Tom Cruise brings box-office-worthy performances to every movie he stars in, including the recent multiplex smash-hit sequel Top Gun: Maverick, released May 27, 2022. He is, however, a sometimes-derided actor and is often typecast as a one-size-fits-all-action hero.
Cruise's almost cosmic draw for cinema-going audiences is one of the more undeniable facts of life. But many of his performances do not get the credit they rightly deserve, according to many Redditors, and in light of his most recent foray into the action genre, some of his more dynamic performances are being discussed in detail once again.
Magnolia (1999)
Paul Thomas Anderson's sprawling magnum-opus, Magnolia, is memorable for countless reasons, not least the performances of its ensemble cast. The pick of the bunch of these performances, though, came from Tom Cruise, whose portrayal as the tortured lifestyle guru Franck T.J Mackey is one of the all-time greats of cinema.
Reddit users believe that Cruise's performance, despite being rightly praised by critics, deserved more recognition from Academy voters when it came to the Oscars season, as he missed out on claiming a Best Actor award for the role. Reddit user bartos33863, for example, laments that Cruise was "just outstanding. And his snub was outrageous."
Interview With The Vampire (1994)
Neil Jordan's adaptation of Interview With The Vampire, based on the book by Anne Rice, showcased some of the best actors in the business. Tom Cruise's demonic portrayal of the evil Lestat was a masterful performance from an actor more used to playing the hero of the piece.
In the film, Cruise starred alongside Brad Pitt, and there is much debate on Reddit as to who is the real star of the film. Reddit user coco9unzain believes that it is Cruise, not Pitt, who should be given more credit in discussions about the film, saying "Tom Cruise outshined Brad completely in Interview With The Vampire."
Born On The Fourth Of July (1989)
Oliver Stone's Born On The Fourth Of July presented Cruise with an opportunity to flex his acting chops in a way that was uncharacteristic of an actor usually suited to action films. Cruise's sensitive portrayal of a soldier paralyzed after serving in Vietnam was the nuanced anchor of a film that sought to expose the horrors and trauma of war well after the fact.
Far from being an underrated actor, several Reddit users in fact believe Tom Cruise to be overrated. The quality of his performance in Oliver Stone's anti-war masterpiece is scarcely up for debate though, with Reddit user jakeupnorth saying, "really underrated performance for how overrated Tom Cruise is."
Collateral (2004)
Michael Mann's iconic thriller Collateral, once again, presented Cruise with an opportunity to play a character that did not fit with the typecast image of a chiseled hero. In the movie, Cruise plays an assassin who, after accepting a cab ride from Jamie Foxx's Max, manipulates the hapless protagonist into embroiling himself in Vincent's maniacal plot.
Redditors are largely in awe of Cruise's performance in the film and cite it as one of, if not his best, performances on screen, and think it should get more recognition. Reddit user derubino remarks that "I thought his acting was absolutely amazing. He tends to play a similar guy in many of his movies, but Collateral was completely different."
Valkyrie (2008)
Bryan Singer's 2008 Second World War thriller, Valkyrie, is one of Cruise's lesser-known films and it showcases his versatility in playing a flawed anti-hero. Singer's movie was a tense portrayal of the events which nearly saw the assassination of Adolf Hitler led by rogue German officers and is anchored by a terrific performance from Cruise.
Redditors cite Singer's movie as one of Cruise's more profound yet understated performances and were pleasantly surprised by the depth that Cruise's character displayed on screen in the film. Reddit user The_Stability says, "I thought he was really good in Valkyrie. Although I had really low expectations for that film."
War Of The Worlds (2005)
Fan reaction to Steven Spielberg's controversial adaptation of the popular science fiction story, War Of The Worlds, has been mixed, to say the least. That is not to say that it does not have its admirers, and what many would consider an underrated film has a very underrated performance at its center, from Tom Cruise.
War Of The Worlds has its detractors in the Reddit community, but Cruise's performance is often referenced as one of its more admirable qualities. Reddit user TimesThreeTheHighest argues that despite what people think of the film as a whole, Cruise's turn needs appreciation, saying, "his performance in War Of The Worlds is very underrated."
Days Of Thunder (1990)
Cruise is both derided and appreciated for his roles in iconic retro action films, and Redditors have often made light of his work in these kinds of movies. But as the recent revival of Top Gun: Maverick shows, there is still plenty of clamor for retro franchise reboots, and no one would discount Days Of Thunder getting another crack at the box office in the 21st century.
Redditors rank Cruise's performance in Days Of Thunder alongside some of his best, and one Reddit user puts it in the same category as his more appreciated roles in Minority Report and of course, Top Gun, saying, "Days Of Thunder (very underrated, IMO."
Knight And Day (2010)
Tom Cruise is an actor who at times can take himself very seriously, but James Mangold's Knight And Day was not one of those times. The action-comedy crime caper was almost universally ridiculed by critics upon its release and many Redditors are in agreement that it was not Cruise's finest moment on the silver screen.
The film is, however, somewhat of a guilty pleasure for some, including Reddit user Scary_The_Clown, who says, "I don't get why people don't like this movie, especially if they're Cruise fans - it's just a perfect Cruise vehicle and nothing more." According to some, Knight And Day is overdue for some credit.
Mission: Impossible 2 (2000)
The Mission: Impossible saga is potentially Cruise's most famous and globally recognized franchise but the second installment is widely regarded as being the most flawed of all the movies. But despite its critical detractors, there is no doubting Cruise's ability to give it his all, and more, in the movie.
Like Top Gun, Mission: Impossible 2 has many memorable scenes and some Redditors believe it is an underrated gem in Cruise's distinguished canon. Reddit user briskt is quick to defend the movie and Cruise's performance, saying, "I think I'm the only person who really loved MI2."
Edge Of Tomorrow (2014)
Penned by long-time Cruise collaborator Christopher McQuarrie, Edge Of Tomorrow was vintage Tom Cruise action fare in all its over-the-top glory. The movie may not have been a critical hit, but it was a success with fans of Cruise who appreciate his acting gifts despite the over-abundance of action set pieces in the film.
Reddit is largely appreciative of Cruise's efforts in Edge of Tomorrow, with Reddit user DrewDan96 particularly complimentary of his performance, saying, "The Rock is maybe the biggest action star right now in terms of film gross, but I don't think The Rock could have pulled off what Tom Cruise did in that movie from an acting perspective."