brilliant

Rating: 9/10 (19 June 2008)

From the second scene in the film, where Alice (Kidman) is shown on the toilet (just something perfectly natural, yet never shown in films) as they're getting ready for the party, you know this is going to be a different kind of a film.
From the trailer that I saw so many years ago, with Chris Isaak's 'Baby did a bad bad thing' playing in the background while Cruise/Kidman/Kubrick was displayed in bold writing, I was expecting some sort of sordid, sleazy film. Certainlty some people's opinions are as such too.
What I saw was an intriguing depiction of actions and consequences catalysed by events that never even actually happened, but were as damaging as those that did happen. Dr. Bill (Cruise) uses Alice's admission during a hilarious pot smoking scene as his excuse to justify his own desires and fantasies. The first visit to the hooker, leading to Dr.Bill visiting his old friends Jazz Club leading to the bizarrely fantastical "Costume Party" sequence are all a consequence of their pot smoking session.
I loved how the plot came together, even though it was fairly obvious who the secret helper at the costume party was, and why his pianist friend disappeared the day after. Despite an intense feel to the film, the script and situations and the way they were delivered by those involved, most notably Cruise, consistently put a cheesy grin on my face.
The film always kept me at full attention, got better and better and ended on a perfect note, summarising exactly my thoughts about their relationship.
Great film