Jerry Maguire

It's all well and good to stroll through life with a healthy air of scepticism, but despite some peoples' views on these supposedly 'manipulative' romantic films, there are an elite few that really do have things to say based on something more noble than ticket sales - things that are actually worth listening to.

Jerry Maguire is one of these rare beasts. No, it's not perfect, and no, it doesn't ring true for every last second of its running time, but if you come away from it with a sneer rather than a genuine desire to take a step back and look at yourself, then there's no romance in your soul at all. It's a genre that's always been particularly susceptible to the flood of lacklustre money-spinners, so to come across something that's had so much visible thought and effort thrown into it from all corners is a revelation. I'm not naive enough to think that anything making it big in the film industry these days can be purely a labour of love, but Jerry Maguire at least comes close.

It's refreshing to see Tom Cruise demonstrate that, against all odds, he can act his heart out when given the right role, as can Cuba Gooding Jr. (neither of them better previously or since) - and the rest of the cast give it every bit as much passion. It's beautifully written, and shot with an easy style that makes me wish there were more directors like Cameron Crowe in this world.

And on top of that, it gets better with each viewing. Even the soundtrack feels as if weeks have been spent fine-tuning it to perfection, and I'm no fan of Springsteen or Tom Petty. Deride it if you like, I'm not saying that Jerry Maguire's totally free of sentiment... I'm just suggesting that it's not necessarily a bad thing to have your heartstrings tugged and your self-awareness questioned once in a while.

I've almost always loved Crowe's style of storytelling and never tire of rewatching 'Almost Famous' and 'Jerry McGuire' (which I consider his best). Even though his more recent 'Elizabethtown' didn't match up the standards of those two films, that too had its wonderful moments (and it was better than 'Vanilla Sky', Crowe shouldn't have attempted remakes). Like most of his films, 'Jerry McGuire' has soul. Crowe's eloquent screenplay is rich in humour, drama and lots of energy. It features some of the finest dialogues and one-liners like 'You had me at hello', 'Don't cry at the beginning of a date, cry at the end like I do'... and the actors deliver them marvelously. Another fascinating aspect is the brilliant characters. Each and every one of them, no matter how long the screen time, has something that contributes. Thus, next to an engaging drama and a magnificent comedy it is a fine character study.

'Jerry McGuire' may also be one of Cruise's career best movies. I'm surprised to hear that the part was originally written for Tom Hanks. Hanks is a fine actor but I can't imagine him as McGuire as I doubt whether he has the right combination of energy and pathos that are required to be McGuire. I can't imagine anyone but Tom who fits the part. The same can be said of Renee Zellweger and Cuba Godding Jr as I don't see how a Winona Ryder, Cameron Diaz or Mira Sorvino and a Jamie Foxx (all good actresses) could respectively bring out the sweetness, vulnerability and charisma of Dorothy Boyd or the energy, humour, liveliness, enthusiasm and devotion (towards family) of Rod Tidwell. One wonders why Zellweger was overlooked as her presence too is crucial to the film.

In addition, the film has a splendid supporting cast that include a sublime and laugh-out-loud Bonnie Hunt, a bitchy gorgeous Kelly Preston, a sprightly Regina King and an unforgettably lovable Jonathan Lipnicki (one of the few child actors who's cute but not in the way that gets on your nerves)'. Child actors are very hard to direct but Lipnicki's performance comes across as very natural and he acts like a real child instead of those irritating oh-look-I'm-so-cute child models.

The soundtrack too deserves mention as it features some amazing numbers. One of the so many memorable scenes is when McGuire is driving in his car and he listens to the radio, switching channels and singing along. Then there's also the incredibly romantic 'Secret Garden' by Bruce Springsteen among other great familiar tracks by the Beatles, Rolling Stone, Marvin Gaye, Kurt Cobain etc. On the more technical side, the wild and smooth cinematography, slick editing and effective sound are superbly put together. The visuals are very impressive.

The last time I had watched 'Jerry McGuire' was about 10 years ago and I vividly remember saying 'wow!' when the end credits started to roll that my sibling wondered what the hell was going on. I feel the same about it after having rewatched it recently. Well, actually I like it more because I noticed more things that I overlooked before and understand and like the characters more. McGuire's transformation from the money-obsessed agent to the caring agent and then to the caring human being (in the form of a father and a husband), a change that wouldn't have happened if it weren't for the caring people in his life, is one remarkable story.

This movie is a comedy, drama, romance, sports movie, and a money movie (e.g. Wall Street, where the main character is trying to make a lot of money). The problem such a movie faces is maintaining a consistent tone. Remember Prizzi's Honor? JM solves that problem by using restraint. It doesn't go over the top, although its characters sometimes do. It has funny moments, but it's not Animal House or American Pie. It's a drama, but it keeps the stakes low. This isn't Armageddon: they aren't trying to save the world. There are no life or death decisions. The romantic stakes aren't that high either: Renee Zellweger loves Tom Cruise, but she's been in love before and if this doesn't work out, she will be again. The only really high stakes are the money. By keeping the stakes low, JM let's us watch it with a bit of detachment.

This is more of a drama than a comedy. A good test is whether the characters change. Here, Tom Cruise starts off completely cynical, abruptly changes to ridiculously idealistic, then spends the rest of the movie finding the right balance. Renee Zellweger starts by loving Tom Cruise from afar, then gets him, then has to work out her ambiguous feelings.

JM is fun to watch. The characters, though flawed, are sympathetic. We enjoy watching them succeed, fail (sometimes in funny ways), and try to discover what they really care about. It's complicated, thoughtful, and surprisingly subtle.

I refused to see Jerry Maguire for several years, assuming it was a cheap movie about money, sports and sex. When i finally watched it on TV, i was blown away. This movie is about hope, redemption, love, and finding out the meaning of life. Tom Cruise does a spectacular job playing someone with nothing to loose, and Cuba Gooding's performance brought tears to my eyes. Renee Zellweger fits perfectly by having great chemistry with Jerry, and by having a normal, plain look. This film works because it's so real and easily plausible; its a witty, romantic drama more than a romantic comedy that proves its never too late to start over or take a risk.

"Jerry Maguire" has to rate as one of the most quotable movies of the last decade and a half. It's given us the lines "Show me the money", "Help me, Help you", "You had me at hello" and "You complete me". And it's that last line, that really describe this movie. It's really about the growth of an individual. We see Jerry Maguire the character, grow from just an agent to becoming much more, it's not an easy trip but for the most part it's an entertaining one.

Jerry Maguire is a top sport agent. He has a decent amount of big names as client and he's engage to a beautiful woman. Then one day while visiting one of his client in the hospital, the client's young son confronted him after he gives the client a shallow encouragement. The confrontation stick in his mind and would even get him to write a "mission statement" for the company. The "mission statement" basically lays out a plan that the agents give their clients more personal attention. Unfortunately his boss doesn't like it.

The movie gives us a look at the world of the sports agents. Who are they that gets a cut of an athlete's earning and do they really deserve it? In the beginning they're just there to negotiate the numbers and get the athletes as much exposure. In the end, Jerry has become more than a guy who makes deal for an athlete. It also gives us a look at some clients they're more demanding than the agents are prepared to handle. But if handled right they will prove to be worth the trouble.

Jerry Maguire is played by Tom Cruise, and he gives one of his best performance. I think it's every bit the equal of Cuba Gooding Jr's. Oscar winning performance. Both men were on top of their game playing off each other. It's sad that his erratic behavior of late has caused harmed to his career because Tom Cruise is a very good actor. So too is Mr. Gooding and Renee Zellwegger, who plays an office worker in Tom Cruise's office and who joined him as he tries to put forth his "mission statement" into practice.

All in all, I think it's a good movie with a very observant script, complimented by great acting.