Who would’ve thought back in 1996 that twenty years later, we would be seeing the fifth installment of the Mission: Impossible franchise? And Tom Cruise, who is just a few years shy of my parents’ age (!?!?) would still be kicking major butt?
For my generation, Tom Cruise is the quintessential movie star. He can fly planes and race cars, he can get any girl, he can save any day, and he can blind you with his enormous toothy grin. Though he has had some misses along with his many hits, he has evolved nicely as an actor, and his resume will ultimately be one of the most diverse of any actor in recent history. What else about Tom?
He is always running. All the time.
He is intensely devoted to his roles. But it also leads him to over-acting in a way that only Tom can. It’s a strange ability which endears him to us, like we respect his effort, and we don’t mind that his crying and yelling can look ridiculous. He’ll never be Daniel Day-Lewis, and that’s fine with us. Because Daniel Day-Lewis could never be Tom Cruise.
He somehow seems to be getting more handsome as he gets older. (To recognize how amazing this is, do a quick Google search of his Top Gun co-star Kelly McGillis, who is only five years older than Cruise, but looks like she could be his mother. Yikes.) If I could have one celebrity’s hair, it would be Tom’s. My jealousy knows no bounds on this point.
He is bat-poop insane. Seriously, head over to YouTube and search “Tom Cruise crazy.” You’ll be busy for a while.
But in honor of this Friday’s release of Mission: Impossible--Rogue Nation, Grantland has devoted the week to Tom Cruise. There is a fun podcast of Cruise’s greatest scenes, a bracket breakdown of his best roles, and other articles highlighting the weird and wonderful megastar.
This has inspired me to list my top-five Tom Cruise characters. Ethan Hunt doesn’t quite make the cut (along with Mitch McDeere, Cole Trickle, William Cage, Stef Djordjevic, or Joel Goodson), but there’s plenty of Tom to go around:
1. Frank Mackey (Magnolia) Tom sheds his previous romantic hero role in Jerry Maguire to be a misogynist maniac with daddy issues and tight pants. Should’ve won the Oscar, but lost to the underwhelming Michael Caine.
2. Pete Mitchell (Top Gun) I must have watched this movie a thousand times as a kid. And though he wears jeans while playing volleyball, he is the cockiest and coolest guy ever to be accompanied by a Kenny Loggins song. Talk to me, Goose. And suck it, Russians.
3. Daniel Kaffee (A Few Good Men) You can’t handle the truth, but you can handle Tom sticking it to Jack Nicholson. Tom at his pretty boy best.
4. Charlie Babbitt (Rain Man) While Dustin Hoffman won the Oscar for his portrayal of autism, Cruise is often criminally overlooked for his excellent role as the selfish, hustling brother who has to be taught a lesson in patience and family.
5. Vincent Lauria (The Color of Money) Tom being Tom. He’s young, brash, supremely talented, and in order to learn about the world, has to face the one guy cooler than he is, Paul Newman.
Honorable Mentions:
Jerry Maguire (Jerry Maguire) This is a role that makes all women between 30 and 50 melt, and “You complete me,” is one of the worst lines ever spoken by anyone ever. But I can get on board with sentimental sap from time to time.
Ron Kovic (Born on the Fourth of July) Cruise takes on war and disability and earns his first Oscar nom. Points deducted for affiliating with Oliver Stone, points added for an epic mustache.
Les Grossman (Tropic Thunder) I love when glamorous celebs are willing to look like idiots and laugh at themselves. Cruise is vulgar and hairy and awesome here. And more superstars need to follow his lead in roles like this.
What are your top Tom moments? Enjoy Rogue Nation, and check out my review of the film here on Monday.
For my generation, Tom Cruise is the quintessential movie star. He can fly planes and race cars, he can get any girl, he can save any day, and he can blind you with his enormous toothy grin. Though he has had some misses along with his many hits, he has evolved nicely as an actor, and his resume will ultimately be one of the most diverse of any actor in recent history. What else about Tom?
He is always running. All the time.
He is intensely devoted to his roles. But it also leads him to over-acting in a way that only Tom can. It’s a strange ability which endears him to us, like we respect his effort, and we don’t mind that his crying and yelling can look ridiculous. He’ll never be Daniel Day-Lewis, and that’s fine with us. Because Daniel Day-Lewis could never be Tom Cruise.
He somehow seems to be getting more handsome as he gets older. (To recognize how amazing this is, do a quick Google search of his Top Gun co-star Kelly McGillis, who is only five years older than Cruise, but looks like she could be his mother. Yikes.) If I could have one celebrity’s hair, it would be Tom’s. My jealousy knows no bounds on this point.
He is bat-poop insane. Seriously, head over to YouTube and search “Tom Cruise crazy.” You’ll be busy for a while.
But in honor of this Friday’s release of Mission: Impossible--Rogue Nation, Grantland has devoted the week to Tom Cruise. There is a fun podcast of Cruise’s greatest scenes, a bracket breakdown of his best roles, and other articles highlighting the weird and wonderful megastar.
This has inspired me to list my top-five Tom Cruise characters. Ethan Hunt doesn’t quite make the cut (along with Mitch McDeere, Cole Trickle, William Cage, Stef Djordjevic, or Joel Goodson), but there’s plenty of Tom to go around:
1. Frank Mackey (Magnolia) Tom sheds his previous romantic hero role in Jerry Maguire to be a misogynist maniac with daddy issues and tight pants. Should’ve won the Oscar, but lost to the underwhelming Michael Caine.
2. Pete Mitchell (Top Gun) I must have watched this movie a thousand times as a kid. And though he wears jeans while playing volleyball, he is the cockiest and coolest guy ever to be accompanied by a Kenny Loggins song. Talk to me, Goose. And suck it, Russians.
3. Daniel Kaffee (A Few Good Men) You can’t handle the truth, but you can handle Tom sticking it to Jack Nicholson. Tom at his pretty boy best.
4. Charlie Babbitt (Rain Man) While Dustin Hoffman won the Oscar for his portrayal of autism, Cruise is often criminally overlooked for his excellent role as the selfish, hustling brother who has to be taught a lesson in patience and family.
5. Vincent Lauria (The Color of Money) Tom being Tom. He’s young, brash, supremely talented, and in order to learn about the world, has to face the one guy cooler than he is, Paul Newman.
Honorable Mentions:
Jerry Maguire (Jerry Maguire) This is a role that makes all women between 30 and 50 melt, and “You complete me,” is one of the worst lines ever spoken by anyone ever. But I can get on board with sentimental sap from time to time.
Ron Kovic (Born on the Fourth of July) Cruise takes on war and disability and earns his first Oscar nom. Points deducted for affiliating with Oliver Stone, points added for an epic mustache.
Les Grossman (Tropic Thunder) I love when glamorous celebs are willing to look like idiots and laugh at themselves. Cruise is vulgar and hairy and awesome here. And more superstars need to follow his lead in roles like this.
What are your top Tom moments? Enjoy Rogue Nation, and check out my review of the film here on Monday.