Tom Cruise - Great Actor - Thoughts on his Career?

[cubby]

Been watching some old and new Tom Cruise movies. The guy is fantastic. Versatile, a couple of Oscar nominations, and he can sing.

What are people's thoughts on him as an actor? Setting aside his personal life, of course

[Paperfox]

Quite a while ago I read a review that said he turned in another solid performance. I think that is pretty accurate.

[Kyphael]

Only 2 roles I ever thought he was good as were Lestat and General Algren. That's it.

[Hollycakes]

Been watching some old and new Tom Cruise movies. The guy is fantastic. Versatile, a couple of Oscar nominations, and he can sing.

What are people's thoughts on him as an actor? Setting aside his personal life, of course

Not sure if trolling but I love him.

Oblivion. Edge of Tomorrow. War of the worlds. He makes amazing sci fi.
Not to mention Lestat, Legend, the Tropic Thunder guy (he said I want fat hands lol) and I don't care what people say I loved Eyes Wide Shut.
He has lots of good stuff yus. In fact I just watched Minority Report again the other day and it seems people like the MI films.

I guess for him I can set aside his RL. Cause let's be honest, even his rants are outdone by say Bale or Crowe.

From the Clearwater area originally and it's quite the site seeing them take over downtown all in matching blue walking down Ft. Harrison like clones. But I won't comment on one magical deity or another or who has the most absurd ideas. It works for him I guess. Hail Xenu?

[cubby]

Only 2 roles I ever thought he was good as were Lestat and General Algren. That's it.

Have you seen Collateral, Minority Report, or Magnolia?

- - - Updated - - -

Not sure if trolling but I love him.

Oblivion. Edge of Tomorrow. War of the worlds. He makes amazing sci fi.
Not to mention Lestat, Legend, the Tropic Thunder guy (he said I want fat hands lol) and I don't care what people say I loved Eyes Wide Shut.
He has lots of good stuff yus. In fact I just watched Minority Report again the other day and it seems people like the MI films.

I guess for him I can set aside his RL. Cause let's be honest, even his rants are outdone by say Bale or Crowe.

From the Clearwater area originally and it's quite the site seeing them take over downtown all in matching blue walking down Ft. Harrison like clones. But I won't comment on one magical deity or another or who has the most absurd ideas. It works for him I guess. Hail Xenu?

Honest thread/post/question.

I really like Cruise, and the more I rewatch his stuff and see his new movies, the more I realize just how good he is and always has been. And if you haven't seen Magnolia, queue it up - fantastic role for him.

I wish he'd gotten more non-action roles (ironically timed question - have you seen Knight & Day?). But he's so good, and so good in action films (because of his acting ability), that they keep giving him those marque action hits.

- - - Updated - - -

Quite a while ago I read a review that said he turned in another solid performance. I think that is pretty accurate.

Agreed. I just saw him in Rock of Ages and he was terrific - he can really sing, too.

[Ayirasi]

The dude knows how to pick his projects, and is rarely in a bad film. His acting in dramas are usually very good, but in action flicks, his performances are mostly just serviceable... though I really admire his dedication to doing some pretty insane stunts.

ninjaedit: Forgot about his work in comedies. He's... mostly good? His Austin Powers cameo was fucking gold.

[Kyphael]

Have you seen Collateral, Minority Report, or Magnolia?

Can't say I have but I guess they're not my kind of movies anyway, so my opinion wouldn't be very objective if those are indeed considered his best work.

[MrPaladinGuy]

Cool movies, publicly a decent dude, Scientology poster boy and slave, definitely in the closet (gay)

Possibly bathes in the blood infants and stem cells to maintain his appearance.

[Very Tired]

Honestly seems like a complete dick in real life so I could never really get his roles in movies.

[Doctor Amadeus]

I have no issues with Tom Cruise, he makes great films and most if not al the press about his personal life is nonsense. Yes he Scientologist but so what, so are some of my best friends and my wife so are her parents. I am not but it has never come up as an issue or a problem ever.

Tom makes great films.

[Hellobolis]

had some good movies 20 years ago. more famous for scientology since.

can't unsee his crooked teeth after someone pointed it out to me. also apparently insists on a sprinting scene in every movie.

[Magical Mudcrab]

Good actor, cannot stand the fact that he's in the cult of scientology, though.

[XDurionX]

Lolwut? He hasn't made a good movie since the 80ies. He's about as versatile as Nicholas Cage.

[TrollHunter3000]

The dude knows how to pick his projects, and is rarely in a bad film. His acting in dramas are usually very good, but in action flicks, his performances are mostly just serviceable... though I really admire his dedication to doing some pretty insane stunts.

ninjaedit: Forgot about his work in comedies. He's... mostly good? His Austin Powers cameo was fucking gold.

What about Tropic Thunder?

[Super Kami Dende]

Great Actor, Last Samurai is one of my all time fave movies. He's consistently good in pretty much every role he does.

I think if he wasn't eccentric and a bit weird in regards too Scientology that he'd be pretty well liked.

[Schalde]

Also amazing in jerry Maguire, firm and last samurai

[MoanaLisa]

Cruise is a little bit like John Wayne in the sense that his characters are more like avatars for Tom Cruise than him doing anything resembling classical acting. He picks his roles very carefully and makes most of them work. He's also clearly the best at running in movies. Just watch any movie he runs in. It's sort of amazing. In the end though, he's more Tom Cruise than any of his characters. And that's fine. He's a solid movie star, has been for ages and I have no clue as to how he looks like he does at his age.

[Puri]

He is a great actor, ever good looking, that played in many above average action and drama movies and also in some outstanding ones. As persom he seems to be pretty fun, for example when he made James Corden to parachute.

That he is representing Scientology though still is dampening my view on him personally, but I always separated actors in the movies and their personal life. I don't care if an actor grabbed women, murdered children or took drugs, that does not change the way I see their work.

[Paperfox]

Don't forget he can run, really, really good. Is there a movie that he's in where he doesn't run?

[Skizzit]

Tom Cruise can be very hit or miss for me. He had a hell of a run in the late 80's all the way through to the early 2000's with movies like The Outsiders, Risky Business, The Color of Money, Rain Man, A Few Good Men, Interview with a Vampire, Magnolia, Eyes Wide Shut (I know some dislike this one but I always quite enjoyed it), Collateral, and The Last Samurai. There were some duds in there as well like Far and Away and Days of Thunder but he was pretty reliable to at least take on interesting parts.

Lately though, it's like he only picks the most boring movies possible. It's nothing but Mission Impossible movies and bog standard sci-fi and action roles. I don't know if it is because he is getting older and wants to prove he is still Hollywood leading man Tom Cruise or something. I honestly think the last time Cruise actually took a semi-interesting role in a movie was his part in Tropic Thunder and that was more than ten years ago. And glancing at IMDB that doesn't seem to be changing either. Only things listed on there for him are more Mission Impossible movies, that Top Gun sequel, a possible follow-up to the only slightly above average Live Die Repeat, and what sounds like yet another sci-fi action movie where Cruise plays the leader of a group trying to steal an energy source from the moon. It all sounds pretty boring. Pick more interesting roles Tom! You are better than this.

Oh, and by all accounts he is a bit of a nutter in his private life which is totally fine (you do you Mr. Cruise) as long as it doesn't negatively effect the lives of those around you.