Vanilla Sky

Watch: Vanilla Sky

12/14/20012h 16m

Theatrical Release (US)

~ LoveHateDreamsLifeWorkPlayFriendshipSex ~

Overview:

David Aames has it all: wealth, good looks and gorgeous women on his arm. But just as he begins falling for the warmhearted Sofia, his face is horribly disfigured in a car accident. That's just the beginning of his troubles as the lines between illusion and reality, between life and death, are blurred.

Director:

Cameron Crowe

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$68,000,000.00

Revenue:

$203,388,341.00

Key words:

regret
jealousy
amnesia
dreams
love of one's life
nightmare
love triangle
virtual reality
ex-girlfriend
surreal
melancholy
plastic surgery
illusion
face operation
life extension
time
puzzle
flashback
confusion
love
remake
wealth
memory loss
tragic love
doctor
car accident
fear
relationship
heartbreak
freak accident
disfigured face
surgery
lost love
individuality
disfigurement
wealthy man
philosophical
complex
melodramatic

Cast

Tom Cruise

~ as ~

David Aames

Penélope Cruz

~ as ~

Sofia Serrano

Cameron Diaz

~ as ~

Julie Gianni

Kurt Russell

~ as ~

Curtis McCabe

Jason Lee

~ as ~

Brian Shelby

Noah Taylor

~ as ~

Edmund Ventura

Timothy Spall

~ as ~

Thomas Tipp

Tilda Swinton

~ as ~

Rebecca Dearborn

Michael Shannon

~ as ~

Aaron

Delaina Mitchell

~ as ~

David's Assistant

View full cast & crew

Reviews (2)

JPV852
Written 5 year(s) ago
9
Still love this film all these years later though decided to watch it fully with the alternate ending which really didn't care for, didn't flow nearly as well. That said, and watching the original ending afterwards, just so great with wonderful performances from all involved. Certainly follows the theme of sweet and sour. 4.5/5
CinemaSerf
Written 1 year(s) ago
7
I'm not really a fan of Tom Cruise, but I think this film might be his finest example of actually not just being all teeth and torso. He might actually do some acting here as the full-of-himself publisher "Aames" who lives the life of the wealthy playboy. A beautiful apartment, vintage car and convenient relationship with "Julie" (Cameron Diaz) fill his days of inherited luxury. Then his world comes, quite literally, crashing about his ears and he finds himself in jail explaining what happened to psychologist "McCabe" (the sparingly used Kurt Russell). It's a story of jealousy that leads to suicide, disfigurement and presents us with a rather stark indictment of this man's rather shallow and selfish life. His decline all starts when "Julie" - who seems quite a bit more invested in their relationship than he does - gets a bit jealous of his flirtations with "Sofia" (Penélope Cruz) who was dating his best friend "Shelby" (Jason Lee) until he brings her along to his party. Then sexual chemistry starts buzzing but that quite quickly adds a toxic element to just about everyone's lives. His have my cake and eat it approach swiftly leads to a series of circumstances that not only leads to his current predicament but also causes him to vacillate between worlds of dream and reality - he simply isn't sure what is happening any more. Which, if any of the scenarios unfolding is the true one? Are any of them? The story itself is not especially innovative. What does impress here is Cruise playing a character that is pretty unlikeable and he does it well. He imbues "Aames" with characteristics that made me feel a life behind bars was just about right. Unfortunately, I felt Cruz's "Sofia" character a bit under-developed but there are plaudits for Diaz who really does deliver her role of the jilted, besotted, lover convincingly. It takes too long to get up to speed, and there is too much dialogue but the last hour presents us with quite a compelling look at self-destruction in a man ill-equipped to deal with anything he hadn't already dealt with using his silver spoon and good looks. Whilst I didn't actually, I almost felt sorry for him at the end...