One of my all-time favorite films:
1. I think that movies, like songs, mark a special time period for some people. This one does for me, I saw this in 1996 during the opening weekend. For this personal, sentimental reason, I have fond memories of that time and always enjoy a re-watch of it. It's a feel-good film, like "Star Wars IV A New Hope".
2. Even though it's not like a true rags to riches story (at the time it was panned by some as "from riches to riches"), it is inspiring to consider that JM is forced to actually live out his Mission Statement the hard way, by getting fired rather than having it implemented by his company. Seeing him fight through the process is inspiring as well as entertaining.
3. Rod Tidwell (played by Cuba Gooding, Jr.) is a protagonist too, he arcs as well, and one roots for him as much or more than for JM. It is fun to see how their friendship makes each other change for the better.
4. The central love story is cute, and the characters have to grow to understand how to love each other, learned in part from Tidwell's marriage.
5. It is funny on a lot of levels.
6.
Cruise acts like a jerk, and I found him a very unsympathetic character. He seemed so dismissive of Renee Zelwegger's character.
- But he arcs, realizes the greater value of his relationship with her i.e. "You complete me." Also, he had a strong connection with her son the entire time, a redeeming quality he had that the story built on.
7.
Rene Zellwegger came across as a naive woman who loves a guy who treats her horribly. She seemed weak and pathetic, and I wanted her to lay down the law and tell him to shape up or ship out.
- She did tell him to "...ship out." He left expecting the marriage to end. He came back saying, "I'm not going to let you get rid of me... I love you. You complete me." She said, "You had me at hello."
8.
The bit at the end with Ciba Gooding jr was a joke. He gets knocked out, looks like his career is over, and then he jumps up and dances around on the football field. Come on. How stupid.
- I liked it, couldn't have happened any other way to justify him getting the $11 million contract and the "kwan". Just a great play wouldn't have sold that moment better than it looking like all was lost first. How could they have improved on it? All had to be lost for the win at the end to pay off effectively.
9. The quotes are popular because the film did so well and was a cultural phenomenon at the time. That's not the film's fault...
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MuchToBeGratefulFor
10 years ago
"The bit at the end with Ciba Gooding jr was a joke. He gets knocked out, looks like his career is over, and then he jumps up and dances around on the football field. Come on. How stupid."
- I liked it, couldn't have happened any other way to justify him getting the $11 million contract and the "kwan". Just a great play wouldn't have sold that moment better than it looking like all was lost first. How could they have improved on it?
I liked it too, but I see what the person you are replying to is saying. Tidwell has been knocked out and it's not clear whether he has a terrible injury or will even live, and then to come out of it and after just laying there for a few seconds, is able to get right up and prance around the field. As if he were waking up from a good night's sleep, not having taken a terrible hit. Realistically, after a hit like that, he should have needed to be helped to his feet, and walked unsteadily to the sidelines.
You must be the change you seek in the world. -- Gandhi
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