Tom Cruise Top Four Best Performances (And Four Of His Worst)

Four Of His Worst…

4. Knight & Day (2010)

Knight and Day is an action-comedy film co-starring Cameron Diaz and directed by James Mangold. When Cruise went on his whole scientology rant during the mid 2000's it really didn't go the way that he wanted it too. This was one of the films that Cruise did to sort of revitalize his image so to speak. While Knight and Day isn't a terrible film it just doesn't really add anything to his filmography.

If you want a good popcorn movie then I think you would like this. However, this just seemed like a failed attempt at a non Mission Impossible film and it didn’t really stick the landing.

3. Cocktail (1988)

Just like A24 did with Materialists, Cocktail's marketing was rather confusing. Not only that but this movie had 40 different drafts and the studio thought that Tom wasn't a “leading man” for this film. The marketing for this film is a romantic drama and unfortunately that was the downfall of this film because it's by far the worst thing about the film. Tom Cruise plays Brian Flanagan an upcoming bartender who is looking to open up his own bar with his boss/mentor Doug Coughlin while balancing his school work and love life. Sounds like a pretty simple synopsis, right?

Too bad they couldn't keep it that simple because this film is all over the place. The first 30-40 minutes focuses on Brian as a bartender and then we do a time jump with him working at a bar on the beach in Jamaica and we don't hear anything about if he graduated college or dropped out or anything. I don’t think this film is a God awful as the Razzie's think because they nominated Tom for ‘Worst Lead Actor’ for his performance in this film. While, this film has great acting, amazing soundtrack and it being the highest grossing film of ‘88 sadly it has a very confusing narrative of what it wants to be: a movie about bartending or a romantic/drama.

2. Days Of Thunder (1990)

Days Of Thunder is the start of one out of three films that stars Tom Cruise and soon-to-be wife Nicole Kidman. After the success of Top Gun, Tony Scott and Tom Cruise reunite hoping to capture lightning in a bottle twice for Days Of Thunder. Unfornately, for them this film was a complete disaster during production. Not only did they start production without a finished script but scenes were written during the same days of shooting. Also, Tom Cruise had to read his lines off cue cards that were attached to his windshield, which resulted in a fender bender.

Honestly, the best way to describe this film is, “Top Gun” with cars.

1. Mission Impossible II (2000)

This might come as a shocker to some people, but not EVERY single MI film in the franchise is a banger. I think everyone universally agrees that MI2 is a complete disaster. For starters, it feels more like a romantic drama rather than an action film. The pacing is bad, it has one of the weakest villains in the franchise, too much slow motion and unfortunately for a Tom Cruise film the action sequences are pretty boring. We don't get any action until maybe the final hour of the film and by that time I was completely drained of any joy.

Four Of His Best…

4. Edge Of Tomorrow (2014)

Despite the marketing of this film being very confusing and it failing in the box office (surprising to hear a Tom Cruise action film flopping), it later became a cult classic. Not only that but this is one of the films I see a lot of YouTube subscribers request for their favorite reaction channels to watch. Edge Of Tomorrow is based on Japanese light novel, All You Need Is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka. For people that say that Tom Cruise doesn't have range, I suggest you watch this film. In a lot of action films Tom Cruise is always playing some sort of badass character whose jumping off cars, shooting guns, diving off clips, etc.

However, in Edge Of Tomorrow we see Tom Cruise like we’ve never seen him before. a public relations officer with no combat experience whose forced to fight on the front lines of an alien invasion when he is caught in a time loop. This is co-starring Emily Blunt as badass Sergeant Rita Vrataski who helps Major William Cage (Tom Cruise) train to help conquer the alien invasion every time he dies. It's actually pretty refreshing watching Tom Cruise take a step back and have someone else be the badass one in the film for once.

3. Collateral (2004)

Everyone talks about how great ‘99 was for film, however, we can't forget about 2004. 2004 had heavy hitters including: Hotel Rwanda, Ray, The Aviator, The Incredibles, Spider-Man 2, Mean Girls, Man On Fire and even Collateral. Directed by Michael Mann Collateral is a neo-noir action thriller film about a Los Angeles taxi driver named Max (played by Jamie Foxx) whose held hostage by a deranged contract killer named Vincent. Just like Denzel Washington in Training Day this was the first time Tom Cruise played a villain on screen and he knocked it out of the park.

What's so great about his performance as Vincent is that at times he is cold and heartless and other times he actually seems like he actually has a heart. At times you feel just like Max: you never know if Vincent is telling Max what he wants him to hear or if he's being genuine and that's what makes him dangerous. This is actually one of the performances I think Tom Cruise should have won an Oscar for.

2. Jerry Maguire (1996)

While, Cruise was able to score a golden globe win for his performance in Jerry Maguire I still believe that he was snubbed by the Oscar’s. Written and Directed by Cameron Crowe Jerry Maguire tells the story of a scumbag sports agent Jerry Maguire who ends getting fired when he begins questioning his job and motives. And because of this he ends up with no job, no clients, except an egomaniacal football player Rod Tidwell (played by Cuba Gooding Jr) and single mother Dorothy Boyd. Not only has the film become a cult classic but we got two of the best catchphrases from it: “you had me at hello" and “show me the money.”

Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding Jr have excellent chemistry together and their is not a dull moment they have throughout the film. In the end both of them realized that they needed each other in some kind of way. Jerry teaches Rod to chase your dreams for the love of it and not for the money or fame. Meanwhile, Rod teaches Jerry that their is nothing wrong with being in love with someone you care about.

1. Born On The Fourth Of July (1989)

Trust me when I say that I really hate bringing up the Academy Awards considering the terrible choices they have made for what feels like an eternity now. However, Tom Cruise winning a Golden Globe for his performance as Ron Kovic but losing out at the Academy Awards the same year is still one of the biggest tragedies. Directed by Oliver Stone Born On The Fourth Of July is based on the 1976 autobiography written by Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic who returns home after being paralyzed in the war and his transition into anti-war activism.

I’m not that big into war films just because they’re easy Oscar bait films that receive a boat load of nominations. Not only that but sometimes their are some very intense scenes that are just difficult to watch which makes the replay value for me slim-to-none. However, Born On The Fourth Of July really shows how poorly veterans are treated in this country and how sometimes you’re fighting for a country that doesn't love you as much as you love them. Honestly, it feels like a toxic relationship that you don’t realize is toxic until it's too late.