Jerry Maguire was my wake-up call, but Tom Cruise didn’t just luck into this performance. Turns out, he was delivering acting masterclasses throughout his career. Let’s start with Born on the Fourth of July, where he played a paralyzed Vietnam War vet turned anti-war activist. Cruise’s transformation for this role was amazing and even earned him his first Oscar nod.
Then there’s Rain Man, where most praise went to Dustin Hoffman, but I felt like Cruise was the emotional spine here. And who could forget his intense courtroom scenes in A Few Good Men, where Cruise’s Lt. Kaffee went up against Jack Nicholson.
If you want to see him go dark, watch Collateral. Here, the actor sheds his hero persona and embraces being a cold menace. I was terrified of him in this movie, and it just goes to show how far Cruise could stretch if he’s given the space.
The actor has certainly risked his limbs for entertainment, but he’s more than just a glorified stuntman. Cruise is an artist who doesn’t just deserve our applause but also our respect. So next time someone calls him “just an action guy,” show them that scene from Jerry Maguire.