Nothing left to Cruise

A ranking of every single Tom Cruise role

Valkyrie is Cruise hoping that brisk confidence is enough to sell an underwritten character in an underwhelming film. It doesn’t work. In the mould of an old-Hollywood movie star, Tom Cruise has been one of the most bankable actors in the world for decades. Rarely veering away from what is expected of him, Cruise is able to crawl through cult and couch-related controversies. His career has barely felt the dent of his personal problems, in large part due to the consistency of his onscreen presence. Yet, every now and then, Cruise has taken risks that push him towards mania and despair. He might not have the range of actors like Viola Davis or Sam Rockwell, but he has an undeniable intensity and a talent for physical performances. Willing to perform his own stunts, he excels in pushing his body to the limits in order to sell a scene. In the realm of American action cinema, he is the unparalleled master of the full-bodied performance. In anticipation of the new Mission: Impossible film, let’s reflect on every single one of Cruise’s big screen appearances, the good, the bad and the ugly. tool for real world army recruitment. In the deft hands of Tony Scott, Top Gun quivers with testosterone and with a sequel on the horizon, it seems unlikely they will be able to channel the sensual and youthful delight of the original. Cruise is at his best when he’s screaming about money and exemplifying the sociopathy needed to survive in our hyper-capitalist world. While Cruise’s character is ostensiblytryingtodotheright thing, the movie and his performance never fully lose its cynical edge. War of the Worlds is Cruise embracing the possibility that he could be the peak Dad of a generation. Cruise’s collaborations with Spielberg represent career highs for both artists and this film in particular showcases Cruise’s strength to thrust himself into danger as it matches with an overwhelming need to survive with his family. Edge of Tomorrow should be spoken of with the same reverence most science-fiction fans treat Minority Report.Abriskandoriginalnarrative held together by strong and bewildered performances by Cruise and Emily Blunt. Cruise is tasked with keeping the film’s Groundhog Day-style loop fresh and does so withhumourandgravitas. A feat of perfect casting, Kubrick drawsoutthefactthat,strippedof his glamour, Cruise is a fragile shell of wounded masculinity. The vapid soullessness of his performance and the depth of his crisis – for the first time, his character realizes his wife has an interior life – is monotone and frustrating. However, it isalsoperfectlysuitedforthematerial and a major reason why this is among Kubrick’s very best films. Not only is Tom Cruise absolutely convincing as a future police officer relying, unquestionably, on predictive technology that allows him to arrest people before they commit a crime, he effectively demonstrates hisemotionaltransformationas he learns about the importance of free will in a healthy democracy. Cruisehassomeofhismostgenuine emotional outbursts in his entire career. This is a rare example of his working with his fellow performers, rather than merely focusing inward.