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Tom Cruise has been in the industry for decades now and he has successfully climbed to the top of the ranks, establishing himself as a true superstar. Whether it’s films likeTop Gun: Maverickor theMission: Impossiblefranchise, Tom Cruise has always been a treat to watch on screen. However, not everyone is a fan of the actor’s work.
Many might complain that Tom Cruise usually plays roles that are similar in nature to hisMission: Impossiblecharacter, Ethan Hunt. The quintessential action hero, Tom Cruise is often pigeonholed as one. But an actor who has been in the industry since even before most of us were born must have a wide array of roles under his belt by now and Tom Cruise is no exception.
Tom Cruise Gets Critiqued for Playing the Same Roles
Many critics have had this problem withTom Cruisewhen he chooses the movies that he wants to star in. We often see him scaling the tallest building, driving the fastest bike, jumping off cliffs, and what not. While these larger-than-lifestuntsare incredibly entertaining and goosebumps-inducing, some may complain that this is all that Cruise does.
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For example, a user on Reddit who wrote“I don’t like Tom Cruise”made a post on the subreddit ‘r/unpopularopinion’ blasting the actor for following the same formula when it comes to making films.
Check out the post below:
Tom Cruise always plays Tom Cruise in every movie, and the character sucks.byinunpopularopinion
Harsh criticism, we know. However, as many fans pointed out the problem with OP’s statement, Cruise has done much more in his vast career as an actor and has played a ton of different characters throughout, showing off his skills and talent at full brightness.
Five of them are mentioned below:
1. RainMan(1988)
Rain Mansees Cruise playing the role of Charlie Babbit, a self-centered car dealer whose life turns upside down when he comes across his autistic savant brother – Raymond, played byDustin Hoffman. In the film, Cruise goes from being self-absorbed to becoming a caring and concerned brother. The actor’s ability to convey such deep emotional complexity proves that Cruise is much more than just an action hero.
The film received a total of eight nominations at the Academy Awards, out of which it won four.
Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
Rent/buyRain Manon Prime Video.
2. Jerry Maguire(1996)
Coming to the comedy-drama where Cruise plays the titular sports agent,Jerry Maguirewas a treat to the eyes and the heart. After gaining an epiphany, the slick sports agent turns his life around, making it his mission to become an honest man and have better connections with his clients.
Critics praised the film for its style, which perfectly blends romance with sports, and also commented onJerry Maguire’sbeing the perfect heartwarming film. For his portrayal, Cruise was nominated for Best Actor at the Academy Awards and while he didn’t win, he sure did win our hearts with this one.
Rotten Tomatoes: 84%
StreamJerry Maguireon AMC+ via Prime Video.
3. Collateral(2004)
Now, whileCollateralis an action-thriller, we see Cruise playing a character that is quite unlikeMission: Impossible’s Ethan Hunt andTop Gun’s Maverick. Here, Cruise plays the role of a cold and brooding hitman who takes an unsuspecting cab driver (Jamie Foxx). Cruise’s Vincent forces the driver to drive him around the city as he completes a series of assassinations.
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This film is worlds apart from the ones where Cruise plays your typical hero who saves the day with his quick thinking, strength, and agility and once again proves that Cruise can do any role that comes his way. While he didn’t get an Oscar nomination forCollateral,the film was nominated in two categories.
Rotten Tomatoes: 86%
StreamCollateralon Paramount+.
4. Bornon the Fourth of July(1989)
The biographical anti-war film is based on the life of anti-war activist Rob Kovic who served as the United States Marine Corps sergeant and was wounded in the Vietnam War. Cruise plays Kovic as the film presents twenty years of the activist’s life, including his paralysis during the war.
This has been one of the most transformative roles in Cruise’s portfolio and puts the actor’s dramatic abilities on full display as he presented Kovic’s physical and emotional scars with utmost perfection. Cruise spent a year preparing for the role during which he visited veterans’ hospitals, read up on the Vietnam War, and even paid a visit to the real Kovic himself. You can’t say the man takes his job lightly. The film got Cruise his first Oscar nomination.
StreamBorn on the Fourth of Julyon Prime Video.
5.Tropic Thunder(2008)
You cannot mention Cruise’s most impressive roles without mentioningTropic Thunder.The satirical comedy sees Cruise in one of the most unexpected get-ups as he plays a ruthless, foul-mouthed Hollywood producer, Les Grossman. Once again, this is not your typical Cruise role with the actor’s comedic timing making the film a highlight of his career.
His hilarious dance moves and explosive anger have been loved by the audience ever since it was released and the film shows that Cruise can nail a comedy role just as well as he does action roles.
Rotten Tomatoes: 82%
StreamTropic Thunderon Paramount+.
So, while there is nothing wrong with playing Ethan Hunt and Maverick-like characters, which we love, this list proves that Cruise is not a one-trick pony. He can pull off any genre he sets his mind on and that’s why he’s Hollywood’s superstar!
Mishkaat Khan
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2257
A connoisseur of all things horror, fantasy, and the occasional chick flick, Mishkaat has been penning pieces for FandomWire since 2022. She started off as an intern and has worked her way up to a Senior Writer with over 2000 articles to her name.Outside of entertainment, she has also written well-researched medical content as a freelance writer and has experience in social media management.When not writing, you can find her relaxing with a romance novel and a tall glass of iced coffee in her hand or watching re-runs of ‘Supernatural’ and ‘The Office.’
