Tom Cruise as JFK Jr. in a nightmare

Rating: Null/10 (24 December 2001)

I was pleasantly surprised by this film. After seeing a lot of murky or lightweight films this year, this one stands out. Not a complete masterpiece, as the science fiction aspects are a bit out there, but one of the best I've seen recently.
I have never been a huge fan of any of the big talents in this film. Tom Cruise movies are often bland and formulaic, and it is painful to watch him smirk his way through yet another big money business deal that takes the form of a movie. Penelope Cruz does not strike me as any more talented than dozens of other actresses. Cameron Diaz, well, let's just say that she is best served sticking to light comedy like "The Mask" and "There's Something About Mary." So, I was predisposed to not like this film much, which is why I was so pleasantly surprised by it.
"Vanilla Sky" advances the ball for all concerned. I found the NYC street scenes just fabulous, particularly the upper West side and Times Square shots that begin the film. That is the New York City I know, though I've never seen Times Square deserted. The style is retro to some 60's experimental pieces, which I found to be bold and, oddly, the best way to tell the story. There aren't wasted scenes or shots here. Everything counts. The style is not experimental for the sake of being experimental, but to deliver the story properly. And it works.
Tom Cruise is much better here than I can recall. While he always dominates his films, this is an artistic breakthrough in the way "Risky Business" was a career breakthrough (fine work there, too, despite the lightweight script). It is very difficult to extend your personality through a formless mask, but Cruise manages to do that for about a third of the film. I wondered at times if maybe Crowe just used a double for those shots to save money, but then Cruise would give a distinctive shrug or flash his eyes and you knew it was him.
My favorite scenes are of Cruise in a disco, lights flashing, people dancing, lost in a crowd of happy people oblivious to his disfigurement after he has survived a car crash. Given Cruise's fame, he perhaps really understood the character's desire to lose himself in a crowd once in a while. Even there, he manages to convey a unique presence. Just an amazing, mature performance.
If Cruise is superb, then Kurt Russell is just as good as a psychologist trying, like us, to figure out what is going on. He draws you in, just like he intends to draw in Aames so that he can crack the code. I would say this is Russell's finest work since "Escape from New York," which, like this film, used science fiction simply to set up the real, non-sf story being told.
Normally, I don't like "artsy" direction with lots of quick cuts and unanswered questions. I think it works brilliantly here. You get a real feeling for the disjointed world that Cruise's character inhabits. Fortunately, answers ultimately are supplied in an ending that manages to startle. I can understand why release of this film was delayed after the World Trade Center terrorist attacks.
The rest of the cast performs adequately. Tilda Swinton makes an impact in barely more than a cameo, and Timothy Spall artfully recreates Thomas Mitchell's part as Uncle Billy In "It's a Wonderful Life." Given how the plot turns out, drawing such connections is not outlandish - perhaps that is where Aames drew inspiration for the character.... (That last comment will make no sense until you have seen the film.)
The focus here really is on the leads, though. They shine under fine direction of a creative script. Because the film is a bit unusual, and turns out to be a science fiction film, which the Academy hates, this film probably won't receive many awards. It deserves them.

About my comment that Cruise is playing JFK Jr. in a nightmare - notice the huge picture of Aames' dead father in his apartment and how his father's influence dominates his life. Note the carefree bachelor lifestyle cut short by a disastrous accident with his beautiful blonde lover. Figure in Cruise's clean-cut good looks. Sure, the resemblance is not exact, and this tale is from before JFK Jr.'s untimely passing. But does all that at all remind YOU of any recently deceased celebrity?