land on the moon.
To end the Fourth of July marathon, Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood is the ultimate pick. It evokes nostalgia and depicts two interwoven POVs, reiterating and recapturing the defining emotion.