Saving Private Ryan
Definition
A 1998 epic war film directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Tom Hanks as Captain John Miller, depicting the D-Day landings and a U.S. Army squad's mission during World War II to locate and rescue a paratrooper named Private James Ryan, whose three brothers have been killed in action.
A cinematic benchmark for realistic war depictions, renowned for its intense opening sequence and exploration of duty, sacrifice, and the human cost of conflict.
Examples
After watching Saving Private Ryan for the third time, he finally understood why his boss kept yelling 'Earn this!' during team meetings.
She joked that dating in 2025 felt like Saving Private Ryan—lots of chaos, explosions of drama, and you're just hoping Tom Hanks shows up to save the day.
My fitness app's new challenge is called 'Saving Private Ryan,' where you run through virtual beaches dodging burpees instead of bullets.
He tried recreating the typewriter scene from Saving Private Ryan at his desk job, but HR just handed him a pink slip instead of a mission.