Gimmicky and disappointing

Rating: Null/10 (14 June 2002)

Somehow this movie got a place in collective conscience along with 'Memento' and 'Mullholland Drive' as yet another must see riddle of 2001. I'm yet to see those two films but hope for the sake of everybody that they are much, much better than this offering by Cameron Crowe.
'Vanilla Sky' starts off promisingly but eventually degenerates into a gimmicky mess that doesn't tie up its loose ends properly or even half-satisfyingly. And the big revelation, if you can call it that, towards the end is just so ludicrously out of the blue that it throws the entire movie in the gutter, even the stylish build up scenes in the beginning.
The style and flair are definitely there, but unfortunately not the substance. Ultimately, I felt cheated and manipulated.