Uneven but different.

Rating: Null/10 (16 December 2001)

At least writer/director Cameron Crowe is to be given an 'e' for effort. He does bring emotion to this film and its genuine strength is in its acting. Tom Cruise gives an Oscar worthy performance and Cameron Diaz and Kurt Russell are exceptional also. Penelope Cruz hurts the film as she is only a pretty little thing striving to swim with the big fish but is not quite able to keep up. Jason Lee turns in a good performance as Cruise's best friend and from 'Jerry Maguire' to 'Almost Famous' to 'Vanilla Sky', this is Crowe's weakest film but still one worth viewing only once although it is very difficult to follow and if you like the film enough, you may need many viewings to figure out everything because the film shifts around so much. Perhaps a bit too much.