American Made .... Tom Cruise as Barry Seal.

[Brian in Mesa]

You know what I meant. No surprise you don't actually want to respond to it.

Actually, I thought it was ridiculous that the movie was even called The Equalizer. To me it was The Equalizer TV show about as much as Point Break (2015) was Point Break (1999). Rotten Tomatoes said it best: "The Equalizer is more stylishly violent than meaningful..." It was decent, but it could have simply been named Revenge Flick #256, IMHO. Not a good representation of the TV show I watched.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Tom Cruise is no Tom Hanks. Can you imagine Cruise giving Captain Phillips and Sully the Barry Seal pretty boy make-over?

By the same token, can you imagine Sully yelling SHOW ME THE MONEY!?

I don't care what anyone else thinks... Cruise is like charisma in a bottle. AND has chops that are very overlooked.

Jerry Maguire, Frank TJ Mackey in Magnolia, Ron Kovic... is some solid range.

I wish he'd actually take more risks again with his career rather than just keep making action movies, but he's still pretty damn good in those as well.

 

[Cheesebeef]

it's getting pretty damn good reviews... 89% fresh on RT with 54 reviews in.

 

[Cheesewater]

By the same token, can you imagine Sully yelling SHOW ME THE MONEY!?

Hanks could absolutely have played Jerry Maguire!

I don't care what anyone else thinks... Cruise is like charisma in a bottle. AND has chops that are very overlooked.

Fair enough for you, but that "charisma" just never worked on me.

 

[Covert Rain]

Hanks could absolutely have played Jerry Maguire!



Fair enough for you, but that "charisma" just never worked on me.

Not for a second. Hanks would have completely changed the character. I love Tom Hanks. One of my all time favorites but this goes back to my earlier point. Some actors do better than others picking parts best suited for them.

 

[Bert]

I liked it! I thought Cruise was really good. Definitely not a typical Cruise role.

Not a perfect film. I found myself kinda ya know, ready for it to wrap up by the end, but overall what a story! lol The bike scene was absolutely hysterical.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Not for a second. Hanks would have completely changed the character. I love Tom Hanks. One of my all time favorites but this goes back to my earlier point. Some actors do better than others picking parts best suited for them.

I just watched Jerry Maguire last night and Cruise is PITCH PERFECT in that movie. His character arc, going from Drew Rosenhaus (one of the most notorious sharks in the biz) to Leigh Steinberg is so well done. Tom Hanks is the better actor, but certain roles require certain good natured slime that Cruise brings with a passion. And his fall from grace and relationship with Tidwell is literally LOL funny. The post draft sequence alone when they have to travel back together in misery is priceless.

No way I buy Hanks in that role. That's a completely different movie that wouldn't haves played nearly as well.

 

[oaken1]

I just watched Jerry Maguire last night and Cruise is PITCH PERFECT in that movie. His character arc, going from Drew Rosenhaus (one of the most notorious sharks in the biz) to Leigh Steinberg is so well done. Tom Hanks is the better actor, but certain roles require certain good natured slime that Cruise brings with a passion. And his fall from grace and relationship with Tidwell is literally LOL funny. The post draft sequence alone when they have to travel back together in misery is priceless.

No way I buy Hanks in that role. That's a completely different movie that wouldn't haves played nearly as well.

and on the flip side... could you imagine cruise as forrest gump??

 

[Cheesebeef]

and on the flip side... could you imagine cruise as forrest gump??

nope. but I'd never argue as much. Hanks is a better actor, no doubt, but that doesn't mean he could do every role out there. Hanks is THE prototypical EVERY MAN. He plays it to the freaking T and is amazing at it. But the character Jerry Maguire and ANY agent if you've actually ever dealt with one is very much NOT the every man. They can't be. Their job requires them to be or at least SHOW they are BETTER than the every man... for better or worse... mostly for worse. They need to present as Superman. Hanks ain't that guy... Cruise presents as that every second of every day, which is why he's tailor made for that role.

The funny thing is that apparently, Cameron Crowe went to Hanks first, Hanks read the script and said... yeah... GREAT part, but you don't want me. You want Tom Cruise.

 

[oaken1]

nope. but I'd never argue as much. Hanks is a better actor, no doubt, but that doesn't mean he could do every role out there. Hanks is THE prototypical EVERY MAN. He plays it to the freaking T and is amazing at it. But the character Jerry Maguire and ANY agent if you've actually ever dealt with one is very much NOT the every man. They can't be. Their job requires them to be or at least SHOW they are BETTER than the every man... for better or worse... mostly for worse. They need to present as Superman. Hanks ain't that guy... Cruise presents as that every second of every day, which is why he's tailor made for that role.

The funny thing is that apparently, Cameron Crowe went to Hanks first, Hanks read the script and said... yeah... GREAT part, but you don't want me. You want Tom Cruise.

there are some folks in the business who just make really good career decisions

 

[Cheesebeef]

This was super mediocre.

 

[Shane]

I really enjoyed this.. Lots of good humor throughout.. WHOMEVER played the wife in this? WOWZA!!!

 

[Bada0Bing]

This was a fun ride; never let up. It's my understand that it wasn't supposed to be a biopic, so I'm not sure why everyone is so upset about the casting. Also, a lot of the scenes were completely made up, such as the plane crash and then taking off on the kid's bike, which was hilarious.

Doug Liman has described the film as "a fun lie based on a true story."

While researching Liman's work I learned that he might be directing a Cannonball Run remake!