Don't blame Kubrick

Rating: Null/10 (17 July 1999)

Performers' importance varies from movie to movie. Normally, I see them as window dressing--especially with actresses. But with this particular movie, the actors are vital. A major fault with the movie is Tom and Nicole's inability to be a convincing couple. With EWS, Bill's not-so-wild escapades are supposed to be motivated by the infliction of jealousy by his wife and various sequences of events, but the relationship between Tom and Nicole made it impossibly silly to imagine how Alice could put Bill in such a state. Flashing back to black and white soft core between Nicole and some naval officer isn't enough. After all, there are tons of infidelities going around in today's society, and you don't see men crashing orgies for it, let alone crashing one just because of the idea of infidelity.
It wasn't the script's fault, though. Kidman's lines emphasize her willingness to throw away a 9 year relationship for a fling as well as her inability to see her husband as a masculine and sexual being. I believe that was suposed to be a significant point of revelation for Bill. But there was nothing in Nicole's delivery of her lines to make me believe how dire and dreadful a point she was making, nor was there any good acting on Tom's part to make me believe that suddenly his whole concept of what kind of relationship he had (not to mention his concept of what a married couple is) suddenly shattered. But if you listen to the lines carefully, you can see it's there. Not just the lines, but the sequence of events that lead Cruise's character through his strange odyssey. (Like the ridicule of Tom's sexuality by those boys who tell him to go back to San Francisco where he belongs.)
This was undoubtedly a terrific piece, and I'm not saying this to praise one of my favortie directors. Visually, it's gorgeous--very flawless. There's a good sense of balance, too (except towards the end, maybe). However, because of Tom and Nicole, I don't believe many people will realize how good it actually is. Without knowing Bill's motivations the movie is pointless because like most Kubrick pieces the film isn't so much plot driven but character/psychology/action driven. Try to ignore their performances and just listen to the words as written by Kubrick and pay attention to little details. It'll make more sense that way.
It really is no wonder why Kubrick took so long with this film and had to call and recall Cruise and Kidman for so many reshoots.