Don't believe the critics

Rating: 10/10 (28 December 2001)

I don't much like Tom Cruise. I never really got past the "deer-in-the-headlights" thing with Penelope Cruz. So I didn't go to this movie with great hope. I was blown away!
To all of the people who say it's confusing, jumbled, yada-yada-yada... They don't get it! If you are not too bright, this movie will leave you confused. If you think that a movie should spoon feed the surprises and show it's colors with big broad strokes (maybe a huge arrow saying, "Here's the point!") then this movie may frustrate you.
Vanilla Sky requires that you be willing to make a leap of faith - that you simply receive the story in expectation of a resolution. If you can do this, this film will reward your patience as very few films have. This is not "cinema." It is a mystery. If the critics feel it doesn't live up to it's Spanish-language predecessor, Boo Hoo Hoo.
I'm recommending this movie. Don't read the reviews. Don't let anyone give anything away to "help you understand what's going on." Simply buy your ticket, sit down, and watch the movie as would a child. Take it in without agonizing over details and cinematography and the surreal (sometimes annoying) direction. Trust me, it will all make sense at the end.
You'll notice I've not talked about the acting. It's very good. I finally "get" what some people see in Penelope Cruz. I saw Tom Cruise, for the first time, as an actor - not a "movie star." However, the reason to see this movie is for the experience it will can give you. It is really quite surprising. Good luck.