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While he’s renowned for flying fighter planes and free-falling off cliffs on motorcycles, veteran action icon Tom Cruise has a medley of intriguing roles on his star-studded resume, including a (sort of) motivational speaker who makes a living off of misogyny. No, really.
But what Cruise does, he does it best, be it aviating or holding seminars on getting laid. In fact, he was so good at the latter that he gave Adam Sandler a serious fright after promising to hook him up with the film’s director.
This Tom Cruise Classic Gave Adam Sandler the Heebie Jeebies
With eleven Oscar nominations and abundant critical acclaim,Paul Thomas Andersonhas joined forces with a bevy of A-listers during his tenure likeTom Cruiseand Joaquin Phoenix.
Although the revered filmmaker has made several smashing hits, includingBoogie NightsandThere Will Be Blood, his ’90s classic starring Cruise is arguably Anderson’s pièce de résistance.
Written, helmed, and co-produced by the 54-year-old director,Magnoliastars theMission: Impossiblestar as Frank T.J. Mackey, a character that happens to be inspired by a real-life pickup artist named Ross Jeffries. And of course, in a full Cruise fashion, he nailed the film, only he did it so well that it made Adam Sandler break a sweat (viaSmartLess podcast).
After everyone’s favorite funnyman piqued Anderson’s interest, Cruise helped the industry mogul connect with Sandler. But when the comedy genius went to seeMagnoliain the cinema, he was terrified he’d end up ruining theLicorice Pizzadirector’s project.
It [Magnolia] was sold out, and I was in the front row, and I was looking up at it, and I was fucking terrified, and I was going, ‘Oh this guy is fucking better than me. I don’t want to be in this. I’m going to ruin his movie! Holy shit!‘
“I think he robbed Cruise of the Oscar, frankly”: Before Steven Spielberg, Tom Cruise ‘Unfairly’ Lost to the Best Living Actor of Our Time Because of Harvey Weinstein According to One Director
Thankfully, Sandler braced himself enough to leadPunch-Drunk Love, an absurdist rom-com directed by none other than Anderson himself which showcased a different side of the 57-year-old actor as a“socially frustrated”salesman on his way to find love as opposed to his run-of-the-mill comical roles.
Punch-DrunkLove Deserves A Magnum Opus Status
It’s not just that viewers get to seeAdam Sandlerin a unique setting, away from the world of slapstick humor in the 2000s drama. It’s about the poetry of the film itself, the undulating flow of the narrative that unfolds against a backdrop of love and loneliness, that makesPunch-Drunk Lovesuch a masterpiece.
While the film bombed horrendously at the box office, failing to break even, it amassed glowing reviews from critics, especially Sandler’s riveting performance as Barry Egan.Eyes Wide Shutstar Todd Field deemed it“one of the great screen performances of all-time”(viaHappy Sad Confused podcast|World of Reel).
“Oh my god, that’s awful, that’s not right”: Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston Can Never Have a Dull Moment Together and This Red Carpet Interview is a Living Proof
“It floored me,”Field said ofPunch-Drunk Love. Meanwhile, Hollywood legend Guillermo del Toro even went so far as to deem ithis favorite venture of Anderson’samongst the latter’s distinguished filmography.
Maybe this is a sign that you should go watchPunch-Drunk Loveon Prime Video.Magnoliais available on Paramount+ and both films can be rented on Apple TV+.
Khushi Shah
Articles Published :857
With a prolific knowledge of everything pop culture and a strong penchant for writing, Khushi has penned over 700 articles during her time as an author at FandomWire.An abnormal psychology student and an fervent reader of dark fiction, her most trusted soldiers are coffee and a good book.
