Vanilla Sky Rating: Nearly 5 out of 6 stars.
I avoid movie reviews before seeing a movie because they often reveal too much of the plot. If you were to tell someone the third quarter time scores of a football game before he watches it on video, he would have good reason to punch you in the head.
This is a timely rant. Pay heed.
Vanilla Sky is a roller coaster ride. Lots of jerking back and forth, and a speed that varies from comfortable to mind-bogglingly fast.
David (Tom Cruise) is a millionaire major stock-holder of a company. He's 33, single, having a great time, and it's dubious how seriously he takes the running of the business. He's about to go on a journey of self-discovery of depths he never anticipated. His portrayal (as well as the early portrayals of all the main characters) seems shallow and rushed, but this passes after time. Cruises acting has poor moments scattered here and there all through the movie, but he does a good enough job with a difficult role.
Sophia (Penelope Cruz) and Julie (Cameron Diaz) crucially intertwine in his life in areas of love and sex. Diaz plays her role surprisingly well, while Cruz never really shines past the adorable personality she plays. Playing a psychologist is Kurt Russell, who never really seems comfortable with his role. The role of best friend goes to Jason Lee who possibly gives the best performance in the movie.
Cameron Crowe has decided to direct something just slightly too big for him to chew it's a big task he took on, and all considered, he did a pretty good job of it. Vanilla Sky is a remake of the Spanish movie "Open Your Eyes". He has "Hollywoodised" it (or Americanised it, or however you want to say it) but not in a blind way. It speaks well toward an average American audience, but it is obvious that the good story saved Crowe a few times from what could have been some fairly bad scenes.
As well as smacking you over the head with subtle music, Crowe saturates the story with music references it becomes a disservice to the flow.
There is an absurd amount of over-explanation given in this movie. A majority of the audience has to wait at the corner as the movie supplies catch-up for people who haven't been keeping up, and for the talkers who have been busy telling their friends that they don't know what the hell is going on. (Our cinema had three of these people. Real popular.)
Classics don't explain. If you don't see it, tough.
But then, this isn't a classic. And the oft-asked question must be asked again: Why remake an already great movie?
Favourite line: (Talking about the Beatles, and a friend who had a child and became a loving father.) "He used to like John, now he likes Paul."
Worst points: Some dodgy acting here and there. |
