7/10 average vote. What are you missing? *spoilers*

Rating: 9/10 (11 September 2003)

I saw Vanilla Sky on opening night at the local multiplex. I remember at the time sitting through 4/5ths of the movie dumbfounded at how absolutely brilliant it was. In fact, I hadn't watched it since and forgot how absolutely perfect everything seemed to be. The dialogue, the cinematography, the casting.
Of course, in the theatre, after being absolutely blown away for 4/5ths of the film (which had reached a fever pitch with the smothering of the truelovestalker) I found the ending was a real let down. It appeared to come out of nowhere and serve no other purposed other than to throw the first 4/5ths of the film back in your face. The old ploy: "Oh. It was all a dream". Whatever.
Well, I watched it again last night, for the first time. Yeah. The ending ties up all the loose ends. Accurately, correctly, and properly. I missed it the first time because I was too busy being dumbfounded at the relationships and the dialogue to realize that things weren't quite normal in David's world. When things started unraveling in the second act, I thought he was a psychological mess. Then I saw all the clues re: LE, etc. But I still didn't appreciate that seemingly anti-climactic ending.
Well, first impressions aren't always right. The ending wasn't anti-climactic. It was more unexpected. And, because of that, difficult to absorb on that first viewing. Anyway, if you've only seen it once, and weren't quite sure what to think, watch it again. It's a right proper film. 10 out of 10. Open your eyes.