Great entertainment!

Rating: 7/10 (8 January 2001)

This is cinema at its purely enjoyable. Martin Scorsese's 80's films have been overlooked, eclectic minor classics, and this is no exception. This is seen as one of his more commercial films, and it's true, and it proves that the man can deliver slick entertainment just as well as he can make serious films. The photography in this is stunning: the pool scenes are exciting, musical and kinetic, definitely the highlights of the film. Tom Cruise is fine in his first serious role, but its Paul Newman's show here. The man exudes screen presence and charisma. The soundtrack, is as usual for Scorsese, brilliant, here he even makes Phil Collins sound great in the instantly arresting opening sequence. It's a relatively hollow experience compared to say, The King of Comedy, Raging Bull or even Bringing out the Dead, but it's sheer drive and energy makes it endlessly watchable.