Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher

[27Blue]

I'm not a huge fan of Cruise myself, but you are just plain wrong.

Cruise is a fantastic actor and unlike many others in hollywood he is incredibly versatile in terms of different kinds of roles he can pull off.

But don't take my word for it... his track record at the box office speaks for itself.

though i do agree with your assessment of cruise, to a point...

his track record at the box office has nothing to do with his talent.

hollywood box office numbers speak nothing to talent or quality of film.

typically they just reflect what an uneducated, thoughtless and easily amused culture we are part of...

[Dakkster]

though i do agree with your assessment of cruise, to a point...

his track record at the box office has nothing to do with his talent.

hollywood box office numbers speak nothing to talent or quality of film.

typically they just reflect what an uneducated, thoughtless and easily amused culture we are part of...

Have you watched Magnolia, Rain Man, Collateral, Interview with a Vampire and Born on the Fourth of July? Let's throw in his awesome supporting role in Tropic Thunder too. All of those are GREAT performances and his action stuff is easily above average.

[ericdaoust]

Have you watched Magnolia, Rain Man, Collateral, Interview with a Vampire and Born on the Fourth of July? Let's throw in his awesome supporting role in Tropic Thunder too. All of those are GREAT performances and his action stuff is easily above average.

Seeing him in Tropic Thunder was such a shock. Well done, and his dancing was priceless.

[Dakkster]

Seeing him in Tropic Thunder was such a shock. Well done, and his dancing was priceless.

Oh, okay, Flaming Dragon, ****face. First, take a big step back... and literally **** YOUR OWN FACE! Now I don't know what kind of pan-Pacific bullshit power play you're trying to pull here but Asia, Jack, is my territory. So whatever you're thinking, you'd better think again! Otherwise I'm gonna have to head down there and I will rain down an ungodly ****ing firestorm upon you! You're gonna have to call the ****ing United Nations and get a ****ing binding resolution to keep me from ****ing destroying you. I'm talking about scorched earth, mother****er! I will massacre you! I WILL **** YOU UP!

Edit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srH94OR1TbU

[27Blue]

Have you watched Magnolia, Rain Man, Collateral, Interview with a Vampire and Born on the Fourth of July? Let's throw in his awesome supporting role in Tropic Thunder too. All of those are GREAT performances and his action stuff is easily above average.

magnolia, 4th of july and, especially, eyes wide shut are the reason i agreed with the favorable assessment of cruise's talent... too bad he chose blockbusters as his moneymakers, and, as a result, limited himself in easy roles...

[Dakkster]

magnolia, 4th of july and, especially, eyes wide shut are the reason i agreed with the favorable assessment of cruise's talent... too bad he chose blockbusters as his moneymakers, and, as a result, limited himself in easy roles...

To be fair, there aren't many blockbuster movies that give actors an opportunity to showcase their acting skills that much... They're mostly popcorn movies. Cruise has produced a bunch of them as well, so he knows how to be at the helm of a blockbuster. The guy is just good at movies, plain and simple.

[blayze]

his track record at the box office has nothing to do with his talent.

hollywood box office numbers speak nothing to talent or quality of film.

typically they just reflect what an uneducated, thoughtless and easily amused culture we are part of...

You are mixing up two different concepts.

First, there's hollywood box office performance in and of itself, which I agree that over a shorter time frame is hardly indicative of true talent (Twilight Saga - I'm looking at you). These one hit wonder - type performers flame out quickly.

Then there's track record. I challenge you to name a single actor/actress who has remained relevant for over a decade (ie: a real "track record) while continuing to star in shitty movies. There simply isn't.

If you are one of the very few in hollywood with a distinguished long-term track record of hit after hit after hit in radically different types of roles, then it only means one thing... you are one talented mother****er.

[27Blue]

still doesn't speak to his 'talent' as an actor...

it speaks to his appeal to the masses...

stallone made hits for decades and can't act worth sh*t

i do think cruise has more talent than most of his movie choices have allowed him... but my point is more along the line that just because he spewed out hits year after year, it doesn't necessarily correlate with his individual performances in those roles. it has more to do with people wanting to see shallow movies where lots of stuff blows up... and cruise has developed a history of getting the job done in those shallow roles. his best acting was in films like magnolia and eyes wide shut - and nobody was lining up to see those films.

[newfcollins]

stallone made hits for decades and can't act worth sh*t

Stallone went a whole decade without a hit though. From Rambo III in 1988 to Rocky in 2006, his track record wasn't that great. Cliffhanger was probably his only true hit in that time (some other movies did just okay, such as Judge Dredd and Demolition Man, but there was a bad two decades there).

[Dakkster]

still doesn't speak to his 'talent' as an actor...

it speaks to his appeal to the masses...

stallone made hits for decades and can't act worth sh*t

i do think cruise has more talent than most of his movie choices have allowed him... but my point is more along the line that just because he spewed out hits year after year, it doesn't necessarily correlate with his individual performances in those roles. it has more to do with people wanting to see shallow movies where lots of stuff blows up... and cruise has developed a history of getting the job done in those shallow roles. his best acting was in films like magnolia and eyes wide shut - and nobody was lining up to see those films.

How many Magnolia or EWS type movies attract huge audiences?

[Bomm Bastic]

A. Cruise is a terrible actor. Colateral and Risky Business were decent but honestly he is way overhyped as a actor.

B. Scientology.

[hockeyrobot]

So im assuming the books are worth a read? Im still getting through The Dark Tower series which came so heavily recommended on this board...but im always up for another one.

[27Blue]

How many Magnolia or EWS type movies attract huge audiences?

that was my point....

hits = appeal
hits dont = quality, necessarily

tom cruise is more about hits than quality...

[blayze]

A. Cruise is a terrible actor. Colateral and Risky Business were decent but honestly he is way overhyped as a actor.

B. Scientology.

A) Disagree

B) Touche

[Dakkster]

that was my point....

hits = appeal
hits dont = quality, necessarily

tom cruise is more about hits than quality...

And my point is that no one rakes in big dough on artsy movies, so how is that whole line of argument even relevant?

What does it matter if he is more about hits? He's proven plenty of times that he's a good actor and the fact is that there is a very limited number of leading men that can consistently carry blockbuster movies. He's one of very few and that has to count for something, in addition to his quality work. Is it suddenly wrong that he's raking in the dough? His big hits are hardly bad movies...