Jerry Maguire (1996)

A huge hit for all involved upon release in 1996 (where does 20 years go?), for some reason I've never shown Jerry Maguire "my money" and watched it in its entirety, despite it being the film that spawned an endless count of imitators trying to redo instantly classic scenes or launched the careers of Renee Zellweger and the Oscar winning Cuba Gooding Jr.

Before he went on to make the other instantly recognisable and well-regarded Almost Famous, director Cameron Crowe combined his skills as a writer and a feel-good director to give us this insight into sports agent with heart Jerry Maguire and his fight against the odds to keep his head above water but while the film masquerades under this disguise Crowe's film is quite simply a Hollywood romance between Tom Cruise's Maguire and Zellweger's caring single mom Dorothy Boyd, whose young child Ray (played by Stuart Little's very own brother Jonathan Lipnicki) just about steals the show.

Lathered in Hollywood schmaltz and filled with a loud American bravado thanks to Cruise and Gooding Jr's turns, it's hard to know how Crowe's film would be received had it been released in today's climate but as with many 90's rom-coms you go in expecting things to be more fanciful and over the top than we've come to expect from the modern age's more realistic ventures and it would take a viewer with a heart of stone to walk away from watching this uplifting tale not feeling some of those good vibrations that Crowe has largely failed to recapture in his career since (just look at Aloha).

Finding himself completely entangled in this feel good romance is it's star Tom Cruise who delivers arguably one of his most likable and complete turns as the driven yet always appealing Maguire.

If there was ever questions as to why Cruise was and still is one of the world's most bankable and relatable on screen persona's, it's likely that Jerry Maguire would answer them in one clean sweep.

Showcasing an energy, likability and delivery of important scenes that very few actors could dare to muster up, Cruise is without a doubt the quintessential Maguire, that person than can make anyone drink their Kool-Aid and in almost every scene of a movie that runs over 2 hours, Maguire ends up giving Cruise one of his most rounded and memorable acting gigs which is no small feat in a career filled to the brim with lasting classics.

Not everything works within the film however. Some scenes fall flat and Gooding Jr's Oscar winning turn is hard to support when watched under current conditions, all yelling and hyperactivity, it's not exactly the type of performance that you'd call the "year's best" although those feel good vibes and the films overall success no doubt influenced many who were under the spell of Crowe and his audience appeasing venture.

A fun, smile inducing film that's influence can't be underestimated, Jerry Maguire is over the top and filled with Hollywoodized moments, plus it's fair share of over the top scenarios and performance but with Crowe in the best form of his career as a filmmaker and Cruise on peak likability mode, Jerry Maguire is a film worthy of its reputation even if it's not quite the classic some would label it to be and absolutely a product of its time.

3 ½ memo's out of 5

Fmovies: "Jerry Maguire" has to rate as one of the most quotable movies of the last decade and a half. It's given us the lines "Show me the money", "Help me, Help you", "You had me at hello" and "You complete me". And it's that last line, that really describe this movie. It's really about the growth of an individual. We see Jerry Maguire the character, grow from just an agent to becoming much more, it's not an easy trip but for the most part it's an entertaining one.

Jerry Maguire is a top sport agent. He has a decent amount of big names as client and he's engage to a beautiful woman. Then one day while visiting one of his client in the hospital, the client's young son confronted him after he gives the client a shallow encouragement. The confrontation stick in his mind and would even get him to write a "mission statement" for the company. The "mission statement" basically lays out a plan that the agents give their clients more personal attention. Unfortunately his boss doesn't like it.

The movie gives us a look at the world of the sports agents. Who are they that gets a cut of an athlete's earning and do they really deserve it? In the beginning they're just there to negotiate the numbers and get the athletes as much exposure. In the end, Jerry has become more than a guy who makes deal for an athlete. It also gives us a look at some clients they're more demanding than the agents are prepared to handle. But if handled right they will prove to be worth the trouble.

Jerry Maguire is played by Tom Cruise, and he gives one of his best performance. I think it's every bit the equal of Cuba Gooding Jr's. Oscar winning performance. Both men were on top of their game playing off each other. It's sad that his erratic behavior of late has caused harmed to his career because Tom Cruise is a very good actor. So too is Mr. Gooding and Renee Zellwegger, who plays an office worker in Tom Cruise's office and who joined him as he tries to put forth his "mission statement" into practice.

All in all, I think it's a good movie with a very observant script, complimented by great acting.

Tom Cruise had one of his best roles and earned his second Oscar Nomination for Best Actor for his charismatic JERRY MAGUIRE, a richly entertaining comedy drama that is a seamless blend of character study and romantic comedy. Jerry is a driven and ambitious sports agent for an international agency that represents professional athletes in all sports who has a crisis of conscience that motivates him to write a "mission statement", which turns out to be more of a defiant manifesto blasting everything that is wrong in his business. he distributes his "memo" throughout the office and though it gets faint praise initially, it does end up getting him fired from the agency. We then see Jerry try to continue his business though he only has one client who agrees to stick with him. Director-writer Cameron Crowe (FAST TIMES AT RIDGMONT HIGH; ALMOST FAMOUS)solidified his position as a master cinematic storyteller with this epic story told on an intimate scale. His extremely deft screenplay is sharply delivered by a perfect cast. This role seems tailor-made for Cruise and he makes the most of it. Cuba Gooding Jr. won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his star-making performance as Rod Tidwell, Jerry's most loyal client; Renee Zelwegger was the find of the year as Dorothy Boyd, the secretary from the agency who follows Jerry when he's fired and agrees to work for him and eventually falls for him; Bonnie Hunt scores as Dorothy's sister as does Kelly Preston, in one of her best performances as Jerry's shark of an ex-fiancée. Regina King should have received an Oscar nomination for her solid performance as Tidwell's wife, Marcy; Jay Mohr is quite funny as Bob Sugarman, a rival agent who is battling Jerry to represent another football player (Jerry O'Connell)who is being watched over by his protective dad (Beau Bridges). A rare gem from the 1990's that is not only grandly entertaining, but vividly real...there's nothing false or affected here (though some might find Gooding's Tidwell a little over the top), this film is one of those rare treats that is long, but you hardly feel it. A real treat and a must for Cruise fans.

Jerry Maguire fmovies. I've seen Jerry Maguire a number of times but it was only on my most recent viewing, at the age of 23, that I came to truly appreciate it. Yes it is all the things I described in the title; but it is also a charming and original film filled with excellent performances, under the control of a man who knows exactly what story he wants to tell. I'm not going to tell everyone it doesn't have its flaws- I can picture Crowe sitting there and smiling to himself after writing "You had me at hello"- but this is anything but a bad film.

Jerry Maguire features an unusual central romance, with Cruise and Zellweger's characters getting together more out of convenience than love (on his part anyway). The relationship is handled with maturity and honesty by all involved. Cruise is terrific throughout the whole film but it is his moments with Zellweger and her character's son where he truly shines. Zellweger herself, oft maligned, also puts in a great performance and in my opinion she has never looked lovelier. But it is the relationship between Cruise's Maguire and Oscar winning Cuba Gooding Jr's Rod Tidwell that is the film's real selling point. It's a relationship built on loyalty, trust and friendship. The film has its twists and turns (and it is too long) but it is the bond between agent and star that keeps the film afloat and ultimately gives it a happy ending.

Oscar Note: I don't know what the reaction was like at the time but popular opinion nowadays is that Gooding didn't deserve the Oscar. Bill Macy and Ed Norton are often cited as being robbed, and I can't deny that they were excellent in their respective roles, but I believe Gooding to be more than worthy. You'd be hard pressed to find a more electric, entertaining and effective performance in any film.

I just finished watching this movie for the third time and I still love this movie as much as I did after the first time I watched it. Maybe even more! As I already said in the title of my review, only Cameron Crowe can make this kind of movies. Movies about life the way it is and life the way it should be. What I like the most about Crowe's work, is that everything is real. The characters, their emotions, the story,Â… The whole is absolutely amazing.

Tom Cruise gave an excellent performance as the sports agent with a heart. Someone for who money isn't the most important thing. It's all about the relationship between the sports agent and his client. What's so great about "Jerry Maguire", is the fact that the movie isn't about who Jerry Maguire really is, it's about who he wants to be. I loved Cuba Gooding Jr. By far his greatest role ever. Let's not forget Renée Zellweger and her cute son, amazingly performed by the young Jonathan Lipnicki. Both where very good. Perfect casting for Zellweger.

I read in the trivia that the title role was written for Tom Hanks. Don't get me wrong, Tom Hanks is an excellent actor, but to play an ambitious and arrogant sports manager (what Jerry Maguire was at the beginning of the movie), you need to have Tom Cruise's face. He was just perfect for the role. I can't think of anybody who could have done this as good as he did.

So my conclusion for Jerry Maguire: If you haven't seen it, you should definitely see it. If you have seen it, I hope you can agree with me. This movie is wonderful, as where are used from Cameron Crowe-movies.

9/10

"Jerry Maguire" did something very strange in 1996: it had both critical and commercial success. This was evident in the fact that the four other Best Picture nominees for the year were all independent productions. "Jerry Maguire" shows the business world of America at its worst, in this case in the sports industry. When Jerry Maguire, a sports agent, (played by Oscar-nominated Tom Cruise) has a breakthrough one night he realizes that quality is more important than quantity. Of course he is fired from his job and loses all of his clients except Rod Tidwell (played by Cuba Gooding, Jr. in his Oscar-winning performance). Dorothy Boyd (Renee Zellweger) has left the business with Maguire, agreeing with his views. However, Maguire struggles with his separation from the sports corporation (losing his fiance and the first pick in the NFL Draft). However, he survives and learns that living well and loving well are the keys to happiness. All in all, "Jerry Maguire" is classic Hollywood stuff made in the present-day. Cameron Crowe's script and direction are subtle, but extremely effective. Tom Cruise delivered his best performance to date. Renee Zellweger proved to be the find of the year and Cuba Gooding, Jr.'s quotes and scenes he stole were enough to win him the Oscar in a very competitive year in the Best Supporting Actor category. "Jerry Maguire" is not a perfect film. In fact it is flawed in many ways and is not very accurate in some areas. However, its ability to mix comedy, romance, and drama make it a very entertaining film. The performances are all excellent. 4.5 out of 5 stars.