This is the last film in Oliver Stone's trilogy about the Vietnam war (the other two are 'Platoon' and 'Born on the 4th of July'). It is also the least known. A shame really; not only is it an excellent film, but it is also one of the very few films that show the Vietnam war from the perspective of the Vietnamese (and from a woman, at that - which makes it even rarer). Impressive, shocking, sad and beautiful - and educating. 8 stars out of 10.

In case you're interested in more underrated masterpieces, here's some of my favorites:

imdb.com/list/ls070242495

Le Ly is a village girl from the country as she becomes intertwined with her country's struggle. Oliver Stone is looking at the Vietnam war from the POV of the Vietnamese. It is probably as important as his other Vietnam movies.

Hiep Thi Le is a great find. She's able to give it heart and soul. It's a big job for somebody in her first big role. It's an almost impossible job.

Tommy Lee Jones has a bit too much intensity. The chemistry is off to me. It's probably more real than I realize. It's a relationship that foreshadows trouble ahead. For a movie goer, I lust for that cinematic romance. But this is not that kind of movie.

The last section in the States is not as compelling. It's almost a completely different movie. That's the weakness here. It's not a simple movie. It's a life story.

You could call this the last film in a trilogy of Vietnam films from director Oliver Stone, following Platoon and Born on the Fourth of July, except in this one it is based in Vietnamese themselves. Based on a true story, this film tells the story of Le Ly (a great introduction by Hiep Thi Le) and her struggles to find her happiness in her home land, or another. For the first hour of the film it focuses on her rape, an unwanted pregnancy and her Mama (Joan Chen) disgracing her. Then after this time you finally see the main (and probably only big) American soldier (and star) that she would eventually fall in love with, Sergeant Steve Butler (a terrific Tommy Lee Jones). When they eventually move to America, California, they seem to have a good life, even with her attempting to learn the new culture. But it is after many arguments that the relationship seems to crumble, and Steve seems to have turned into a psychotic, oh, and he kills himself after she phones and says she loves him! So returns back to Vietnam with her children, to her Mama and lives the rest of her life in Vietnam, making other lives better. Also starring Haing S. Ngor as Papa, Singin' in the Rain's Debbie Reynolds as Eugenia and an uncredited very quick cameo by Beetle Juice's Jeffrey Jones as a Priest. It won the Golden Globe for Best Original Score for Kitaro, a very deserved award for such powerful and moving music. Very good!