10 Intense Performances In Heart-Breaking Movie Scenes
4. Tom Cruise Magnolia
Tom Cruise hasnt been the most popular man of the last 10 years. While hes enjoying a little bit of a resurgence with reliably entertaining blockbusters Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and Edge of Tomorrow, hes not quite the titan he was in the 80s and 90s. However, his mainstream popularity did not represent his talent enough because he always brings his A-game to everything he does. Never has he been better than in Paul Thomas Andersons Magnolia, for which he was nominated for an Oscar. For most of Tom Cruises performance, he is Frank T.J. Mackey, a narcissist and misogynistic sex motivational speaker to men unlucky in love where, in his energetic performances on stage, he convinces them to manipulate women. He finds out that his father, played by Jason Robards, who he thought to be dead is actually alive, albeit now on his death bed. Frank visits him, hesitant, yet furious and full of hatred. Cruise plays it like an uncomfortable closed box until hes forced to open it. He says I will not cry for you while his father lays there lifeless, until eventually and inevitability, he bursts into tears. Suddenly, we understand the loathsome character of Frank T.J. Mackey a little more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShTChsXrfuc
Recently graduated from University of Hertfordshire with a Film & Television Production degree. Usually found watching films, listening to music, writing for whatculture and writing reviews for awardscircuit.com and my blog.
