Though it sounds incredulous given the nonstop Cruise-a-palooza that has been happening ever since the whole TomKat Summer of 05, we're only just beginning the media-riffic explosion. Soon the baby Xenu is born, the movie (M: I-3) comes out. Etc... Try to remember when he was just an actor (I know it's hard) and vote for his best performance.
Friday, April 14, 2006
Cruise Controlled
Though it sounds incredulous given the nonstop Cruise-a-palooza that has been happening ever since the whole TomKat Summer of 05, we're only just beginning the media-riffic explosion. Soon the baby Xenu is born, the movie (M: I-3) comes out. Etc... Try to remember when he was just an actor (I know it's hard) and vote for his best performance.
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12 comments:
I went with Collateral, but I considered Rainman and Magnolia too. And though I couldn't in all good conscience vote for Cocktail (hell, it wasn't an option), it remains the biggest guilty pleasure movie of my life.
Rob
It's Rain Man or Born on the Fourth of July, for me. Peak Cruise, 1988-9, with an honourable mention for Eyes Wide Shut. I think the trajectory from dumb jingoistic ranting jock to disillusioned disabled psycho angry jock in Born on the Fourth gets it — you know Stone wanted to do it a decade earlier with Pacino? He'd have played it with way too much covert intelligence. Magnolia is the Cruise performance closest to a self-portrait and all — Frank TJ Mackey would have trashed the hell out of Oprah's couch, right? — but I don't think this makes it great acting. And he's surely just silly in Collateral: I know film critics who'd make scarier hit men.
I chose Jerry Maguire. What a great romantic comedy performance.
Next, I'd go with Magnolia, and then Born on the Fourth of July.
Lastly, Collateral. Maybe it's his weird insanity as of late, but the idea of Cruise as a cold-blooded killer just works for me.
I'd have nominated him for all four. Other than these, I'm usually unimpressed, although Risky Business was a lot of fun.
Already a wide spectrum of opinion on this one. I loathe him in Jerry Maguire.
Maybe his best performance was keeping the weird sofa-jumping, pregnancy-hushing compulsions repressed for a couple of decades. I used to think he was an OK guy. That's great acting.
Rob
I dislike Cruise as a person ( I guess he is ) ... but I think his performances are usually right on.. I think he stole Rainman from Hoffmann adn he also took Color of Monet right from under Newman's nose.
Anonymous II
i've never understood why people loathe him in Jerry Maguire. I don't know if it was perfect casting or what but I thought he was spot on there. My other two favorites were probably Magnolia (sheer spectacle of the act and what Tim said ;) ) and 4th of July. Typical choices I know but with Cruise I think the consensus is correct.
or to put it another way...he can't act.
he's truly awful in everything.
I went with Collateral. I've never too much been a fan of him or his acting. I considered voting for Eyes Wide Shut though. And I am a fan of him in Jerry Maguire I must say.
One big "WORD" to what par3182. Cruise is just a bad bad actor.
Why don't I like Cruise in Jerry Maguire? Each time he kicks that wall, something inside me dies.
It the single most painful example of desperate A.C.T.I.N.G. that I can think of.
Rob
To be completely honest, I don't think Cruise is a good actor either, but you have to hand it to him...he does pick the right projects that will highlight his limited acting range.
That being said, my favorite Cruise performance is Jerry Maguire.
i actually think he is a very strong actor. and you rarely feel like he's ACTING. That's why (as mentioned above) he steals Rain Man and Colour of Money. Also thought he was marvelous as the flawed character in Jerry Maguire. I thought Minority Report was also very strong. I rarely like the characters he portrays, but that's not really the point, is it?
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