Tom Cruise is the definition of a movie star. Since the 1980s, He defined himself as one of the greatest and most versatile actors in the history of Hollywood, and has starred in a variety of iconic movies, from Top Gun to Mission: Impossible. Although Cruise is perhaps best known for his action roles, such as IMF agent Ethan Hunt, the actor has proven his versatility and is not afraid to step into more dramatic, emotional roles when possible.
Cruise’s greatest scenes often take advantage of both his emotional nuance and his ability to bring heart-pounding action to the big screen. He is an actor who consistently delivers captivating performances in the scenes, whether it is flying an F-16 jet or delivering a powerful monologue in court. These are The movie scenes that defined the actor’s career. They’re all iconic, of course, but it’s how they elevate Cruise as a heyday of acting that really makes them great.
10
A conversation with Iceman
Top Gun: Maverick (2022) | Directed by Joseph Kosinski
One of the main reasons Top Gun: Maverick is often seen as a step up from the 1986 original is due to The movie’s dedication to emotional complexity. The “macho” themes of Top Gun have been stripped away, leaving Cruz’s character, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, vulnerable and guilt-ridden over the death of his partner, Goose. In a touching moment of camaraderie and respect, Maverick turns to his rival-turned-friend, Iceman (Val Kilmer) for support.
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The scene is incredibly powerful, with both Cruise and Kilmer demonstrating their incredible ability to delve deeply into the emotions of their respective characters. Iceman can’t speak due to an illness (made all the more powerful when you consider that Kilmer has been battling throat cancer), but the few words the two exchanged, and the tears streaming down Maverick’s cheek, are Sufficient evidence that the victims understand each other. This is a rare moment when Cruise can finally reveal that Maverick is not brash and overconfident, but sensitive and emotional.
9
The phone call
Tropic Thunder (2008) | Directed by Ben Stiller
Cruise is not an actor known for his comedy roles. Some of his characters may have moments of comic relief, but on the whole, Cruise has steered clear of roles that specifically revolve around comedy. That’s what makes his performance as the wildly inappropriate Hollywood executive Les Grossman in the movie Tropic Thunder One of the standouts of his career. In particular, the scene III Grossman receives a call from the kidnappers of one of his prized movie stars is one of the most memorable of Cruz’s career.
The appearance is hilarious enough on its own, but it’s Cruise’s dialogue that really makes this scene great.
Cruz was completely transformed into Grossman, wearing a ball cap, fat suit and prosthetic hands, making him unrecognizable. This appearance is hilarious enough on its ownBut it’s Cruz’s dialogue that really makes this scene great. Instead of capitulating to the kidnappers’ demands, Grossman unleashes a tirade of exasperating insults on the phone, screaming as he does so. Tropic ThunderThe phone call scene is great because of how it demonstrates Cruise’s ability to easily absorb any role in any genre.
8
Scaling the Burj Khalifa
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol | Directed by Brad Bird
It is known that Cruz is An actor defined by his commitment to performing most of his stunts himself. In particular, the Mission: Impossible franchise is the most demanding of Cruise’s stuntwork, with one of the most iconic events in the fourth installment of the franchise, ghost protocol. Cruise’s character, Ethan Hunt, must climb the outside of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, in search of nuclear launch codes.
It’s a nail-biting, nerve-racking scene that combines both sweeping wide shots and up-close angles to get a real sense of tension. Cruise actually climbed up the Burj Khalifa himself for the scene (with the help of certain harnesses), making this all the more impressive. This stunt is one of Cruz’s greatest movie scenes Because of how it embodies one of the most important reasons of him as an actor, his constant commitment to pushing the boundaries of stuntwork on film.
7
“You can be my wingman anytime”
Top Gun (1986) | Directed by Tony Scott
The last dogfight scene in 1986 Top Gun Might be one of the greatest action sequences in movie history, though It is the scene immediately after the battle that cements Cruz’s status as an incredible actor. After Maverick and Iceman successfully shoot down the incoming enemy fighters in a tense dogfight, they reunite on the deck of an aircraft carrier. At this point, their rivalry and past feuds are all put to rest with the iconic exchange:
“You can be my wingman when”
“Bulls**t, you can be mine”.
After watching both Maverick and Iceman at each other’s throats for basically the entirety of Top GunIt’s a truly emotional moment, and one that was worth the wait. The reason why this scene is so great is because of How Cruise was able to capture Maverick’s transformation From a selfish show-off to a pilot who inspires teamwork and loyalty. There is an acknowledgment of Maverick’s arc throughout Top Gunand is home to one of the most iconic lines in movie history.
6
The casino scene
Rain Man (1988) | Directed by Barry Levinson
rain man See cruise names on One of the most emotionally complex roles of his career In Charlie Babbitt, a fast-talking businessman who discovers that he has an estranged brother, Raymond (Dustin Hoffman), an autistic genius. In one of the movie’s most iconic scenes, Charlie takes Raymond to a casino to exploit his remarkable ability to count cards and win big. The scene is, of course, entertaining, but also proves a pivotal moment for both characters.
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While the scene is only for comedy purposes at a glance, it soon becomes clear that Charlie is beginning to change his feelings towards his brother. He is no longer seen as a “walking calculator”, but as a person. The subtle moments of genuine connection are incredibly portrayed here, and although Hoffman steals the show when he’s on screen in rain manIt is in this scene that audiences can really appreciate Cruz’s emotional depth and savant behavior as an actor.
5
The dance
Risky Business (1983) | Directed by Paul Brickman
Risky business is widely regarded as Cruz’s breakout role. The movie goes to high school Joel (driving around) as he explores the freedom of being left home alone While his parents were away on vacation. In a scene that has since become an instant classic, Joel pours himself a whiskey and coke, eats his dinner, before dancing across his living room to the tune of Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock and Roll.”
The dance showcases Cruz’s natural charisma on screen, with Joel able to convey joy and liberation without a single line of dialogue.
What makes this scene so great isn’t just Cruz’s iconic dance moves or outfit. It is the fact that without this scene (and Risky business As a whole), Cruise could never have established himself as one of the best actors in Hollywood. Without this, audiences may never have seen another Cruise role again. The dance showcases Cruz’s natural charisma on-screenWith Joel, who could convey joy and liberation, a single line of dialogue is spoken.
4
“I want the truth”
A Few Good Men (1992) | Directed by Rob Reiner
Very few scenes or lines of dialogue have become as legendary in movie history as the courtroom showdown in A few good people. Cruz plays Lt. Daniel Coffey, and is desperate to get col. Nathan Jessup (Jack Nicholson) to admit that he was accidentally responsible for the death of a young Marine. His desperation reaches a boiling point when, after a line of relentless questioning, Cafe yells at Jessup, and the two exchange two of the most iconic lines of dialogue in movie history:
“I want the truth!”
“You can’t handle the truth!”
Cruz’s performance in this scene is a real highlightAs he builds tension before the eventual climactic shouting match. Seeing two acting heavyweights like Nicholson and Cruise go up against each other in a space drama is incredible to watch anyway, but it’s Cruise’s performance that really steals the show. As Caffee, Cruise slides easily into a dramatic role, and proves his worth going toe-to-toe with such a legendary actor as Nicholson.
3
The biggest trick in movie history
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023) | Directed by Christopher McQuarrie
Cruz has always been known for his stunts, but his commitment to performing them himself reaches a whole new level in recent Mission: Impossible installment. During the third act of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part OneEthan Hunt is riding a motorbike along a mountain trying to catch up with a train. In a moment of pure action movie glory, Hunt rides the motorbike off the mountain and parachutes to safety.
Cruise’s motorcycle mountain jump has since been dubbed “the biggest stunt in movie history”, and is truly jaw-dropping to watch. The actor, of course, actually rides a motorbike off a mountain, showcasing his true commitment to genuine stuntwork. This scene earns its place on this list because of how it demonstrates the fact that even as Cruise ages, he is unrelenting in his dedication to his craft.
2
The test run
Top Gun: Maverick (2022) | Directed by Joseph Kosinski
in Top Gun: MaverickCruise reprises his role as the titular, cocky pilot. The movie is centered around Maverick’s attempts To teach a class of aspiring TOPGUN graduates how to accomplish an extremely dangerous mission. The mission involves flying very low to the ground to avoid detection, before embarking on an extremely steep climb to clear a mountain. The mission is seen as impossible by both Maverick’s students and his superiors, who eventually step in to make the mission more doable, but less likely to succeed.
This scene is the culmination of everything that makes Cruise such a fantastic actor, primarily his ability to balance incredibly memorable action sequences with moments of genuine emotion and drama.
Taking matters into his own hands, Maverick flies a jet (without permission, of course) and completes the simulated mission’s test run in less time than was previously thought possible. By proving that the mission can, in fact, be done, Maverick endears himself to both the audience and his students. This scene is the culmination of everything that makes Cruz such a fantastic actorPrimarily his ability to balance incredibly memorable action sequences with moments of genuine emotion and drama.
1
The Langley Heist
Mission: Impossible (1996) | Directed by Brian De Palma
Cruise’s stuntwork is nothing short of legendary, and consistently grows in scale as the actor struggles to constantly outdo his previous stunts. However, it is important to remember where Cruz’s reputation for incredible stunts comes from. The answer, of course, is the first Mission: Impossible Movie. In this movie, Ethan Hunt has to break into a secure CIA headquarters and retrieve a list of undercover agents from a heavily guarded vault.
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Unable to shake any alarms, Hunt is lowered from the ceiling on a cable when he accesses the computer. He must also be completely silent and restrained while doing so. It’s really hard to put into words how good this scene is at building tension, but the one thing that is certain is how Cruise elevates it. The visual of Ethan Hunt dangling mere inches from the ground has become a staple of the movie industry, But it is like Tom Cruise Navigates the tension (and the trick itself) that makes this scene the greatest of his career.