Dreamscape Cruise

Rating: 8/10 (24 September 2013)

"Vanilla Sky" is a journey into David Lynch territory without David Lynch. The plot for this film is unusual and boundary stretching, and contains more layers than Earth's geological record.
The film begins with what could be a series of dreams and then develops into a series of flashbacks and flash forwards. Right from the opening scene, the audience knows the journey will not be an easy one.
Tom Cruise's character, David Aames, awakes from a dream, or does he? Open your eyes is the command from his alarm clock and is a recurring theme throughout the movie as well as being the English translation of the title of the original Spanish film, "Abre Los Ojos".
David is the heir to his father's publishing empire. He seems to lead a life of privilege and wealth despite pressure from the board of directors. David's love life is also privileged; he is having an affair with Julie Gianni played by Cameron Diaz, a beautiful model who seems carefree and independent.
Although it does not detract too much from the story, David's role as publisher of three major magazines is rather superficially conceived – a Hollywood stereotype of the publishing world; not much more realistic than the "Quality" magazine office in 1957's "Funny Face".
When David meets Sophia (Penelope Cruz repeating her role from "Abre Los Ojos"), he becomes infatuated. Another odd touch is the way Sophia and David draw so well, they produce portraits of each other that would have done Norman Rockwell proud, but there is no explanation for their talents.
David's affair with Sophia triggers a murderous obsession in Julie who tries to kill David and herself in a car smash. David survives but is disfigured, and his life is dramatically changed.
The film takes a leap forward in time to David's challenged future. David is in a mental institution awaiting charges of murder. He wears a full-face mask, which must be said, does not aid audibility. A psychiatrist, Dr. Curtis McCabe (Kurt Russell), attempts to unravel David's problems.
Nearly all the leads play against type. Especially Kurt Russell who brings a great sense of integrity to his role as a psychiatrist. Cameron Diaz also gives her role depth.
Tom Cruise plays privileged and spoilt perfectly. During the course of the film his character is assailed with facial disfigurement and a limp. These are the kind of characteristics that can lead to acting with a capital A. From "Richard III" to the "Hunchback of Notre Dame"; actors find it hard to restrain themselves when the heavy make-up is applied and the foot is dragged. Fortunately, Tom only succumbs occasionally to the overwhelming theatrics of it all.
Unfortunately, it is the movie that cannot stay the course – before the end, "Vanilla Sky" blinks.
Unlike "Mulholland Dr" where very little is explained, "Vanilla Sky" introduces a character, Edmund Ventura (Noah Taylor), to explain things. The explanation is a get-out-of-jail-card. Taylor's character provides a reason for what has occurred – to a point. It is not a totally satisfying resolution.
Although the denouement is unexpected and left field, those who hung in there could have expected an ending more in keeping with the human drama that had gripped their imaginations up until this point. The truth is that the script for "Vanilla Sky" painted itself into a corner and cheated a little to get out.
Despite this, "Vanilla Sky" remains a complex, intriguing story that breaks away from easy formulas. It really does deliver something different.