Vanilla Sky

2002 • 135 minutes

About this movie

The tale of a young New York City publishing magnate who finds himself on an unexpected roller-coaster ride of romance, comedy, suspicion, love, sex and dreams in a mind-bending search for his soul.

Ratings and reviews

I can't believe Cameron Crowe, who wrote and directed the excellent Jerry Maguire and Almost Famous, also came up with this turkey. Dreadful film. Total nonsense.

David Aames (Tom Cruise) is the man that all other men want to be. His work is quite non-existent - and really only involves him trying to keep the 51% control of his father's publishing firm that was passed down to him. He has a casual relationship with the beautiful actress Julie Gianni (Cameron Diaz, who wants more) and throws parties with his best friend, writer Brian Shelby (Jason Lee). At one of these parties, his life and everything beyond it would change forever when he meets Sofia (Penelope Cruz), a fiery and sweet Spaniard - and both are instantly taken with one another, yet Julie can't hide her jealousy and stalks a newly-inspired David. What happens later tests the minds and emotions of the viewer, and if you look deep into it, it's an ode to counter culture and creativity as well as science fiction and the story of a love triangle gone wrong. Was David ever meant to have it all? Amazing performances by Cruise, Diaz, Cruz, Lee as well as Kurt Russell who plays a fatherly court-ordered psychiatrist, and a stellar acoustic and hip soundtrack makes this film the first great piece of American cinema in the 21st Century.

Don't waste your time. 2:20 hours of my life wasted.