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Vanilla Sky Customer Reviews (58 - 60 of 96 Reviews)

Existentialism Made For The MTV Generation
It doesn't get much better than this. The director for Jerry Maguire somehow has some spiritual reawakening and somewhere along the lines, decides to remake an acclaimed Spanish film he heard was ''exceptional'' from all of his Hollywood friends. He writes his version of the script and gets an old pal of his Tom Cruise to portray the rich-boy-trapped-in-mans-body character. One of the reasons I gave this film two stars instead of one, was because of casting. I did think by enlisting Cameron Diaz to say the line ''Do you believe in God?'' is pure bliss in itself. Oh, and that goes for Penelope Cruz's immortal ''saddest girl to ever hold a martini'' line. Im not saying any of these professionals have no skill. I enjoyed Cameron Crowes first two films, and I do think Cruise has done some great movies (Magnolia, Eyes Wide Shut, etc). For the most part, what bothered me about this movie is the fact that it couldve been a TERRIFIC piece about the questioning of life, and the consequences of finding out. Crowe seems like he wants to do this, but at the same time, wants to have a film filled with commercial interruptions. By this time, your reading this review and saying to yourself ''Well, I didnt see any Volkswagon commercials!''. Yes you did, you just didnt know it. In Vanilla Sky, Crowe is no stranger to self indulgence. He throws in Courtney Love referances, nods to Radiohead, Bob Dylan album covers, archived 70s classic rock concert footage, and so much more. When you make a film as deep and artistic as Abre Los Ojos, you will need to make sure your film has beautiful cinematography, actors you wont laugh at, and an ending that will keep you puzzled. Crowe did accomplish a good ending but thats all I can really say this film has to offer, other than corny tidbits about martinis and Diaz questioning Gods existence. By throwing in a non linear plot, its obvious the director of this movie is as confused as its storyline. Im not impressed Hollywood. I'll stick with Lynch.

Cruise/Crowe ego-fest ruins what was a good movie
"Vanilla Sky" is, in short, a complete mess. Tom Cruise and Cameron Crowe set out to remake Spanish director's Alejandro Amenábar 1997 masterpiece "Abre Los Ojos." I guess I made the mistake of seeing the original first and saw where 'Sky' consistently failed to measure up by either (a) losing the plot, or (b) getting interrupted by one of Crowe's vanity vignettes.

Like his restaging of "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" album cover. No doubt that one-time rock journalist Crowe always wanted to sneak that in there. But Amenábar didn't need it, nor did he need a whole load of other flourishes that Crowe peppers in here, the empty Times Square shot being the most outlandish (and useless).

The only actors that distinguish themselves here are Cameron Diaz (convincing as a psychotic ex-girlfriend) and Jason Lee (better than Cruise in all their joint scenes). Penelope Cruz-Cruise seems a bit disinterested in the whole thing. Who's to blame her? 2nd time she's done the role, once in Spanish, once in English.

I should point out that I love all of Cameron Crowe's original work, most notably the underrated 'Singles.' I'm sure he'll get back on track with his next film.

"Tommy and the Cruzers"
The late Paulene Kael once wrote thhat she got the impression from Tom Cruise's screen performances that Cruise was so narcissistic that even when he acts in a scene with others, he seems to be performing with himself.

Cruise's ego-centered movie star presence is the center of Cameron Crowe's convulted mess of a movie "Vanilla Sky."

Cruise is David Ames, who has inherited his father's billion dollar publishing empire.

Ames lives in a hyper exspensive apartment in the Dakota, drives an ultra-hip sports car, casually beds women other men only fantasize about, and carries on a paranoia laden battle with his company's board of directors.

The emptiness of Ames' life is depicted in the film's opening dream sequence, a beautifully produced piece of movie making which has Cruise running through the streets of a Manhattan ghost town which has Cruise as its only inhabitant.

Ames' emptiness is eased when he meets and falls in love with a beautiful dancer played by Penelope Cruz (their scenes together are so charged, one tends to beleive all the tabloid publicity surrounding their off screen romance).

But Ames blows his chance at true love by accepting an invitation to take a ride with a seductive psycho-stalker, played by Cameron Diaz, who drives the car off a Manhattan bridge at 80 MPH killing herself and leaving Ames horribly disfigured...not TOO horribly though; Cruise and his agents would never allow it.

The rest of the film becomes harder to follow than a rabid dog on steroids--a prosthetic mask; a mysterious death; a high tech cryrogenic company...was it ALL a dream???

"Vanilla Sky" is in many ways a profoundly bad movie, but I didn't mind watching it.

Cruise and Cruz ignite some sparks, and Crowe cleverly packs the film with enough pop culture references to put in a time capsule (Ames concocts his 'dream' life with the help of a Bob Dylan album cover and Gregory Peck's Atticus Finch in 'To Kill A Mockingbird').

Tom Cruise has become the quintessential movie star (and in many ways, a fine actor)...Paulene Kael may have been right, but 'Vanilla Sky' wouldn't be quite so interesting without that charismatic narcissism at its core.

And make no mistake--even a disfigured Tom Cruise would make out better in a local singles bar than the rest of us ordinary yahoos.

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