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Jerry Maguire (Special Edition) Customer Reviews (13 - 15 of 53 Reviews)

Flipping out!!
My favorite part about this movie is when Tom Cruise flips out and is all like, "YOU DONT KNOW THE HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY I DO!!!" and they Sam Jackson gets in his face and is all like "YEAH MAN YES THEY DESERVE TO DIE AND I HOPE THEY BURN IN HELL SO SHOW ME THE MONEY MANGS!!!!" NUTTSSS!!!! 1 1 !! Luckliy Tom escapes to his closet at the end.

Jerry Maguire (1996)
Director: Cameron Crowe
Cast: Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr., Renee Zellweger, Kelly Preston, Jerry O'Connell, Jay Mohr, Bonnie Hunt, Regina King, Jonathan Lipnicki.
Running Time: 139 minutes
Rated R for language and sexuality.

Director Cameron Crowe uses "Jerry Maguire to ask the simple question: is life all about money, fame, and glory, or is it really about something else? Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise) is a high-powered sports agent for a huge agency, handling a portfolio filled with high profile sports figures. The name of Jerry's game is money; he gets the big bucks for those he represents, he keeps them in the limelight and in the end pulls down some mighty big bucks for himself and the firm. One night, he wakes up and happens to look at himself in the mirror, and for whatever reason, it suddenly dawns on him what a selfish, soulless, empty life he is leading. So in the wake of this epiphany, he seizes the moment, sits down at his keyboard and hammers out a `mission/morality statement,' in which he reorganizes his entire approach to his career, including reestablishing parameters and setting new priorities making conscience, ethics and integrity his paramount concerns. And while still riding the high of his nocturnal enlightenment, he goes to his office, makes copies of his statement and distributes it to the mailboxes of everyone from his boss on down. In the cold light of morning; however, he realizes what he's done and races to his office to avert disaster. He enters the room to a hail of praise and appreciation from his peers, but his boss is less enthusiastic. It's no surprise to Jerry, then, when the big `M' his superiors are interested in turns out to be `Money' and not `Morality,' the equation equals `Money talks, Jerry walks.' But before he leaves, he vows to make it on his own. He's up, he's positive, he has his statement and he doesn't have a clue what to do next. What he does know is that the adventure of a lifetime is awaiting and the world is about to meet the "real" Jerry Maguire.

Cameron Crowe made his debut as a writer/director with "Say Anything" in 1989, in which he first exhibited that keen insight into the human condition that has been one of the trademarks of his success as a filmmaker. In "Jerry Maguire" he demonstrates again that acute sense of knowing what makes people tick, and leaves no doubt that he knows how to convey it to his audience. Crowe's story, as well as the presentation, is original and imaginative, and he fills it with real characters involved in very real situations and it's these characters that really sell it, because these are three-dimensional people, not just cardboard cut-outs, and moreover, Cameron knows how to get the best out of his actors to really bring them to life. Tom Cruise was the perfect choice to play Jerry; he has the look, the energy and the talent to get inside this guy's skin and make him tick, and he successfully channels his natural exuberance into his character, tempering his performance just enough to make it really work. Cuba Gooding Jr.'s performance is deserving of the acclaim he received for it. As Rod Tidwell, the pro football player/client who sticks by Jerry and insists that he "Show me the money!", Gooding equals, if not surpasses Cruise's level of enthusiasm with a vibrant and rich portrayal that makes Rod one of his most memorable characters. Like Cruise, Gooding is perfectly cast and points up, again, what an acute sense Cameron has for who and what will work to bring his story so convincingly to the screen.

Not to be outdone by her co-stars, Renee Zellweger gives an endearing performance as the vulnerable but steadfast, single mom, Dorothy Boyd. She's such a "giving" actor, and she endows Dorothy with a gentle, caring manner that expresses her deepest thoughts and feelings so well. Her work here is every bit as Oscar worthy as Cruise and Gooding's, and it's hard to understand why she was overlooked, as she is such a vital presence in this film. "Jerry Maguire" is well beyond the normal sports drama, and in fact, the film has virtually nothing to do with sports. Intertwining the themes of machoism, greed, and reputation, Crowe sends the audience on a journey that discusses integrity, love, and the ultimate enjoyment of life. A touching, oftentimes hilarious, and supremely well-executed masterpiece of filmmaking.

Mainstream schlock at its worst
Tom Cruise can't act. The script is utterly soulless and unmistakably chauvanist (while in a state of denial over this -- that's the problem). It's just the sort of cynical, empty script that we've come to expect from mainstream Hollywood, and yet because many people are weaned on this stuff and aren't exposed to anything better, they're invariably going to think something like this is great because it's such a well-done example of the garbage that they're used to. What critic can hope to compete with that? Only a shill for the movie industry like Roger Ebert could find something to like about this wretchedly terribly movie.

Anyway, loved the remark by one of the Amazon reviewers here that Jerry MacGwire is a "stealth chick flick." Right on!

Finally, there is a brilliant short review of this film in the current edition of the Time Out movie guide, which echoes my feelings about this movie exactly. No sense in me repeating here what I couldn't have said better.

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