Vanilla Sky (10-Dec-2001)
Director: Cameron Crowe Writer: Cameron Crowe Music by: Nancy Wilson Producers: Tom Cruise; Paula Wagner; Cameron Crowe Keywords: Mystery, Romantic Comedy, New York A well-to-do publisher struggles to maintain a firm grip on his sanity following a car accident with an embattled lover.
ABSTRACT Remake of Open Your Eyes (1997). Publishing tycoon-cum-womanizer David Aames agrees to go for a ride with jaded lover Julie Gianni one fateful day, unaware of her suicidal intent; sure enough, Julie drives her car off a bridge, killing herself and severely disfiguring David's face. Though David initially succeeds at piecing his life back together through reconstructive surgery and the emotional support of new love interest Sofia, he soon becomes party to a series of increasingly troubling events leading him to question his connection with reality, an ordeal ultimately ending in his incarceration after he is suspected of complicity in his dead lover's demise.
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CAST Tom Cruise | ... David Aames | | Penelope Cruz | ... Sofia Serrano | Kurt Russell | ... McCabe | Jason Lee | ... Brian Shelby | Noah Taylor | ... Edmund Ventura | Timothy Spall | ... Thomas Tipp | Tilda Swinton | ... Rebecca Dearborn | | and | Cameron Diaz | ... Julie Gianni | | Alicia Witt | ... Libby | Johnny Galecki | ... Peter Brown | Michael Shannon | ... Aaron | | Delaina Mitchell | ... David's Assistant | Shalom Harlow | ... Colleen | Oona Hart | ... Lynette | Ivana Milicevic | ... Emma | Jhaemi Willens | ... Jamie Berliner | Armand Schultz | ... Dr. Pomeranz | Cameron Watson | ... Other Doctor | Robertson Dean | ... Third Doctor | W. Earl Brown | ... Barman | Ray Proscia | ... Doctor from Berlin | Tim Hopper | ... Man in Blue Coat | Ken Leung | ... Art Editor | Carolyn Byrne | ... Beatrice | Mark Pinter | ... Carlton Kaller | Jeff Weiss | ... Raymond Tooley | Conan O'Brien | ... Himself | Jim Murtaugh | ... Benny's Owner | Mark Kozelek | ... Dude, Fix Your Face Guy | John Fedevich | ... Silent Ed Vallencourt | Bobby Walsh | ... Young David | Stacey Sher | ... Rayna | Fred Schruers | ... Cryo Man | Jessica Siemens | ... Sofia's Friend | Julia Carothers Hughes | ... Sofia's Friend | Holly Raye | ... Dancer | Marty Collins | ... Martini Waiter | Mark Bramhall | ... Sneezy | Jack Hall | ... Bashful | David Lewison | ... Sleepy | Jennifer Griffin | ... Happy | Adam LeGrant | ... Doc | John Kepley | ... Dopey | Robin Van Sharner | ... Grumpy | Laurel Wiley | ... Dr. Jennifer Ash | Nicole Taylor Hart | ... Party Videographer | Julia Anne Shuler | ... Model | Jennifer Marie Kelley | ... Model | Erin McElmurry | ... Model | Alice Crowe | ... Lucid Dreamer | Mel Thompson | ... Life Extension Man | Jonathan Sanger | ... Frozen Pediatric Cardiologist | Tommy Lee | ... Frozen Vintage Car Man | Ana Maria Quintana | ... Frozen Theologist | Paul Haggar | ... Frozen Risktaker | Randy Woodside | ... Frozen Dad | Robert F. Harrison | ... Laughing Guy | Carly Starr Brullo Niles | ... Carly | Jane Pratt | ... Herself | Patrick McMullen | ... Himself | Steven Colvin | ... Himself | Cindy Crowe | ... Herself | The Great John Sypolt | ... Himself | Michael Kehoe | ... Chef | Danielle Wolf | ... Coat Check Girl | Scotch Ellis Loring | ... L. E. Building Guard | Brent Sexton | ... Security Guard | Curt Skaggs | ... Security Guard | Jennifer Gimenez | ... Lola | Lori Lezama | ... Skyscraper Girl | Todd Harrison | ... Skyscraper Guy | Blossom | ... Benny the Dog | Laura Fraser | ... The Future |
REVIEWS Review by Michael Lesch (posted on 10-Jul-2009) A film which makes an attempt to pattern itself on the fantasy vs. reality films that had become popular at the turn of the new millennium - David Fichner's "Fight Club" and M. Night Shamalan's "Sixth Sense" both from 1999, Christopher Nolan's "Momento" from 2000, and David Lynch's "Mulholland Drive" released the following year (all of which don't surpass the reigning king of this genre when Terry Gilliam released his 1985 masterpiece "Brazil") - by no means fails in this respect since I found it both entertaining and intriguing for the most part, but is noticeably long and certainly may confuse the average '2hr-max-movie-goer'. Penelope Cruz and Cameron Diaz both stand out playing their respective, 'good gal/bad gal roles and Jason Lee is quite appealing as the best friend of our dashing lead Tom Cruise. Yet Cruise may be viewed as stretching this performance given the physical challenges that are demanded. I hesitate to reveal these challenges to those that have not seen the picture as they are indeed the focal point of the plot. Many good things like the witty Cameron Crowe retrospective soundtrack that is weaved into clever culture references and tributes which are indeed enjoyable and even necessary to solve the riddle presented in 'what's is going on?' scenario of the main character's pressing dilemma which may not be easy to access with a single viewing. But still the ride can be entertaining as Tom runs away and into trouble as he often does in quasi-action films that are laced with mystery and intrigue like Sydney Pollack's 1993 "The Firm", Brian De Palma's 1996 "Mission Impossible" and even the more cerebrally dark, "Eyes Wide Shut" from Stanley Kubrick. As noted by many educated critics as well as the tasteless tabloids Mr. Cruise may be biting off more than he can chew as he dives into the land of independent production. I applaud Tom for his efforts and are rooting for his 'comeback' yet do believe that his choice for future roles should include a return to comedic territory as a deviation/diversion to selecting elaborate/complicated efforts which could be prove a bit too risky and result in a poor reception at the box office.
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