I can forget all the Scientology and Katie nonsense when Tom Cruise actually tries to ... you know, act.
And films like this 2004 character study totally make up for at least 10 TomKat news reports. But not those stupid bangs he had in his wedding picture. Those were just wrong.
Anyway ...
Movies like this live or die on the strength of the actor's performances. No one in this movie disappoints. Jamie Foxx proves he's one of the best actors of his generation as a troubled, emotionally-stunted cab driver chasing dreams he's never going to realize. Cruise is calculating and professional as a killer on a deadline. He doesn't rationalize what he does, he just does it. And you can feel the power just beneath the surface ... a tiger on a tight leash. Jada Pinkett Smith has a thankless, throwaway role as the prosecutor who connects with Foxx's Max, but she at least tries.
Max does some exceptionally stupid stunts over the course of the evening, but you can see what he's thinking ... and on the edge of panic, some of those things probably sounded pretty smart. I found myself cheering for Vincent, though -- yeah, he's a heartless bastard, but you couldn't help liking him for it. He was completely honest about what he was.
And the scene with the jazz club owner ... damn, that's cold.
The only thing I didn't like was the ending -- I saw it coming from a mile away. Weak.
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