Challenging but intriguing

Rating: 8/10 (16 August 2002)

I found this movie to be in turn challenging, frustrating and intriguing. I did feel manipulated by the director, Cameron Crowe, but that is his job. Tom Cruise did a solid job as David Aames, not quite as good as in Minority Report. Penelope Cruz showed limited range, but did have good chemistry with Tom (which later continued offscreen.) Jason Lee was excellent as David's best friend, as was Cameron Diaz as his sometime lover Julie. Kurt Russell was fair as David's psychiatrist. I found the ending a little too tidy. Maybe I should see it again to truly judge it. I would have rather have solved the mystery through the story. The use of music was effective for the most part. The eclectic soundtrack mirrored Cruise's confusion. I was disturbed by the characters' lack of spiritual awareness. There was no questioning of God by David at any time during his ordeal. That just accentuated his superficiality. Sophia, meaning "divine wisdom" was supposed to fill that void in his life. That could have been better developed. The movie could have been edited better, especially in the first half. I'd say it is most similar to the Matrix and the Sixth Sense, which deal with similar themes of ontology.