In the wake of the film’s release, one critique was that it didn’t hold up to Alejandro Amenábar’s Abre los ojos (“Open your eyes”), upon which it is based.īut Vanilla Sky is more of a remodel - or a remix - than it is a remake. In contrast, Vanilla Sky is more of a simulacrum than a recreation - a false copy that is, in reality, an entirely new creation, like an AI program producing new works of classic art styles. In his previous film, Almost Famous (both a chronicle and a critique of myth-making), Crowe succeeds in recreating the world of 1970s rock. (Writing in early 2002, Cameron Crowe stated that the film had been inspired by Elvis reflecting upon the alienation he felt as the constant center of attention: “I feel lonely, even in a crowded room.” Appropriately, the director also admitted in the same piece that the phrase “vanilla sky” was chosen more because it seemed evocative than because of any specific meaning.) The film’s true emotional register is instead of fear, dread, and paranoia, portrayed most powerfully through association and allusion rather than through overt displays - appropriate for a modern society where human connection is mediated through a screen, but darker feelings of unease are both omnipresent and often unnamed. While critics, primed by Crowe’s previous films to expect earnest displays of emotion, found Cruise’s portrayal of David unsympathetic and his romance with Sofia unconvincing, Vanilla Sky never quite allows the audience to feel the comfort of emotions like love. When David recounts his biography for the benefit of Sofia, for example, his tone is self-deprecatingly grandiose as he evokes narrative tropes - recounting larger-than-life story beats - distancing himself with an edge of irony. The plot, however, is one of the least important parts of a film that functions most effectively through association and allusion. Eventually, much of the events of the film are revealed to have been the result of a sleep-induced alternate reality by the mysterious company “Life Extension” - at least ostensibly. One fateful night, however, he meets Sofia Serrano (Penelope Cruz), with whom he falls in love - before he’s involved in a horrific car crash, after which his face is disfigured and he gradually loses his grip on reality. He treats others without regard or consideration, whether they be lovers like Julie Gianni (Cameron Diaz) or friends like Brian Shelby (Jason Lee). On its surface, Vanilla Sky is the story of David Aames (Tom Cruise), a magazine mogul and executive maneuvering for control of his company from a hostile board of directors. Equal parts beguiling and prescient, the film at once critiqued its time, ushered in the twenty-first century, and speaks still to the anxieties of the present age. Yet two decades onward, it is Vanilla Sky that holds up as both the most challenging and rewarding of Crowe’s major movies. The director’s cultural cachet - not to mention critical acclaim - never quite recovered from this perceived misstep. But Vanilla Sky, released in December of 2001, seemed to break this pattern, befuddling viewers and criticized by reviewers as a vehicle for star Tom Cruise which failed to connect on the emotional level of Crowe’s previous hits. He was supposed to make crowd-pleasing favorites like Jerry Maguire and Almost Famous, films with an earnest emotional core that were easy to love, and which won the favor of critics and audiences alike. “Looking back all I did was look away / Next time is the best we all know / But if there is no next time where to go?” - “Re-Make/Re-Model,” Roxy MusicĬritics thought Crowe had lost his touch. when I waked, I cried to dream again.” - The Tempest, William Shakespeare And in my opinion, one of the best movies ever made.“Be not afeard the isle is full of noises, sounds and sweet airs. The film is very complex, but not confusing. If you pay attention, you won't be confused. Ignore all people that call this film too confusing to follow. ![]() I won't explain anymore of the plot, because it's far more compelling, the less you know. ![]() All of their interactions, and the consequences of them, make Vanilla Sky one of the most emotional, and complex thrillers ever made. Curtis McCabe, a psychologist interviewing David. ![]() Cameron Diaz plays Julie Gianni, David's occasional bed buddy. Penelope Cruz plays Sofia Serrano, Brian's girlfriend whom accompanies him to David's birthday party. Jason Lee plays Brian Shelby, David's best, and in many ways, only friend. Tom Cruise plays David Aames, a selfish egomaniac who takes other people's emotions for granted, and thinks only of himself. And in my opinion, a much more human and emotional version. Vanilla Sky is a 2001 remake of the great 1997 movie, Abre Los Ojos (Open Your Eyes).
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