Saturday, April 12, 2008

In Defense of Tom Cruise


(Respect the cock).

I know what I'm going to say next is a little controversial, but here goes:

Everybody hates Tom Cruise. Except me.

Say what you will, but he's a good actor.

I guess his upcoming Nazi movie "Valkyrie" is going to be a massive flop, so I just wanted to get this on the record ahead of time.

(wow, that fake eyepatch suggests this is a Nazi with hidden depths. Now I'm so intrigued I can't *wait* to see the film!)




I'm totally indifferent to Tom Cruise as a person, as I am to most celebrities, because I don't know him (them). Maybe I'm even a little bit predisposed to dislike Cruise because of the ambient hostility toward him out there.

I also don't care for Scientology, from what I know of it, and I'd say I'm aware of the basics.

But that's irrelevant to me since he never tried to recruit me for it, any more than John Travolta has.



I really don't give a damn what religion any actor is, as long as they are capable of delivering their lines and making facial expressions that more or less match up with what they are saying.

The only person who I can think of in Hollywood who I actually dislike on religious grounds is Mel Gibson _ and not even because of "The Passion of the Christ." I didn't like the movie, but nobody forced me to watch it. What I don't like is that he's a bigot (see: drunken tirade against Jews).

(i am spencer.com)

But I digress. Tom Cruise. Say what you will, but he's a good actor.

Like clockwork, time in time out, he produces credible performances. Sometimes he repeats himself, as in Risky Business = All The Right Moves = Top Gun = Cocktail = whatever that race-car movie I didn't see was called.

But how many times have we seen Robert DeNiro as a tough guy, or Al Pacino doing his schtick? At least, at least they do it well.

And then there are Tom Cruise's good films: Magnolia. Jerry Maguire. A Few Good Men. Rain Man.



And his mediocre roles in pretty good movies: Vanilla Sky. Eyes Wide Shut. Minority Report. War of the Worlds. Born on the 4th of July. Color of Money. The Outsiders.

I never saw any of the "Mission Impossible" movies but whatever. I know there are some embarrassments out there (The Last Samurai). But the point is, he's a functioning, credible actor.

Now compare him to say, Keanu Reeves, who is about equally famous. But as far as I can see, Keanu Reeves' career has consisted of

a) stinking up otherwise good films (Dangerous Liasons, The Matrix, Much Ado About Nothing).
b) stinking up mediocre films (Speed)
c) stinking up presumably crappy films I never heard of (see IMDB)

(emperor dalek)

I have to put "Point Break" and "My Own Private Idaho," which I never saw, into category a), given that I've heard they are good.

In my estimation, the only role I ever saw Keanu Reeves in which he was credible was as Ted (or was it Bill?) in 'Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure.'

Apart from being good looking, how does he get cast? I mean, to put it bluntly, whose **** does Keanu Reeves suck that he keeps getting cast?

Here's a list of Keanu Reeve's awards/nominations.
Here are Tom Cruise's.



In order to demonstrate I'm not a misogynist, I'll mention Andie McDowell as another Keanu Reeves type. Looks...okay, but can't credibly display any other emotion than mild disappointment.



Meanwhile, everyone *hates* Tom Cruise.

But me, I say, grow up. At least Tom Cruise can act.

The time you spend hating him would be better spent writing your congressman (woman) and asking that Keanu Reeves and Andie McDowell not be cast in any movies anymore.

Furthermore, "De Gustibus Non Disputandum Est." That's Latin for "Even if Brad Pitt is better, Tom Cruise isn't that bad, so suck it up."


5 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's a good thing your "estimation" of Keanu Reeves doesn't quite match up to mine, because he certainly deserves better than your stereotypical rambling.

Toby Sterling said...

@anonymous I don't think saying "he stinks" is incoherent. But let's hear the other side. What are his excellent qualities that have escaped me? The transparently false deep voice? The serious, but slightly blank stare? Tell me.

Anonymous said...

Tom has a bomb in that suitcase. I think the detonator is hidden behind the eyepatch. Or maybe an e-meter.

Laura K. said...

LOVED the Mission Impossible movies, DEF recommend you see them! Also loved him in the vampire movie but crud, I forget the title and can't be bothered to look it up :P I saw War of the Worlds because I'm a fan of Dakota Fanning and all I could say is that Tom has hit the 'overactor' category with that. But I did really enjoy Minority Report, it made you think a lot which is always good.

anney said...

i'm agree...i don't care about tom cruise's religion he is a pretty good actor with some amazing movies...i think is very childish to judge a people without even know it them, also he is very handsome