Distant Thunder (1988): cast, story & where to watch
1988 · Film · ★ 5.6
Released in 1988, Distant Thunder is a drama film directed by Rick Rosenthal, running about 114 minutes. “A hero of war. A casualty of peace, With only one hope for survival...his son.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. A troubled Vietnam war vet deserts his wife and child shortly after he returns from the war. He returns after 10 years, where he's been living like an animal in the forest. He finds himself unprepared for the changes that he will have to cope with, and when the vet tries to contact his son, he realizes that he has caused more damage than he had imagined.
Who’s in it. Distant Thunder stars Ralph Macchio as Jack Lambert, John Lithgow as Mark Lambert, Reb Brown as Harvey Nitz and Kerrie Keane as Char, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 5.6/10, Distant Thunder has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential and Paramount+ Amazon Channel and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Distant Thunder page.
If you liked it. Fans of Distant Thunder tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Distant Thunder (1988)?
- In US, Distant Thunder is available to stream on fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium and Paramount Plus Essential, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Distant Thunder worth watching?
- Distant Thunder holds an audience score of 5.6 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Distant Thunder?
- Distant Thunder stars Ralph Macchio, John Lithgow, Reb Brown, Kerrie Keane and Tom Bower.
- When was Distant Thunder released?
- Distant Thunder was released in 1988, with a runtime of about 114 minutes.