A beautiful lazy Sunday of a Movie with a high tech twist

Rating: Null/10 (26 October 2004)

As one of the other posters noted, he wondered why he had let this movie sit on the shelf at the video store for so long without watching it. I can tell you that I did exactly that because of Tom Cruise featuring so prominently in the movie.
I'm not a fan of Tom Cruise, yet I think that he has done a reasonably good job in this movie and managed to portray David Aames with some sympathy and ability. I think that I would have liked to see someone-else cast in this role, yet I don't know who that would have been. In many ways the David Aames character IS Tom Cruise in terms of being an entitled young man, successful because of who he is not what he can do, and enjoying an life where he is popular and handsome - a life that most of us would love to have.
The movie itself is a like a lazy Sunday afternoon - slow, relaxed and slightly surreal. The pace is a refreshing change from the MTV generation movies with their fast pace and jarring, energetic cut shots that we are used to. Vanilla Sky draws you in and makes you think about what you are seeing, rather than just throwing images at you. And some of what you are seeing and hearing is beautifully thought out and put together.
Probably the biggest fault in my opinion is the cruicial part of the plot. The whole dreamy, romantic-love story relies on a high tech, almost sci-fi explanation. It's a jarring juxtaposition that disturbs and almost distracts from the movie and yet is very crucial because it is the only possible way to explain what has happened.
It is almost an art-house movie that is trying to pretend to be a Hollywood blockbuster. If you can let your guard down for a minute, feel some of the emotions and inner turmoil of the characters, and risk having to think about what you are watching for a change then you'll enjoy Vanilla Sky.
All in all, it is a very enjoyable film, a change from the usual Hollywood fare, that deserves to be watched more than once.