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| Vanilla Sky |
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 (10/10)
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Runtime: 130 |
| Public Rating: 8.60 (287 votes) |
Director: Cameron Crowe |
MPAA Rating:  |
| Genre: Drama/ Thriller/ Mystery |
Year: 2001 |
| Writer(s): Cameron Crowe (based on the film "Abre Los Ojos") |
| Reviewed by: Movieman |
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Meet David Aames (Cruise), an executive and CEO of a premiere magazine inheritied from his parents who were killed in a car crash. He seemingly has everything, a beautiful apartment with all the imendments a playboy needs, a sex buddy in Julie (Diaz) and the best friend anyone would want in Brian (Lee; Almost Famous). What could go wrong?
Aames’ entire world is turned upside down when he meets lovely and gorgeous Sofia Serrano (Cruz; Captain Corelli’s Mandolin) who leaves Aames, a ladies man, to say the least with a nickname like he has (ask some one who has seen the film for what it is), with a look of love in his eyes. After spending the night at Sofia’s apartment Ms. Julie is waiting for him and is not too pleased with where their relationship was going. Stupidly David takes her invitation to get into her car and she lays it all on him about her love and the promise he broke to her. In a fit of rage and extremely emotional, she crashes her car over a bridge, leaving David physically and emotionally scarred.
From here on Vanilla Sky takes you on a mind trip comparable to Memento and to a certain extent The Matrix, a journey that questions what you are seeing or even if you believe your eyes.
I will say up front that Vanilla Sky is a great film not only for the plot twists and turns but it also gives you much thought after the film is over. This is something many films over this year have been missing: depth and meaning. Not since American Beauty have I been so prfoundly affected by a movie and given me thought about my own life and the overall question Vanilla Sky poses (more later).
The acting in Vanilla Sky is top notch. Every one of the stars and supporting talent give some of the best performances of not only the year but of their careers. Everyone from Cruise to Diaz to Cruz, it’s all good.
Cameron Diaz is an actress who has done some good work but never really made an impression on me (from a acting standpoint, that is). She has previously appeared in She’s the One, Head Above Water and the film that gave her the most acclaim role, There’s Somrthing About Mary. Diaz has done a good job in all her roles flashing some talent here and there but none so amazing as here. She plays the vindictive and jealous girlfriend very well and deserves some recognition.
Penelope Cruz has is hot commodity in Hollywood right now having been in All the Pretty Horses, Blow and Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. She also starred in Abre los ajos a.k.a. Open Your Eyes, which Vanilla Sky is based on. She is not onyl beautiful and stunning but she can actually act and works very well with Cruise.
Last of the supporting cast are Kurt Russell and rising star Jason Lee. Russell has faded away from stardome and has not been in any high profile films nor giving any remarkable performances. As for Jason Lee, he has been going nowhere but up. He had first gained fame from Kevin Smith’s films Chasing Amy and Mallrats but has stepped up in last years hit and the Cameron Crowe semibiographical film, Almost Famous. I personally am a fan of Lee’s works and look forward to his future movies.
And Tom Cruise, who especially gives the performance of his career as he carries the film with his co-stars and director Cameron Crowe, he flashes what I have seen in some of his roles over the years in films like Magnolia, Born on the Fourth of July and even Jerry Maguire.
Like Guy Pierce in Memento and Keanu Reeves in The Matrix, Cruise takes us through a trippy rabbit hole to the truth and trying to the answer to the question at the center of Vanilla Sky: “What is happiness?” I always say that the simplest questions are sometimes the hardest to answer and this one is the ultimate so far in my life. It cannot be easily answered and is really a case by case one at that. Not even ones who have experienced true happiness could easily answer it.
I must admit that I was not a big fan of Cameron Crowe’s previous works of Almost Famous and Jerry Maguire (although I enjoyed them, I thought they were slightly over-rated) but Crowe surprised me with his latest outing. Vanilla Sky not only has style but also has much substance. Crowe is a talented director and writer who deserves to be named with the likes of Steven Spielberg (who has a cameo). He brought us a remarkable screenplay that many hopeful screenwriters need to pay attention to and learn from. Cameron Crowe is on a hot streak right now and could hear his name called come Oscar nomination time.
Overall, some may be turned off by the mind-tripping elements that headline Vanilla Sky but you must remember that this is nothing like what Tom Cruise or Cameron Crowe have done in the past. It is a film you must follow and never take your attention away from until the end. I guarantee that it is conversation starter, much like American Beauty was, and it definitely is worth your time and money for at least one viewing. Open your mind. Open your eyes. Vanilla Sky will change the way you view of the world.
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