Coming Home (1978)

A woman whose husband is fighting in Vietnam falls in love with another man who suffered a paralyzing combat injury there. [imdb]

Nominated for 8 Oscars:

Best Picture
Best Director: Hal Ashby
Best Actor: Jon Voight (WINNER)
Best Actress: Jane Fonda (WINNER)
Best Supporting Actor: Bruce Dern
Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Milford
Best Original Screenplay (WINNER)
Best Editing

It's sometimes tricky for me to criticize... wait, that's not it. Hmmm... the fact that the film has real-life war heroes influences my judgment of a scene or maybe even a movie. Because of that, Coming Home is an effective film, especially, mostly, for its era. It was an important picture and I congratulate it for that, but for a modern audience it's rather dated.

Ashby's direction is not the most inspired and I particularly hated his too frequent use of songs and the way they were presented. He must've known he wasn't making a movie for the ages, but only for that moment in time. Jon and Jane are ok and I usually LOVE Jane Fonda, but it's such an underwritten part for her. Jon Voight seems more like the worthy winner of the two, but not being to familiar with the competition, I'll hold my judgment. In a couple of weeks I'll start Best Actress 1978 and Jane will be talked about then.

Bruce Dern overacts for my taste and Penelope Milford is just there. I shamefully admit to have never seen The Deer Hunter, but I have an idea it's better and quite different. Coming Home is ok, good when Jon Voight is around, cause his character is more interesting, but for me an unsatisfying final product. The original screenplay win is not worthy, NOT when you have An Unmarried Woman, Autumn Sonata, Interiors (all better) and even Deer Hunter, which I haven't seen, AS competition...

My rating for the film: 7/10. I kept staring at Jon Voight thinking Angelina looks soooo much like him, in hotness level included.