Tom Cruise remains one of the last great superstars. He’s been in the game since the early 1980’s and his modern works like Top Gun: Maverick still fetch enviable numbers. cruiseThe latest project from Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is in cinemas now. That means it’s time to look back at the best Tom Cruise movies.
Tom Cruise remains one of the last great superstars. He’s been in the game since the early 1980’s and his modern works like Top Gun: Maverick still fetch enviable numbers. cruiseThe latest project from Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is in cinemas now. That means it’s time to look back at the best Tom Cruise movies.
The hardest part? I only keep it at five.
Jerry Maguire (1996)
I go back and forth with Jerry Maguire. With some watches, I enjoy it as a smart exploration of a cynical man’s difficulties in coping with a newfound awareness. Other times, I find Cameron Crowe’s blockbuster hackneyed, hampered by a silly love story that distracts from the fascinating sports aspect.
In any case, Cruise is great (if not overqualified) in the lead role. He believably conveys the fickle personality of Jerry Maguire – a shark relegated to a vegan lifestyle and desperate for new ways to flavor vegetables. Aside from Knight and Day, Jerry Maguire is the only time Cruise ventures into the world of romantic comedy, which doesn’t befit his well-respected brand.
Tropical Thunder (2008)
Others might slip Cruise’s work in The Color of Money or Born on the Fourth of July into this slot.
I, for one, can’t overlook the man’s incredible, award-worthy role in Ben Stiller’s gritty Tropic Thunder. Here Cruise displays his sharp comedic skills as Les Grossman, a foul-mouthed and eccentric Hollywood studio executive. Unrecognizable beneath layers of latex, Les Cruises remains his most offbeat role – a far cry from the classy but emotionally fragile Ethan Hunt.
In a film filled with dazzling comedic performances, Cruise climbs to the top. He delivers catchy lines like “literally, fuck your own face!” and “I’m gonna rain down an ungodly fucking firestorm on you!” I’m talking scorched earth, you asshole! I will massacre you! I’ll fuck you up!” with the precision of a top-notch comic artist.
Magnolia (1999)
Cruise was denied an Oscar for his outstanding performance in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia, in which he portrays Frank TJ Mackey, a charismatic and controversial motivational speaker whose opening lines are, “Respect the dick!” And tame that cunt!”
Mackey is as far from Pete “Maverick” Mitchell as most people are from wealth these days. The character only has about 15-20 minutes of gameplay in the 3 hour, 10 minute frame, but makes a lasting impression. That’s saying something considering the talent behind the epic drama.
Rainman (1988)
Top Gun may have made Cruise a box-office star, but Rain Man was the film that cemented his place among the A-listers. Cruise essentially plays a more complex Maverick, an undeniably cool but dysfunctional man-kid who hides his feelings behind an extensive array of Ray bands. His character traverses an intriguing arc, leading to an emotionally satisfying finale that lives up to his best instincts as an actor.
Surprisingly, Cruise wasn’t even nominated for his performance, losing to Alec Guinness (Little Dorrit), Martin Landau (Tucker: The Man and His Dream), River Phoenix (Running on Empty), and Dean Stockwell (Married to the Mob). and eventual winner Kevin Kline (A Fish Called Wanda). Hoffman took home the Best Actor award, eclipsing one of Tom Cruise’s finest films, one that has aged like fine wine and deserves far more attention than it gets.
Collateral (2004)
Cruise failed to gain credit for his fascinating work on Michael Mann’s underrated Collateral. Opposing the type, Cruise plays Vincent, a mysterious hitman who forces Jamie Foxx’s humble cab driver to escort him across Los Angeles for a night of assassinations. Intense, nuanced and ultimately personable, Cruise portrays Vincent as a lost boy searching for meaning. He knows how to kill, but the more Max von Foxx gets into his psyche, the more we learn that Vincent struggles with existentialism. Cruise brings moments of vulnerability and glimpses of his troubled past to the cold-hearted assassin, making the character both compelling and unsettling.
Plus, Cruise’s dedication to guns training lends an extra level of credence to his performance – you’d think this man could wipe out a group of street thugs with a few shots from his pistol. It’s a shame the actor never returned to the villain role later in his career, as he has the skills, talent and charisma to make a cold-hearted but likeable bastard.
As far as the Oscars go, Cruise somehow missed out on another nomination this year, while Foxx took home all the awards. That’s a questionable call. Foxx is good as Max, but Cruise is the one who stands out, making this one of the best Tom Cruise movies. At least he deserves more credit than Clive Owen (“Closer”) and Alan Alda (“The Aviator”).