Vanilla Sky

Name: Vanilla Sky
Genre: Sci-Fi, Mystery, Thriller, Romance
Released: December 14, 2001
Duration: 136 min
Rating: 45
Cast: Penélope Cruz, Tom Cruise

2001

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 33 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 548 Ratings

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8.3	User Score Universal acclaim based on 548 Ratings

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Vanilla Sky

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Movie Details & Credits

Paramount Pictures | Release Date: December 14, 2001 | R

Starring: Penélope Cruz, Tom Cruise

Summary: Snowboarding through life, David Aames (Cruise) appears to lead a charmed life. In one night David meets a girl of his dreams and loses her by making a small mistake. Thrust unexpectedly onto a roller-coaster ride of romance, comedy, suspicion, love, sex and dreams, David finds himself on a mind-bending search for his soul and discovers theSnowboarding through life, David Aames (Cruise) appears to lead a charmed life. In one night David meets a girl of his dreams and loses her by making a small mistake. Thrust unexpectedly onto a roller-coaster ride of romance, comedy, suspicion, love, sex and dreams, David finds himself on a mind-bending search for his soul and discovers the precious, ephemeral nature of true love. (Paramount Pictures)… Expand

Director: Cameron Crowe

Genre(s): Sci-Fi, Mystery, Thriller, Romance

Rating: R

Runtime: 136 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

William Arnold

A mostly fascinating, often frustrating, boldly uncommercial Hollywood version of a boldly uncommercial art film. It's very atypical of the previous work of both director and star, and it's as personal a film, I suspect, as Cruise will ever make. Read full review

Roger Ebert

This is the kind of movie you don't want to analyze until you've seen it two times. Now that I've seen it twice, I think I understand it, or maybe not. Certainly it's entertaining as it rolls along. Read full review

Mike Clark

What works in a quirky foreign film can look silly with expansive Hollywood treatment. Crowe is smart enough to know this, so it's baffling he chose Vanilla over richer cinematic tastes. Read full review

Kenneth Turan

Though Vanilla Sky is smoothly and professionally done, even audiences who haven't seen the original will sense there is something off in the translation. Read full review

Desson Thomson

For all the filmmakers' efforts, this project is something of an artistic albatross. It's a conundrum that doesn't get answered until a sort of help-the-audience Cliffs Notes final scene, in which we learn Everything. But by then, more than a few of us may be wondering, was it all really worth the trouble? Read full review

Jay Carr

May not emerge as the biggest disaster of the holiday movie season, if only because we haven't yet seen all the other year-end films. But it is a huge high-energy misfire, bringing Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz, and Cameron Crowe to earth with a thud.

Stephen Hunter

Overblown and idiotic, this new "erotic thriller" is neither erotic nor thrilling; it's long, boring and self-indulgent. Read full review

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User Reviews

MorriBey

Aug 8, 2011

I disagree with many 'reviewers' and feel that this version is a much more polished movie than the original spanish movie. The soundtrack is amazing and the suspense is real. An amazing achievement by Crowe.

45 of 46 users found this helpful451

Stagger74

Jul 11, 2021

》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》
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3 of 4 users found this helpful31

AndrewO

Oct 26, 2006

Superb, highly moving and deep when understood. Vanilla Sky is not a movie to watch just once and requires your full attention. Not everyone will get it; few will appreciate it on the first viewing. This is not a "Tom Cruise" movie, but definately one to watch several times if you enjoy Superb, highly moving and deep when understood. Vanilla Sky is not a movie to watch just once and requires your full attention. Not everyone will get it; few will appreciate it on the first viewing. This is not a "Tom Cruise" movie, but definately one to watch several times if you enjoy complex movies.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

xxkaiokenxx

Apr 28, 2015

Just ignore the "Critic Reviews", they cant be Serious Professionals. Its a much more polished version of "abre los ojos" and Eduardo Noriega did a HORRIBLE work. Thanks Vanilla Sky, to transform this history into a masterpiece.

9 of 9 users found this helpful90

EricT

Sep 3, 2008

This movie is amazing, although it's sometimes intense and painful to the point of being hard to watch The negative reviews are hilarious; they remind me of AI, in particular the complaints about "too large of scope". If you can't wrap your head around epic, high-concept scifi, This movie is amazing, although it's sometimes intense and painful to the point of being hard to watch The negative reviews are hilarious; they remind me of AI, in particular the complaints about "too large of scope". If you can't wrap your head around epic, high-concept scifi, then go watch Animal House or something. This is a fantastically made and riveting film. Those scoring it on par with "The Hottie and Nottie" is deeply clueless.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful

JonM.

Jun 5, 2002

One of the better movies to be released to a full national market in recent history. While not quite up to par with the original Spanish version, this movie still carries a great deal more weight than the majority of mass-market movies. On a sidenote, if you're one of those individuals One of the better movies to be released to a full national market in recent history. While not quite up to par with the original Spanish version, this movie still carries a great deal more weight than the majority of mass-market movies. On a sidenote, if you're one of those individuals primarly concerned with Tom's pretty face, Cameron Diaz' as a sexual figure, or anything else pop-culture, don't bother with this movie.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

ToddJ.

Sep 2, 2002

The worst movie I've seen this year. tell Tom Cruise I want my 3.99 back.

0 of 2 users found this helpful

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21	#21 Most Discussed Movie of 2001
14	#14 Most Shared Movie of 2001