“Vanilla Sky” was released three months after 9/11.  Filmmakers had the choice of digitally-erasing the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center and chose not to.  That’s good, because “Vanilla Sky” is a very 90’s movie – you could say the last hurrah before America was forever changed by Muslim terrorism.

Playboy/corporate owner David Aames (Tom Cruise) is (as he describes it) “Livin’ the dream.”  He has everything:  money, women, the ability to do anything he wants.  It is all destroyed when a jealous ex-girlfriend (Cameron Diaz as Julie Gianni) runs them off a bridge, leaving her dead and him mangled.

You could compare that to us.  Since September 11th, the U.S. has rebuilt itself, taken away the debris, but it is not the same.

David attempts to renew his relationship with the new girlfriend that sent the old girlfriend over the edge.  He has a date with Sofia (Penelope Cruz), chauffeured by “best friend” Brain (Jason Lee.)  David finds that Sofia has moved on without him.  She won’t say why (we know why), except to say, “I’ll tell you in another life when we’re both cats.”

David can no longer function and places himself in frozen hibernation – cryogenics.  His “Life Extension”, i.e., the “Lucid Dream” experience turns into a nightmare.

Critical reaction to “Vanilla Sky” was mixed.  Most of the praise went to Cameron Diaz (nominated for a Golden Globe) and the title song by Paul McCartney (nominated for an Academy Award.)  The soundtrack was popular.  Critics unfairly compared it to the original “Abre los Ojos” (1997.)  I’ve seen both.

“Vanilla Sky” is a very American take on the American dream.  What if you had everything and lost it?  What would you do?

All four stars – Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz and Jason Lee are perfectly cast.  It is Tom Cruise’s film.  He was never better.

There is a scene in the nightclub where he’s in the men’s room staring in the mirror.  Three guys pass by and one says, “Dude!  Fix your face!”  They all laugh, including David Aames.  Except the laughter isn’t funny except in the most darkest way possible.

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