Vanilla Sky stars Tom Cruise Penelope Cruz thriller Spielberg

VANILLA SKY
Stars: Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz, Kurt Russell, Cameraon Diaz
Director: Cameron Crowe
Rated: R
Score: 2/10

"Vanilla Sky" has no taste. Except maybe if you are on crack. Nice performances, but a slow death into the abyss

Let's see, where to begin. Tom Cruise is David Aames, who after his parents death inherited 51% of his father's company. He seems aimless, enjoying his fortune and looks and lifestyle while others envy him & kiss up to him, including his best friend. David is friends with Julie (Diaz), the girl who gives a little nookie but nothing more serious. One evening at a party he is entranced by Sophia (Cruz), a beautiful woman who seems to light up in the room unlike anyone else with her honesty and humor. David instantly falls for her and spends a great evening with her, just talking. The next morning changes his life.

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From here the film takes a more confusing turn when Julie gives David a ride and in a fit-o- rage and jealousy spins their car off of a bridge killing her and severely deforming David's face and arm. After 3 weeks in a coma he awakens to find life is now pain, not only physical but emotional from the complete flip of lifestyle - where once people were drawn to him they are now repelled. He is even repelled by himself, by his realization that businesswise he was a failure and simply enjoyed being a narcissist that he was oblivious to everything else. In this state he cannot stop thinking of Sophia and so he pays her a visit in hopes to win her love. But mind you at this point he's in a state of complete self pity and destructiveness.

The story is told in retrospect, from the beginning we see David in a mask talking to a psychiatrist (Russell) trying to piece together his life from prison. Here's a nice role for Russell tho - I had no idea he was in the film. Because nothing seems certain, everything seems to change as if what's real isn't..or is it? Basically the film introduces confusion midway and doesn't let go until the last gasp of breath. So if you think you're going to have it all figured out..think again. It grows increasingly frustrating to understand what the heck your watching that you lose interest. In some cases this type of film can be mentally invigorating, in this case it may cause seizures. Sometimes it's bad to extend the suspese for that long of a period that the audience loses interest.

Ok, The film starts off interesting enough, the audience is tricked into thinking they're watching a love story turned thriller. Suddenly it's like "Jacob's Ladder" (remember that one?) where you feel like any minute your going to "get it"..but they drag it on until the end before they explain what is going on. So half of the movie feels like a really bad acid trip, because each scene that passes seems to make no absolute sense some scenes so dull that the audience is easily lulled into a coma. I think it might win over some critics but many moviegoers are going to feel jipped, not only for a misleading trailer but the film requires alot of brain exercise...which in the end has some loose ends that were never tied up. I like 'thinkers', this one for all it's running time just didn't have enough kick.

Penelope Cruz once again shows us why the audience likes her. She's not just a pretty face but she's somehow got that sparkle, the audience loves her. Diaz is a good fatal attraction/needy partner for Cruise. I like to see Tom in roles more daring but all that mumbling through the mask began to creep me out..something about that mask made me feel like i was watching a serial killer...Michael Meyers hits a local disco tech? Maybe not. He isn't masked the entire film, part of it we see his deformities..which in comparison to others aren't as grotesque as he seems to see himself.

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Russell was a suprise because I don't remember him in the trailers or pushed as a big name, perhaps that would confuse viewers who thought they were paying for a love movie or an action Cruise flick. But I liked him, and wonder why he doesn't end up in better films. Still, nothing could make this film interesting for me...cruise simply becomes so obnoxious that i really don't care what happens to him. The ending spends too much time explaining. I haven't seen every film release of 2001, but of the ones I have seen, this one is the worst. It had all the right elements, but maybe it's original "Abre Los Ojos" didn't need to be remade. We've suffered enough remakes. Oh yeah...except for the simple fact that American filmmakers think they can take a foreign picture and make their version better...which is pretty much an arrogant way of saying that only an american film can be good. (Just note how often we snub foriegn films from our Best Pic category at Oscar time, giving them their own sub-category)

.....and should "Lola Rennt" ever be remade starring Angelina Jolie and Joaquin Phoenix, you can put me out of my misery...NOW!

This film gets the award for the most misleading trailer of the year!

And "Open your Eyes" is a good catchphrase in the movie, because the subliminal message is to probably wake up viewers who have fallen asleep in their chair. It's a love or hate movie. While some critics may have loved it, that doesn't necessarily confirm a film is a masterpiece.

Surgeon General's Warning:
Watching this film may cause seizures, coma or temporary insanity.

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