Vanilla Sky: 8/10

Rating: 8/10 (10 March 2003)

Vanilla Sky takes you on a ride that may look like other mind-benders like Mulholland Drive and Solaris, but this one tries to give you answers. The beginning may be slow, but soon you'll be on the ride of your life.
Tom Cruise is David Aames, multimillionaire playboy. He inherited three magazines from his late father, and lives the high life. He's friends with Brian (Jason Lee) and keeps up a strictly play relationship with Julie Gianni (Cameron Diaz). Soon, however, Brian introduces Sofia (Penelope Cruz) to David, and Julie's upset, so what's to do? Drive off a bridge and kill herself, while just injuring David. His life, however, becomes a mix of reality and imagination, between dreams and actual happenings.
If you want a light, easygoing, crowd pleasing flick that gives you all the answers and wraps the ending in a nice little package with a bow and express ships it to your heart, don't look here. If, however, you want an intellectual film that's both straightforward and confusing, this is a good movie. From swift camera movements to perfect modern music, this movie has it all.
Tom Cruise (who, when in his mask and for a lot of the film, reminded me of Kevin Bacon in Hollow Man) did a good job of being a cocky millionaire who gets everything. Of course, to do that, he doesn't have to act much. Cruz, who starred in the original Abre Los Ojos, which this is a remake of, also worked well and had chemistry with Cruise. Diaz, although her part was small, did the best she could do, which was a lot. Kurt Russell, who plays a shrink, did a great job, too, but I wish he was billed before Diaz, because he had more screen time.
I really wish I had more to say about Vanilla Sky, but there isn't. I found myself liking this experience more each minute. It did start off slowly, but soon gained pace. I do wish, however, that I could more easily tell between David's dreams and reality. Besides that, it was a very good movie.
My rating: 8/10
Rated R for sexuality and strong language.