I saw it the first time in the 90s and the second time yesterday.
Taking into account my intolerance of Tom Cruise – a Kewpie doll with glassy eyes – I still cannot help appraising him for this really good job. Maybe the best one in his career, including but not limited to numerous mission impossibles and cotton candy duos with ex-wife Kidman.
As Ron Kovic, Cruise beats Platoon’s Charlie Sheen by far: he is not afraid to be weak, ridiculous, ugly, dirty, even disgusting. Just like a live human being crippled by war and struggling to stay a human being would be. Just like any of us might be.
The tune of killing a brother in arms under friend-or-foe circumstances is repeated here, same as in Platoon. Killing of civils, too. Here, these are eventual, which adds pain to the bowl. Looks like it’s eating Gilbert Grape Oliver Stone. Les cendres de Claes battent sur mon coeur*, jees.
In addition to that, Stone pokes holes in the general concept of patriotism by separating it from idiotism, i.e. conscious refusal to think independently and critically.
All in all, if not an immediate must-see, this movie is definitely a must-have – some day you might want to see it 😉
*The ashes of Klaas knock at my heart (fr.)
I believe Cruise is best in the “Tropic Thunder”, probably because he’s totally unrecognisable there 🙂
It appeared he really can act as far as he doesn’t stick to his usual буэ candy image 🙂
The ex-wife Kidman’s quite abominable though, i probably won’t even go to watch Australia – three hours with Kidman would be too much 🙂
ps. and get well soon =)
I saw Tropic Thunder, but wasn’t particularly impressed with it… will have to refresh my memory by watching it again sometime maybe 🙂
I’ll try to make a quick recovery, right now it’s the wrong time to be sick. Thanx!
As for the film, I didn’t like it much either, but I enjoyed the terrible Cruise’s character =)