I should have stayed in bed

Rating: 2/10 (29 January 2002)

I was persuaded, against my wishes, to leave my comfy flat to go see this film. I wish I had stayed in bed now.
Not that this starts off as a bad film. In fact it is rather good. That is why the ending, which irked me at first, has played on my mind and grown into a disappointment of "Godzilla" proportions. Ok, it's not THAT bad but I still feel like I should be compensated for sitting all the way through this soul-less exercise in vanity.
Yes, the opening dream sequence is very good and eerie. Yes Cameron Diaz is excellent as the bitter and consequently twisted Julie, even Penelope Cruz does the cute little girlie act rather well. Tom Cruise does Tom Cruise and Jason Lee does his patented 'token best friend' gig. But, silly me thought there might be a point to the film. Maybe a comment on the futility of a playboy lifestyle, a reflection on the consequences of badly treating another person for your own selfish whims. I thought the sheer eighties shallow Yuppiness of Tom Cruise's character would have some reason. But no, it's all a cinematic set up -true, you couldn't see it coming and when it hits you in the face the first thing to pop into your head is "ohhhhhhhh I get it.....but...so what?".
I just hated the last half hour of this film so much. Unlike Fight Club, it completely negates what you have seen before thus giving me the impression that it has wasted some of my life. I don't take kindly to this sort of time-stealing hence the low, low mark I gave it, which was 2, one mark for Diaz, the other...actually I should have just given it one!