Tom Cruise's finest hour

[SLO-BOB]

Okay - I'll admit it. I like Tom Cruise. I think he's an amazing actor. However, nothing I've ever seen of him prepared me for Tropic Thunder. I laughed until it hurt. The movie itself was okay - typical Stiller stuff which I like when I'm in the mood for it. Downey was excellent.

[1967 R50/2]

Best thing Cruise has done since Risky Business. Quite honestly, I often wondered why he doesn't do more comedies.

[Rot 911]

he stole the show in that movie!

[VincentVega]

Looks like an Ari Gold wanna be to me.

[cantdrv55]

I like Tom Cruise too. He may be a wacko, he may be a fluffer, I don't know, I don't care. He's a damn good actor though. Did you see "Born on the Fourth of July"? Great flick.

[mike55]

He was great in the movie with jamie Fox. Can't remember the name of it. He played a hitman. He was good in Minority Report as well.

I was surprised to see him in Tropic Thunder. He did a great job for sure.

[legion]

Don't get me wrong, I think Cruise is a clinically insane fluffer...

When he is good, he is good... Vanilla Sky, Top Gun, Risky Business...

When he is bad, he is bad... MI2, MI3, couch jumping on Oprah...

[911boost]

His role was hilarious in that movie.

I also loved watching Ben Stiller run back over the bridge at the end of the movie with that little kid on his back stabbing him.

[Tobra]

I just don't think it would be that difficult to be an actor, consequently am not very impressed by them

[tiwebber]

Fine indeed. Below's another good one. His role in Magnolia is also wild.

[LakeCleElum]

I like him, but like Jack said: He can't handle the TRUTH!!!!

[cl8ton]

Agree, he is one helluva actor but bat shyte crazy in real life!

And there is always this...

[Hugh R]

The movie your thinking of is Collateral good movie. Agreed he did a great job in Tropic Thunder. Haven't worked on any movies with him yet.

[911Rob]

me either

[ChkbookMechanic]

I'm not a big Tom Cruise fan, but Tropic Thunder saved/revitalized his career. And it might have even saved Matthew McConaughey's as well (or I could just be dreaming).

[Moses]

Tom Cruise is a painfully inadequate actor. In The Last Samurai, Toshiro Mifune made him look like a pathetic amateur. Cruise is extraordinarly ordinary. Purely one dimensional in dramatic roles.

When I think of great actors, I think of Robert Duvall, Robert Shaw, Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro, Johnny Depp.

Cruise's dramatic range is limited to constipated jaw clenching close-ups. Whether he's supposed to be angry, hurt or conflicted it's all the same. He's the king of the constipated jaw clench.

[Eric Coffey]

Gotta agree with Moses. He reminds me of Nick Cage, in that he has a very limited range, and/or he is the same character in every performance. Bush league actor that got lucky breaks IMO.

[svandamme]

Cruise is a popcorn movie actor... very expensive popcorn movies , but popcorn nevertheless


now Pacino is in another league, but him too, in many (mostly last 10 years) movies is one dimensional just the same "look though, talk louder, i used to be Tony Montana"

[m21sniper]

I liked him in Last Samurai, and he was fantastic in Interview with a Vampire, IMO maybe his best role.

He was Effin' hilarious in Tropic Thunder.

[SLO-BOB]

Originally Posted by Moses

Tom Cruise is a painfully inadequate actor.

When I think of great actors, I think of Robert Duvall, Robert Shaw, Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro, Johnny Depp.

I'll respectfully disagree. I think Cruise has very good range. I liked him in Last Samurai. The part where he's hucking Winchesters is a gem. As far as bringing in the clenched jaw schtick everytime, every actor has their signature. Speaking of which, Deniro and Pacino play Deniro and Pacino - every time, every role. It's not just a signature, it's the same damn thing every time. Watch Godfather Part II and you cover both of them - front to back. I like them for what they bring but they are the two most over rated actors in the industry. You want pain, watch Deniro in Stardust or anything Shakespear that Pacino annihilates. They could not pull off what cruise did in Tropic Thunder - not by a mile. If you were to compare them to a truly good actor with range, Tom Hanks makes them look like a couple of kids in a high school musical. Duvall is good but kind of the same ole too, Depp is okay, not great, not better than Cruise.

As far as actors in real life, I suspect they're all nuts to varying degrees. Think of living in a guilded cage. No thanks. I wouldn't trade with any of them. I like being able to walk out my front door to get a coffee.