JERRY MAGUIRE (1996) A Film Review by Ted Prigge Copyright 1997 Ted Prigge
Writer/Director: Cameron Crowe Starring: Tom Cruise, Renee Zellweger, Cuba Gooding Jr, Bonnie Hunt, Kelly Preston, Jonathan Lipnicki, Regina King, Jay Mohr, Jerry O'Connell, Beau Bridges, Todd Louiso, Glenn Frey, Eric Stoltz
About a year ago, this film came out, and everyone went gaga. Reviewers crowned it as one of the best big budget/big production company films of the year, and it grossed well over 100 million bucks. A couple months later, it was the only big-brand film to do any kind of respectable business at the Oscars (garnering a supporting nod towards Cuba Gooding Jr, who needed the career boost). And Tom Cruise proved that he can actually act so well that he pretty much becomes the character. It's the movie everyone loves...well, except for little old me.
I saw "Jerry Maguire" a couple weeks after it came out with very high expectations. As you can tell, it had a lot to live up to. And for the first third (a little over a half hour), it was really, really good. I mean, I was into the story, I cared about the characters, and the direction and writing were fantastic. But then at some point, the film dove into hokey, corny-as-hell, and bizarre waters, and eventually seemed to collapse under its own weight. I couldn't believe that the film that had started off so good had turned into a mess.
But anyway. The story is all about a sports agent named Jerry Maguire (Cruise). Jerry's a rat, but a likable rat, and he explains all about himself and his work in the great beginning of this film, using voice-over narration by Maguire himself, and some great montages linked together to create a seductive, engulfing, and totally intriguing opener. Jerry, who's job requires him to lie through his teeth and use people right and left, has gained a concious after a long time. We're not exactly sure why, but when a young son of one of his clients cusses at him, it seems to be the catalyst for his awakening, although it seems that it has been a gradual decent into goodness.
In a sweat-full insomniac night at a hotel, Jerry writes a long, heart-felt "mission statement," where he pours out how he thinks the agenting business should be more human, and better to their clients. He sends this out to everyone in his office who's at the hotel, and pretty soon he's gotten recognition for saying what they all wanted to say, but didn't have the guts. Then he gets fired. Quickly, he tries to go out independently, and grabs only one client out of his bunch: Rod Tidwell (Cuba), a cocky, self-absorbed, but loving husband/football player. He also gets only one person from his office to go with him to be his secretary or something: single mom Dorothy Boyd (Renee Zellweger), who has a bit of a crush on him. Then he leaves with Renee, Cuba as his client, and a fish. I re-watched it a couple times, to give it more of a chance, and I pinpoint that the time the film goes painfully downhill is once he walks out the door.
Jerry has already gone through the business awakening, but he also has that whole love awakening to go through. Earlier at a big party thrown for him, a bunch of his previous girlfriends diss him on a special video for him (nice gift). And he begins falling in love with his secretary, Dorothy, which is way too hokey and unoriginal to do, in my humble opinion. If he could have fallen in love with someone else, maybe. But soon he and Dorothy are falling in love, having some sex, getting married, and soon this subplot falls totally apart.
And the subplot with Cuba also falls apart. The thing that this movie wants to do with this is to draw a paralellism between the two, how Jerry has trouble with love, and Cuba has trouble with giving his all sportswise. It goes okay for a while, although it seems to be highly edited in contrast to the Dorothy subplot. But then its concluded with a bit of luck. Cuba goes through no awakening, and is therefore there for no apparent reason, other than to give Jerry a client.
The screenplay is kind of half and half. Crowe has a definite knack for dialogue (there's this one very long line that Jerry says in the beginning that is definitely classic). But while there are some great lines and some very good dialogue, there is way too many stupid/corny lines that are almost guaranteed to make you vomit (i.e. "YOU...COMPLETE ME!" and all the other lines featured in that crap "Secret Garden" Maguire-edit).
On a plus side, the acting is excellent. Zellweger, who I don't really like, gives a very good performance, although there's this one scene where she looks absolutely stupid trying to get mad at Tidwell. Preston proves herself a lovely scene-stealer as Jerry's girlfriend at the beginning of the film (her first line is indeed classic). Bonnie Hunt is fantastic as Dorothy's sister. I can't really grade Jonathan Lipnicki, who's Dorothy's very young son, but let's just say he's "cute," and leave it at that. Gooding is amazing, but I'm still not sure if he should have won that Oscar (I still think it should have been either Edward Norton or William H. Macy). In smaller roles, Jay Mohr, Regina King, and Todd Louiso are great.
But the most amazing part of this film is Tom Cruise. We all knew he could act (look at "Rainman" and "Born on the Fourth of July"), but here he's absolutely incredible. He becomes the role, gets all his quirks and little neuroses, and nabbed a well-deserved Oscar nomination. He's the best part of the film.
"Jerry Maguire" is, ultimately, a failed idealism. It tries to be the emergence of indie fare into big budget fare, but just fails in the end. But it's just my opinion, and since everyone else seems to love it, I could be wrong.
MY RATING (out of 4): **1/2
Homepage at: http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Hills/8335/
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