Tom Cruisewas a star not long after he first showed up on the big screen, and he’s more or less remained one for more than four decades now. He worked well in an ensemble cast as early asThe Outsiders, then showed his potential for comedy inRisky Business, was at the center of a blockbuster inTop Gun, and then showed he also had it in him to deliver award-worthy performances in seriousfilms likeBorn on the Fourth of July. And all those came in the 1980s, which led to the 1990s being an even more fruitful decade for Cruise, and not just because that was the decade the first (of eight!)Mission: Impossiblemovies came out.There were some controversies surrounding Cruise, especially back in the 2000s, but then came atransformative performance inTropic Thunder, plus even more commitment than usually expected in his action movies, and suddenly, Tom Cruise was at the center of Hollywood once more.
It’s hard not to admire the man’s continual commitment to movies that should be seen on the biggest screen possible, though Cruise is also rightat home in smaller and more intimate movies, too, when the right part comes along. All those previously mentioned movies are worthy of honorable mentions, but the following movies that Cruise starred in rank as the very best of the best. There’s an argument to be made that each of these is masterful, and they’re intended to showcase his range as both an action star and a dramatic actor. These films also show how many high-profile directors Cruise has worked well with in the past, with the movies not just being great because Tom Cruise is great; they’re also masterpieces in other ways.
5’Top Gun: Maverick' (2022)
Directed by Joseph Kosinski
It’s still a pretty recent release, which can make hyperbole dangerous, but honestly,Top Gun: Maverickfeels worthy of being called one ofthe greatest sequels in cinematic history. Much of this comes down to it being a big improvement over the firstTop Gun, which is charming and pretty legendary for certain moments (and songs used), but lacks a little in terms of having a story and a reason to care about much more than the style and vibe. And the style and vibe are enough, but maybe not to the point whereTop Gunis great. So, it’sTop Gun: Maverickthat chooses to maintain certain things that worked in the first, all the while backing everything up with a more coherent narrative, increased stakes, and better action.
Maverick, Tom Cruise’s character, is about 30 years older than he was inTop Gun, but age hasn’t slowed his rebellious streak down by any means. He’s tasked with training a new generation of aviators, all the while taking part with them in a dangerous mission that plays out in the final act, after the first two acts build up to it very well. It’s very clear, perhaps even dangerously straightforward, butTop Gun: Maverickis also undeniably satisfying. The early2020s was not the best time for blockbusters, thanks to disruptions caused first by COVID-19 and then later by strikes in Hollywood, butTop Gun: Maverickwas a hit both financially and critically.It’s a crowd-pleasing blockbuster through and through, but when such large crowds are ultimately so pleased, what’s wrong with a movie being that?
Top Gun: Maverick
4’Rain Man' (1988)
Directed by Barry Levinson
Rain Man, alongsideBorn on the Fourth of July, was a late 1980s release thatshowed off Tom Cruise’s more dramatic side. He’s paired withDustin Hoffman, with the two playing brothers of vastly different ages who’ve both found out their father was the same person. The two characters are incredibly different, to say the least, butRain Mansees them going on something of a road trip together, principally because of an issue surrounding money that stands to be inherited following the father’s death. But, in typical road movie fashion, there’s a journey and a destination, and would you ever believe which one ends up being more important?
WithRain Man, there might be some things about it that don’t hold up perfectly, and some might question the casting, with Hoffman playing an autistic man without being autistic. That’s something that happened much more often in the past, and depending on who you ask, some people don’t think it should happen anymore at all. But movies are old, and what’s committed to screen doesn’t usually change, and maybe it shouldn’t (George Lucas). So, with all that taken into account,Rain Mancan be seen as pretty great overall.Both lead performances are committed, and the film is justwell-made and compelling as a grounded drama.1988 was truly a different time, considering something so quaint, by today’s standards,ended up topping the box office that year. Also, only two movies in the top 10 for 1988 were sequels. Times have changed even more, it turns out.
3’Eyes Wide Shut' (1999)
Directed by Stanley Kubrick
The final filmStanley Kubrickever directed wasEyes Wide Shut, and the legendary filmmaker undeniably went out with a bang. It’s a strange movie for sure, and an initially sometimes misunderstood one, but time has been kind to it.Like a great many Kubrick films, it helps to watchEyes Wide Shutmore than once. A second viewing, for example, won’t make everything clearer, but things come together to a greater extent, and feel somehow sharper and more purposeful.The dreamlike logic of much of the film, and the way it flows, remains in any event, but there’s less that feels frustrating, and what might’ve seemed like bugs at first gradually morph into features.
Cruise seemed game to play kind of a loser here, and he’s really good, which helps humanize Cruise as a person; it’s a far less ego-focused performance than maybe some of his other super iconic roles.
That’s all talking aroundEyes Wide Shut, rather than specifically what it’s about, but it’s the sort of mysterious and surreal film where approaching it in such a manner feels more fitting. It’s a film that starred Tom Cruise andNicole Kidman, back when they were an actual couple in real life, with the story involvingCruise’s character fearing Kidman’s is being unfaithful, and so he tries – and largely fails – to get to the bottom of things. Cruise seemed game to play kind of a loser here, and he’s really good, which helps humanize Cruise as a person; it’s a far less ego-focused performance than maybe some of his other super iconic roles. He’s great, and the film also looks and feels amazing, with Kubrick’s direction being as precise, distinctive, and eerie as ever.
Eyes Wide Shut
2’Mission: Impossible – Fallout' (2018)
Directed by Christopher McQuarrie
You could argue that there are a handful ofMission: Impossiblemovies that come close to feeling like masterful action movies, but the best of the bunch would have to be the sixth entry in the series:Mission: Impossible – Fallout. It’s not special because of the narrative, which still isn’t bad, but is kind of what you’d expect from an action/spy movie about saving the world. It weaves in quite a few characters from older movies and does a good job of establishing the stakes. There arelikable and hateable characters, and some moments of well-placed humor, and all that’s more than enough tostitch together all the action sequences.
And it’s the quality of the action sequences that ultimately makesMission: Impossible – Falloutso memorable while feeling particularly special in an already (generally) very good series.Tom Cruise does a lot of running, stuntwork, and convincing fight scenes, with every big moment of action here being distinct from the others. It’s a movie that moves at a very efficient pace throughout, with not a boring second to be found in something that ends up being more than two hours long (it feels more like 90 minutes, if that).Mission: Impossible – Falloutjust gets it right, in terms of what a mass-appeal action movie in the 21st century should look like. Of course, the likes ofGhost Protocol,Rogue Nation, andDead Reckoningare also great, butFalloutis peakMission: Impossible, without a doubt.
Mission: Impossible - Fallout
1’Magnolia' (1999)
Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
Unlike most epic movies,Magnoliadoesn’t span a great deal of time, instead taking place mostly over the course of a single day and night. But the epic qualities come about because of how ambitious the film is thematically and emotionally, and also becausethe ensemble cast here is absolutely huge. Tom Cruise is a standout, of course, but there are alsocareer-best performances given bythe likes of Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore, John C. Reilly, Philip Baker Hall, William H. Macy, and Jason Robards, among others. All play characters dealing with serious issues that are also fairly grounded, in some ways… though things do gradually increase in intense ways, and then everything is further heightened by a bold choice right near the end.
In a lot of ways,Magnolia– and specifically Tom Cruise’s role in the film – has aged startlingly well. Cruise’s character is something of a grifter, and a purported motivational speaker who sells misogynistic messages to those who follow him, and there has kind of been a rise inthat sort of person in the internet age. Cruise’s character is still humanized, so he’s not a total villain, butMagnoliadoes nonetheless give Cruise a darker role to play than what you’d usually expect from him, and he’s remarkable here. 1999 was a year when Tom Cruise really challenged himself, and established himself as a great film actor, thanks tothis andEyes Wide Shutboth being masterfulreleases from the very end of the decade. It earned Cruise a deserved Best Supporting Actor nomination at the Oscars, and his third – and to date, most recent – acting nomination overall (afterBorn on the Fourth of JulyandJerry Maguire).
