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Bookmark this pageJerry Maguire (1996)
Director: Cameron Crowe
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
When sports agent Jerry Maguire (Cruise) writes an uncharacteristically idealistic manifesto suggesting his company should opt for fewer clients and a more caring approach, he's applauded by his colleagues who, as soon as he's fired, desert him - along with all but one of his clients, mouthy footballer Rod Tidwell (Gooding). But then Jerry also has support from single mum Dorothy Boyd (Zellweger), who happens to have fallen for him. Will the prospect of failure allow him to open up to his emotions, instead of just half-hearted affairs, as before? Lauded as a witty moral fable with a revelatory performance from its star, this romantic comedy is in fact meretricious, manipulative and reactionary. Cruise is still limited to three modes of expression: anxious, determined and smugly smiling. Since Maguire never really breaks with the money-oriented definition of success favoured by the agency that fired him, his 'failure' and diatribes against cynicism are meaningless. As for his 'redemption' through the love of a good woman: she's a doting doormat who even apologises for his mistakes, and he's so peremptory about getting what he wants that the film comes over as unthinkingly sexist. Sterling performances, nevertheless, from Zellweger and Gooding.Author: GA
User reviews of this film
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- Jerry Maguire said...
- Posted on Oct 16 2011 02:07 Just watched it on TV. Agreed, it's perplexing how the alleged theme of 'love trumps money' is never allowed in the door. 'Love is money' would seem more accurate. I love my life, I love your wife, and I wish for me a fat bag of cash.
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- Brian said...
- Posted on Jun 06 2011 04:58 "Reactionary". Wow. Nothing in Hollywood escapes the thought police. Better burn the reels.
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- cwt said...
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Posted on May 26 2010 22:20
I watched Jerry Maguire on DVD, again, for a third time; and again, for the third time, I was left feeling, "How could anybody think this was a good romantic comedy?" The reviewer got it exactly right.
Additionally, Bonnie Hunt, as always, is marvelous to watch. - Report as inappropriate
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- thetruest said...
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Posted on Apr 07 2009 22:29
maggie is idiot.
So is the the last part of this idiot review and the person who wrote it. - Report as inappropriate
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- Maggie said...
- Posted on Aug 18 2007 17:29 Totally agree. Mindboggling people think it's romantic at all.
- Report as inappropriate
Cast & crew
Director: Cameron Crowe
Producer: James L Brooks, Laurence Mark, Richard Sakai, Cameron Crowe
Cast: Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr, Renée Zellweger, Kelly Preston, Jerry O'Connell, Jay Mohr, Regina King, Bonnie Hunt, Beau Bridges full cast
Genre(s): Comedy
Duration: 139 mins
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