Improves with age

Rating: 9/10 (1 January 2004)

Many short sighted critics dismissed Vanilla Sky as the ultimate vanity project, a plea for acceptance by a middle aged superstar. That they underrated the film in the process is not necessarily their fault. Vanilla Sky gains immeasurably from repeat viewings, and what at first seems incoherent and muddled emerges as stylish and frequently very moving.
In a way its a companion piece to David Lynch's Mulholland Drive, and all that is missing is a director of Lynch's bravado. Cameron Crowe tries hard, but his approach is just a shade too literal for the abstract goings on with this film. Reticence is also on show in the denoument which is too drawn out and overdone - every loose thread has to be sewn up, which is a pity.

But the good vastly outweighs the bad. The performances are outstanding. Cameron Diaz is a creepily effective villain/victim, and Penelope Cruz carries off the idealised and waifish Sofia with a rare skill. (I have read that the role was intended for Nicole Kidman, but she would have lacked the straight forward simplicity of Cruz.)
And carrying the whole thing effortlessly as ever is Tom Cruise. What a star he is! He rarely rests on his laurels, and throughout there is a pronounced intellect at work in his performances. People who sneered at the film as a vehicle for Cruise to emote and vent his demons are missing the point. The film indeed has much to tell us, both pro and con, about celebrity and its attendant baggage - and frankly I can think of far worse ways of killing a few hours than watching Mr Cruise work his way through those issues. There are few people as qualified to do so.
If its a vanity project, that's not to its detriment. Would that all vanity projects were as good as this one.