On J List of Movie Reviews

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Jerry Maguire (1996)

Rate: 7
Viewed: 3/04, 5/25

5/25: I wasn't a fan of Jerry Maguire back then and thought of it corny.

After trying again, I've concluded the movie isn't bad, but it has problems. The running length of two hours and nineteen minutes is simply too much. There's confusion in the direction which keeps bouncing around: is it about romance or business? What's the moral of the story after all? At any rate, it's rarely clear, thanks to the abrupt ending.

Although Tom Cruise gives a strong performance and can sometimes be guilty of being "Tom Cruise" ridiculous, it's hard to root for his character because he happens to be a sports agent. Who cares about him and the athletes he represents? They are all overpaid and not that important!

It's easy to see Renee Zellweger, who came out of nowhere (remember Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation?), adding a special touch to Jerry Maguire. But really...is this "How to Trap a Great Guy 101"? No wonder why her kid was used as a pawn. Jerry's love for Dorothy is never convincing at any point. What's with the cheesy line: "You had me at 'hello'"?

Then, we have Cuba Gooding, Jr., who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. To be honest with you, that was a bad choice (I would've given it to Armin Mueller-Stahl for Shine), and he didn't do anything special other than yelling the famous line: "Show me the money!" But I admit he made the movie better in a triumvirate way. For the most part, he's overly emotional just like what happened during his Oscar acceptance speech.

All in all, Jerry Maguire is nothing more than cutesy bullshit.

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