Vanilla Sky - 2001 (R)

Actors: Tom Cruise, Penélope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Kurt Russell
Director: Cameron Crowe
Reviewed: 17 May 2005



This movie is actually a remake of a Spanish film, Abre Los Ojos (Open Your Eyes). It's just an
all-around crazy movie, jumping back and forth between what's 'real' and what's a dream. Tom
Cruise is a guy who has it all, until he meets this girl (Cruz). when he falls for her, his old
flame (Diaz) goes psycho on him and drives them off of a bridge. He is consequently disfigured,
wakes up confused, and is soon blamed for killing someone. The movie shifts between the sessions
with his psychiatrist (Russell) and what he thinks happened. Compounding the weirdness is a latex
mask he has to wear to hide his disfigurement, which always reminds me of Mike Myers from 
Halloween. He tries to sort things out in his head, but everything is haywire, and the girl
he goes to sleep with might not be the one he wakes up with the next morning. We follow him 
through his memories, trying to find out the truth. However, I found the truth to be ultimately
disappointing. It's like the guy pulled a "mind-bending" climax out of his ass, and somehow it
stuck. SPOILING KIND OF: If you've seen Eternal Sunshine, it will be all too familiar. I won't
let that take away from it too much, because it is a neat little movie, but I don't know if I
would recommend it to the average viewer. See it only if you have a knack for weird, pseudo-
intellectual-but-at-the-same-time-ridiculous plotlines. 

SCORE: 6/10

GOOD QUOTE
-Good things will happen if you are a good person with a good attitude, don't you think? 

BAD QUOTE
-I'll tell you in another life, when we are both cats. 
-And I know sour, which allows me to appreciate the sweet. 
-What is any life without the pursuit of a dream?