cruise:fear of commitment/guilt driven phantasy...maybe...

Rating: Null/10 (21 December 2003)

FOR READERS WHO SAW THE MOVIE I just watched Vanilla Sky after i realised who the director was (i had very low motivation to see it 'cause on the surface it seemed to be just a love story between the two cruizes((who were dating at the time??)(O.K. i had no info whatsoever about it).And that title (from some cool song in the film I now know)seemed so flaky, I was sure the movie would be like Autumn in New York or some cr*p Well, i really had a rough night, and had to find out more about the surrealistic twists and turns, so here is my take on the film (and i hope someone will comment cause i could be wrong). The whole thing CANNOT be considered some weird phantasmagoria! Cruz was only a catalyst or agent for Cruise's pathology...Basically my impression is this: Cruise could not commit to the relationship with Diaz,whom he really did love. He used his bestfriend's love interest at his birthday party(what better day to be selfish and egoistic) as a way to pull/distance himself from Diaz. O.K.? Now,Diaz dies. Cruise is disfigured. Best friend continues to date Cruz. After surviving the accident, the shock causes a psychosis wherein he creates a crime, a purgatory, and an imaginary dream world of a relationship with Cruz. guilt causes him to blame himself(If he had not been so cruel...)The mask is worn to hide his shame and the evidence/reminder of the traumatic event,only partially is he embarrassed about losing his perfect looks. Denial causes him to substitute the love he had for Diaz and transfer it onto Cruz. He is not willing to accept the truth and the loss of the woman he loved. In the nightclub he prefers to drink himself into oblivion with the bartender, and can only be cynical and cruel to Cruz.The love/pillow suffocation scene where he cannot accept the truth that is trying to break thru in his mind, to a point where he is willing to kill to escape. How can he (selfish and strong) love the stalker(selfish but weak)?? Did he die in the car crash?no Did he die of medication overdose?no Did he die from the skyscraper fall?no (No because of that sh*t about being frozen, and the final open eye). At the end I initially thought he woke up in heaven or something (rejoining his true love...Diaz?). Of course, it could be that he was just a shallow playboy(with no feelings of love for anyone other than himself) who could not live with his crippled body and disfigurement, and was attached to Cruz because she was his last prospect before the accident...but why wouldn't he seek out past girlfriends instead?? I should say that i really like Cruz and her latin looks much more than the cute northern blonde Diaz, AND this helped me to accept Diaz as the unstable selfish stalker. AND, i really wanted the love at first sight birthday party encounter to stick and grow. But the tears flowed when i felt empathy for the love he lost with Diaz. What do you think...?