Fierce Anticipation: June 25-27
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a blogumn by Ryan Dixon
Fiercely Anticipating
Tom Cruise in Knight and Day
I come to praise Tom Cruise, not to bury him. That I can present you with this brief, but spirited defense, is due to one major reason: I used to work for the man. If you’ve spent any time employed in the entertainment industry, it will come as no surprise that Hollywood loves cranking out horror films. What’s unexpected to those on the outside looking in is the fact that, more often than not, working at an agency, production company or studio often provides the inspiration for those films. And the Freddy Krueger’s who prowl the feng-shuied halls are the A-listers, those 800lb gorillas– whether they be directors, producers or actors — who love to beat their chests at even the slightest disturbance.
Compared to most, Tom Cruise (or TC as he was referred to by us at work) is a proverbial King Kong, yet in the six months I worked at his production company and, from what I heard afterwards by the employees I kept in touch with, the man with the supernova smile was nothing but a consummate gentleman. In fact, I would go so far as to say that one would be hard pressed in finding a boss, with approximately 400 billion times the wealth and fame of those working under him, who had a better relationship with his employees.
Whenever TC was in the office he made a concerted effort to be pleasant and attentive to all of us who were killing ourselves for the betterment of his career. When he talked to you, he had a laser-like focus that is missing from the vast majority of middle managers over-populating office parks across the country. But if you think being a former employee biases me, then let me ask you this, TC trashers: What exactly do you hate about Tom Cruise?
Let’s be honest, if Tom Cruise were an athlete he would be placed on such a high pedestal that even Andre the Giant couldn’t touch him. The characteristics he’s endowed with (professionalism, studiousness, suffocating religiosity) are the same ones that are far-too-often unabashedly celebrated by sports writers, yet they are often the major mocking points wielded by the Cruisemies.
Take his religion, Scientology, for example. Like almost all religions, I have little respect for its exegesis, but despite a few questionable incidents during the publicity tour for Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds, has TC ever publicly wielded his faith in a way to even remotely embarrass himself? No.
So then why is someone like Tim Tebow praised on high for harping about Jesus more than the pre-decapitated St. John the Baptist while Cruise is crucified for arguing with Matt Lauer? Let’s face the hard fact that we atheists have known all along: On the believability scale, there’s really no difference between angels and aliens.
And if you proclaim to hate Cruise’s movies, which ones exactly do you hate? Jerry Maguire? Minority Report? A Few Good Men? Magnolia? Collateral? Tropic Thunder? Do you really want me to go on? Sure, there’s the occasional Last Samurai or Vanilla Sky, but I challenge anyone to argue that those films are truly terrible rather than well-intentioned artistic misfires. A brief look at the CV’s of the directors TC has worked with makes it clear that he’s interested in delivering a quality product to the movie going public, something very few actors share as a priority (See the “Wouldn’t Go If you Paid Me” section for five unfortunate examples.)
So, for you TC haters out there, when someone asks you this weekend whether or not you want to see Knight and Day, before you reply saying that you’d never see it because he’s in it, take this under consideration: With the possible exception of Tom Hanks, is there any other star you’d rather want to raise as a child?
Kinda Wanna See
(Due to construction, this section is currently closed. It will reopen next Friday.)
Wouldn’t See It If You Paid Me
Grown Ups
Before I leave you to your weekend, let’s take a quick quiz. After watching this trailer for Grown Ups, what do you think is the most likely reason this movie was made:
A. Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade and Rob Schneider were so enthralled and emotionally devastated by the script that they all agreed to add to the betterment of cinema by starring in it?
B. Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade and Rob Schneider were so jealous that the Oceans crew of Clooney, Pitt, Damon et al kept getting to spend their shooting days at paradisiacal resorts that they wanted their own vacation that doubled as principal photography?
C. Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade and Rob Schneider agreed to make Grown Ups because Sony was willing to pay them a shitload of money?
D. All of the Above
E. None of the Above
F. Some combination of B,C and D
Please provide your answers in the comments section below.
P.S. If you’re having trouble figuring out the answer, then follow me on Twitter and I will tell you. You can find me @ryanbdixon
Tom Cruise Top Gun Image Credit: PVBroadz
Tshirt Image Credit: [AndreA]
I think the issue with Tom Cruise is that prior to his couch jumping declarations of love, telling Matt Lauer he is being glib and buying sonogram machines for america's sweetheart whom he allegedly impregnated and held captive in his home and had his contracted ended by a major Hollywood studio is that we loved him for the not real him. He was that guy! Who else would we want dancing around in our living room in a pair of tighty whiteys and riding on the back of a Harley?
But then he decided to show us who he really was and well we just couldn't handle it. It was too much. Maybe if he hadn't given it too us all at once? Now that he is holding back again and trying to be that guy we thought we knew and adored…we just don't know when he might decide to jump on the couch again. It is hard to build that kind of trust back in a relationship after you have been betrayed. Although, if Mariah can come back from having a record label pay her off to end her contract, being hospitalized from exhaustion and Glitter then just maybe their might be some hope out there for TC…
Great point, Kim! If Mariah can come back in both music AND film, then anyone, with the possible exception of Adolph Hitler and Jesse James, can too.
I think the issue with Tom Cruise is that prior to his couch jumping declarations of love, telling Matt Lauer he is being glib and buying sonogram machines for america's sweetheart whom he allegedly impregnated and held captive in his home and had his contracted ended by a major Hollywood studio is that we loved him for the not real him. He was that guy! Who else would we want dancing around in our living room in a pair of tighty whiteys and riding on the back of a Harley?
But then he decided to show us who he really was and well we just couldn't handle it. It was too much. Maybe if he hadn't given it too us all at once? Now that he is holding back again and trying to be that guy we thought we knew and adored…we just don't know when he might decide to jump on the couch again. It is hard to build that kind of trust back in a relationship after you have been betrayed. Although, if Mariah can come back from having a record label pay her off to end her contract, being hospitalized from exhaustion and Glitter then just maybe their might be some hope out there for TC…
Great point, Kim! If Mariah can come back in both music AND film, then anyone, with the possible exception of Adolph Hitler and Jesse James, can too.
Tom Cruise will be back. Not with Knight and Day, because no one will see it. Next week when Twilight comes out it'll push Knight and Day even further down the list, and the rest of summer will be filled with things people would rather see. And because of this there will possibly/hopefully not be a Mission Impossible 4. So that means that Tom Cruise will be forced to do something genuinely interesting to get us to go see a movie. The only thing people love more than celebrity-hating is a comeback. It's harder, but they pay off is so much larger.
re: Grown Ups–from the nytimes review–"More and more nowadays, this seems to be the contemptuous way of Hollywood. Why bother with craft if audiences don’t seem to notice its absence?"
We'll see how it does this weekend.
Great point, John! Though I had very high hopes for KNIGHT AND DAY, it seems now that they will not be met. Mission Impossible 4 is still up in the air, by the idea of Pixar's Brad Bird (who also directed The Iron Giant) helming it gives me some hope. I agree though, that for him to come back fully he needs to do something genuinely interesting along the lines of Magnolia, but with more mainstream appeal. Whether this will happen or not remains to be seen, but I certainly hope it does.
Tom Cruise will be back. Not with Knight and Day, because no one will see it. Next week when Twilight comes out it'll push Knight and Day even further down the list, and the rest of summer will be filled with things people would rather see. And because of this there will possibly/hopefully not be a Mission Impossible 4. So that means that Tom Cruise will be forced to do something genuinely interesting to get us to go see a movie. The only thing people love more than celebrity-hating is a comeback. It's harder, but they pay off is so much larger.
re: Grown Ups–from the nytimes review–"More and more nowadays, this seems to be the contemptuous way of Hollywood. Why bother with craft if audiences don’t seem to notice its absence?"
We'll see how it does this weekend.
Great point, John! Though I had very high hopes for KNIGHT AND DAY, it seems now that they will not be met. Mission Impossible 4 is still up in the air, by the idea of Pixar's Brad Bird (who also directed The Iron Giant) helming it gives me some hope. I agree though, that for him to come back fully he needs to do something genuinely interesting along the lines of Magnolia, but with more mainstream appeal. Whether this will happen or not remains to be seen, but I certainly hope it does.
So, I open myself up to bashing, but I am not a fan of Tom Cruise. While his Scientology push was a little over the top during War of the Worlds, I feel that his acting career has gone down in the last few years.
Maybe it’s the roles he’s getting offered, but his characters really feel flat. Kind of a let’s move on to the next scene and over-emphasize my next line. In Top Gun and All the Right Moves, he felt like a perfect character. But, take War of the Worlds or Tropic Thunder and I don’t see a character, I simply see Tom Cruise. I feel, that he needs to work on his character development a little more.
As for your last question — my answer is F. What is the prize?
Congratulations Jersey Joe, you win! Your grand prize is a free hard copy of this blogumn!
So, I open myself up to bashing, but I am not a fan of Tom Cruise. While his Scientology push was a little over the top during War of the Worlds, I feel that his acting career has gone down in the last few years.
Maybe it’s the roles he’s getting offered, but his characters really feel flat. Kind of a let’s move on to the next scene and over-emphasize my next line. In Top Gun and All the Right Moves, he felt like a perfect character. But, take War of the Worlds or Tropic Thunder and I don’t see a character, I simply see Tom Cruise. I feel, that he needs to work on his character development a little more.
As for your last question — my answer is F. What is the prize?
Congratulations Jersey Joe, you win! Your grand prize is a free hard copy of this blogumn!
I like the anti-establishment / anti-we-hate-Tom-let's-be-politically-correct tone of the piece. That said, whether Mr. Cruise is a rotten tomato, his stock is rising or plummeting, or he's a jerk or whatever… eh, I'm not interested enough to even finish the sentence. (Okay, I finished the sentence.) But let’s give credit where it’s due:
I knew almost nothing about Tropic Thunder when I put the DVD in my player and my wife and I sat down to watch. Halfway through the film I started to think, Wait a second, I know that actor. Who is that?! It was bothering me, and then finally–I don't remember which part of the movie–it hit me like a bolt of… tropic lightning. I asked my wife to guess who it was, she had no idea, and then I told her. It was TC playing a mean, balding, fat guy! And his dance during the credits? Brilliant. So, my hat's off to Mr. Cruise for beautifully playing against type (and apparently he's not the mean SOB in real life, in his production company). Pretty rare to see an actor so thoroughly transform him or herself. (I could start talking about Daniel Day Lewis, but that would truly be tedious.)
And thank you, Ryan, for unabashedly proclaiming your atheism. I remember listening to NPR many years ago and hearing a Catholic priest criticizing Scientology when John Travolta’s big Scientology movie came out. I probably screamed at the radio: "And you yourself believe what?!" Aliens make no sense, but immaculate conception and rising-from-the-dead you can accept? Oy gevalt.
I will close with a quote by Stephen Henry Roberts: "I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours."
Good night.
Hi Josh,
You'll be happy to hear that Ben Stiller and Tom Cruise are developing a "Les Grossman" movie. While his MTV movie award appearances were brilliant, I wonder if a feature film would be a case of overkill.
And thank you for sharing the Roberts quote, I wish I could somehow abridge it and make it fit on a vanity plate.
I like the anti-establishment / anti-we-hate-Tom-let's-be-politically-correct tone of the piece. That said, whether Mr. Cruise is a rotten tomato, his stock is rising or plummeting, or he's a jerk or whatever… eh, I'm not interested enough to even finish the sentence. (Okay, I finished the sentence.) But let’s give credit where it’s due:
I knew almost nothing about Tropic Thunder when I put the DVD in my player and my wife and I sat down to watch. Halfway through the film I started to think, Wait a second, I know that actor. Who is that?! It was bothering me, and then finally–I don't remember which part of the movie–it hit me like a bolt of… tropic lightning. I asked my wife to guess who it was, she had no idea, and then I told her. It was TC playing a mean, balding, fat guy! And his dance during the credits? Brilliant. So, my hat's off to Mr. Cruise for beautifully playing against type (and apparently he's not the mean SOB in real life, in his production company). Pretty rare to see an actor so thoroughly transform him or herself. (I could start talking about Daniel Day Lewis, but that would truly be tedious.)
And thank you, Ryan, for unabashedly proclaiming your atheism. I remember listening to NPR many years ago and hearing a Catholic priest criticizing Scientology when John Travolta’s big Scientology movie came out. I probably screamed at the radio: "And you yourself believe what?!" Aliens make no sense, but immaculate conception and rising-from-the-dead you can accept? Oy gevalt.
I will close with a quote by Stephen Henry Roberts: "I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours."
Good night.
Hi Josh,
You'll be happy to hear that Ben Stiller and Tom Cruise are developing a "Les Grossman" movie. While his MTV movie award appearances were brilliant, I wonder if a feature film would be a case of overkill.
And thank you for sharing the Roberts quote, I wish I could somehow abridge it and make it fit on a vanity plate.