Review of Vanilla Sky (2001) by Amanda C — 19 Dec 2010

This is a film that had me within the first 30 seconds. Nicely framed, slickly edited and extreamly confusing. Tom Cruise has never been better, never looked better either, but Penelope Cruz is the real star in this film. She is quirky and genuine displaying a wonderful childlike quality that is sweet touching and absolutly adorable, not a word I would have ever thought to discribe her before.

The scene in Sophia's apartment is beyond wonderful, giving the film a playful, childlike quality that is rarely seen on screen. It did lose me for a bit in the middle with the night club sequece, which seems out of place, probably becuase it's the most continuous fifteen minutes of the film, which is a bit jarring and undermines the puzzle quality of the rest of the film. I feel there's a bit too much explination at the end, but it saves itself through the strength of Cruise and Cruz's performances and the beautifully surreal mise-en-scene.