Vanilla Sky (2001)
Grade: A-
Actors: Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Jason Lee, and Kurt Russell
Director: Cameron Crowe
Rated R for language, violence, nudity, and sex


After just one viewing, it is safe to say that "Vanilly Sky" is unlike any Hollywood produced-widely released film you're likely to say this year. Made with creativity and suspense to spare, "Vanilla Sky" earns it's spot upon my list of favorite thrillers. The whole thing about this film however, is that it's a remake of another fine film by director Alejandro Amenabar (writer/director of "The Others") named "Abre Los Ojos" ("Open Your Eyes").

"Ojos" started out as a film that played at the Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews and audiences. The film also caught the eye of American actor and producer Tom Cruise. Wanting to do another film with writer/director Cameron Crowe ("Almost Famous") after "Jerry Maguire", he showed the film to Crowe in a private screening. They both loved the it so much that they decided to remake it for American audiences.

Tom Cruise portrays David Aames, a magazine publishing playboy who prides himself on having not slept with the same woman twice. That all changes when he becomes "friends" with Julie Gianni (Cameron Diaz), who he had sex with four times in one night, not to mention other single occasions. She is growing clingy and annoying though, so it's time to throw her out like yesterday's garbage. Imagine his surprise then when she shows up at his birthday party sans clothes and uninvited. After turning her down and returning to the party, he sees her sulking around drinking a martini.

This is also the fateful night when David meets Sophia (Penelope Cruz), his friend Brian's (Jason Lee) date for the evening. He eventually woos her and falls in love. The two couldn't be more different, but somehow they share some form of a union. After just one evening though, things take a turn for the worst as David gets into a car with Julia who's just beside herself with rage that he won't make a committment to her. She reveals her secret feelings and then asks him if he believes in God. And with that, she steers the car over the side of a bridge, murdering herself and disfiguring David's face.

David is now living in a world of self pity. He won't let anyone see him and he won't function. He seems to have gone mad. He semi-reconciles with Sophia, but Brian won't have it. He sets David straight on his behavior and it seems as if Sophia is gone for good. I really can't say much more except that David is soon charged with murder and that Sophia and Julie seem to take up the hobby of switching personalities (kind of like in "Mulholland Drive").

Crowe refers to "Vanilla" as his cover of "Ojos", using the analogy of a cover band. Like a cover song, some of the same elements are used, and some differnt ones are, too. Here, it's the opening sequence, the plot itself, the ending, and Penelope Cruz reprising her role as Sophia, the love interest to Cruise's David in "Vanilla" and Noriega's Cesar in "Ojos" that are being recycled. However, we get to know David better than we did Cesar and Cameron Diaz's role is sufficiently larger than Najwa Nimri's in the original.

The thing that hinders the films success is the chemistry of the film's leads. Cruise and Cruz at first have palpable, tangible chemistry but as the film progresses, this diminishes greatly. That's just how the film goes. When the two first meet, they are high on each other's personalities. They are madly smitten, but after the accident and David's weird, sudden change in personality she is less taken with him. She no longer wants to be around him and becomes cold. Certainly understandable, but people want to make so much of the fact that Cruise and Cruz are now dating and should have this amazing chemistry when the fact is that they are not looking at the movie and the situations within it that hold back the characters from being as they are in real life.

This movie doesn't got for realism. This film goes for fantasy and science fiction with a little romance and suspense mixed in. How could one take this film seriously if they tried? It's virtually impossible. The resulting concoction is one that is at once breathtaking, mind-blowing, frustrating, confusing, but just downright good.

"Vanilla Sky" also employs themes about appearances not being everything, you are only as good as you think you are, and reinforces the notion that you can't just use and abuse someone without expecting payback for your actions. There's nothing truly original here, save for the direction and structure, but the screenplay does feature some interesting dialogue.

Cameron Crowe has always been a master of writing the way people talk, and to an extent, he does the same here. Although, I don't think anyone would say "I'll tell you in another life, when we're both cats," which to me was just a failed attempt at being deep and meaningful. Crowe, however, understands repition. He constantly conjures up the image of Cameron Diaz after an unsuccessful encounter with David during his birthday party. She leans against a wall holding a martini as Cruise and Cruz carry on about her "red dress, strappy shoes" and commenting that she's "the saddest girl to ever hold a martini." It's moments like that that keep this film elevated about your average "Don't Say A Word."

The actors here are all well-known and very capable. Tom Cruise gives a solid and very good, yet not career best performance. Penelope Cruz speaks phonetically but lets her emotions and eyes do all of the real talking. Jason Lee is good support as David's best friend who meets Sophia first. Kurt Russell bodes well as a probing psychologist, and Tilda Swinton ("The Deep End") has a nice cameo. The film's title of Best Performance goes to Cameron Diaz's brief but important role as Julie Gianni, the jilted lover. Her balance of playful sexuality and emotional rawness is powerful and at once startling and scary. This is the best performance she has given since 1999's "Being John Malkovich".

For all of it's mistakes and slip-ups, "Vanilla Sky" is an entertaining and wild ride through the thoughts and dreams of one man who once had everything. It may be confusing, but it sure is fun to try to sort it all out. The other thrillers of 2001 have absolutely nothing on this enticing and intrguing film.


-Brian Jones, 2002