Cameron Crowe knows what the audience wants, the cast deliver it
Disadvantages:
A little too much cheese
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
In 1996, director Cameron Crowe's film Jerry Maguire hit the screens, with the tagline 'Everybody Loved Him ... Everybody Disappeared'. It was nominated for 5 Oscars and is the story of ethics and 'doing the right thing', using the high-powerd financial world of professional sports in the US. It won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
The Plot
Jerry Maguire is the most admired sports agent in the business. Working for the company Sports Management International, every agent wants to be him, every sports agent wants to hire him. Then, it all goes wrong. Maguire has a sudden attack of morals, and loses everything. He gets the sack and then his clients start leaving him one by one until he is left with just one client, Rod Tidwell, a second string american football player for the Arizona Cardinals. With the help of Tidwell, single mum Dorothy Boyd, and Dorothy's son Ray, Jerry starts to rebuild his life and reputation.
The Cast and Performances
Tom Cruise is the title role, and performs admirably in two senses. Firstly, as the smug top of the pile sports agent while he is with Sports Management International, then secondly the desperate down on his luck guy who is a tiny fraction of his former self. Renee Zellweger plays love interest Dorothy Boyd with subtle coyness, and Jonathan Lipnicki gives a fine turn as Ray, Dorothy's inquisitive son. Good support is provided by the rest of teh cast such as Jay Mohr as a rival sports agent, but the star of the show is undoubtedly Cuba Gooding Jr as Tidwell, the football player with attitude. His cocky jock performance won him an Oscar, and it is easy to see why.
My Opinion
This film is pure cheese! It has the lines, the songs and the plot for a classic cheesy 80s film that we used to get. This is perhaps one of the only films of the 1990s to do so, and it gets away with the cheese very well. One-liners such as 'SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!!' and 'You had me at hello!' will stay with people for a long time, and the mere thought of Tom Cruise driving down a country road cranking out Tom Petty's 'Free Falling' at the top of his music somewhat worryingly sends a shiver down my spine, making me want to just smile.
It is a lovely film with some brilliant feel good moments. I rate it as 4 stars.
The film is rated 15, and is available from amazon.co.uk for £4.98 new, £2.99 used.
Thanks for reading.
More details
Soundtrack
Outstanding
How does it compare to others by the same director?
Good
Value for Money
Excellent
What format are you reviewing?
Film only
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