Worth watching, but you need a little patience

Rating: 8/10 (9 June 2003)

I just watched this movie for the second time. A little slow, a little foggy at times, but overall, decent script, some good acting, and some thought provoking material. I thought Kurt Russell's supporting performance was excellent. Very different role for him. He is particularly funny in the rooftop scene. Tom Cruise plays two different people in this movie. Prior to the accident, he's a less humorous version of Jerry Maguire. After the accident, his character, along with the story, is more complex, darker. The makeup job for the "scary" version of him was well done. Cruise does something in his acting that is hard to describe. His performances are not great in the sense that you immerse yourself in his character and forget the actor (ala Edward Norton). But at the same time, some of the nuances in his performance are so good that you still admire the overall performance. He's like a classic stage actor that exagerates a bit too much, but there is something interesting about the way he does it, so you still enjoy the performance. Cameron Diaz doesn't add much to the film until the car ride, where she gets pretty scary. Penelope Cruz, well, I'm not crazy about her acting, but she does a passable job. Jason Lee is good as the best friend.
You have to listen to this movie closely. There is a lot of dialogue to sift through, but if you have the patience, there are a lot of meaningful lines that underscore the movie's moral lessons. The music does as well.