Tom Cruise’s only Western proves it’s time for him to return to the genre, 32 years later

Tom Cruise is one of the defining stars of modern Hollywood, but for all his extended success, he has failed to dominate one archetypal genre of American cinema. Despite featuring in some of the most successful action, sci-fi and drama movies of all time, Cruise has had limited success when it comes to Westerns. Except for a brief cameo appearance in the 1988 hit Young gunsCruz has only actually appeared in one other Western movie. However, while the limited track record suggests that the genre is not his strong suit, there is more than enough in Cruise’s career to suggest that he is more than capable.

His non-speaking role as a quickly-dispatched Young guns Besides, Cruise’s only Western role so far came in the epic romantic drama Far and away. Starring Cruise and his then-wife Nicole Kidman, the Ron Howard-directed film follows Irish immigrants trying to make their fortune against the backdrop of the Old West. Released in 1992, The movie was a modest critical and financial successEarning $137 million at the box office and 50% positive reviews. On the surface, the numbers are unremarkable. However, closer inspection of both Cruise and the movie reveals that Far and away Lays some exciting foundations for future Cruise Westerns.

Far and away proved Tom Cruise’s potential in Westerns

Many things about this film prove that he can succeed

There is no doubt that Far and away is not an unqualified success. Made for $60,000,000, the movie barely recovered its budget, and critics – many of them praised its visual splendor while criticizing its simple story. However, buried in the mediocrity, the movie subtly demonstrates why someone like Cruise is so suited to western roles.

Like many westerners, Far and away is as much about the environment and spectacular American landscape as it is about the characters. As is typical of the genre, The film features a series of impressive shots that make full use of the evocative nature of the Old West – despite failing to back up the visuals with a reasonably sweeping story. like Rotten tomatoes‘Critical consensus puts it,’Beautiful and simplistic, Far and Away has the beauty of an American epic without the breadth.“

But whatever the movie’s merits or problems, creating strong characters that stand up against the grandeur and expanse of the backdrop is a skill in and of itself. Legendary Western actors like Clint Eastwood and Kevin Costner succeeded because they imbued the screen with a powerful, magnetic central presence that was enhanced, rather than diminished, by the surrounding scenery. in Far and awayCruz proves he is more than capable of delivering on that front. While other elements of the film let him down, there’s enough raw potential in his performance to suggest he could succeed in similar settings.

Tom Cruise’s strengths as an actor make him perfect for Westerns

He has proven it in other contexts

The road cruise seems right at home in the sweeping vistas of Far and away Indicates that he has potential as a western star. However, perhaps the most compelling case for him pursuing other projects in the genre comes from the rest of his career. As demonstrated by the likes of Mission: ImpossibleOne of Cruz’s greatest strengths as an actor is his physicality. His commitment to practical stuntwork has remained undimmed for decadesTo the point where it is now the highlight of any travel project. These skills could easily be brought to bear in a West, where practical authenticity can enhance the historical feel of a story.

Another stereotypical strength of Western stars is the intensity of their performances. Clint Eastwood’s “Man with no name“is the prime example of a character that doesn’t exist as much as Smolder on the screen. Classic characters like this don’t come by chance and require an actor to have a very specific skill set. Cruise has proven time and time again that his greatest strength is The rigor with which he approaches every performance – whether it’s the perma-jumping Ethan Hunt or something more emotionally demanding like Ron Kovic in Born on the Fourth of July. This is exactly what is required of a potential Western star.

A final factor is Cruz’s persona as one of the last few traditional “Movie starMany of his defining attributes, from his views on filmmaking to personal intensity, feel like a throwback to a bygone age of cinema – one where Westerns were considered a preeminent genre. Because of Western movies’ association with “Classic Hollywood“, travel is in many ways a natural fitGiven that many audiences already associate him with a more traditional view of the industry, where individual actors are given top billing over extended cinematic universes and long-running franchises.

Tom Cruise can definitely improve on far and away

The movie has multiple flaws

Part of that makes Far and away An interesting marker in Tom Cruise’s career is that it demonstrates so much previously wasted potential. All the strengths of Cruz that could potentially make him a celebrated Western actor like Costner, Eastwood and John Wayne have only become more visible in the 32 years since the movie was released. But, looking back, It is increasingly clear that the movie itself did not allow Cruz to shine.

Some contemporary critics identified that despite the talent of Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman and Ron Howard behind the camera, the movie was less than the sum of its parts. In what was far from an isolated opinion, the legendary Chicago Sun Times Critic Roger Ebert explains:

Far and away is a movie that combines an amazing visual splendor with a story so simple-minded that it seems intended for adolescents … It is depressing that such a lavish and expensive production, with an important actor like Tom Cruise, could be devoted to such a Shallow history.

This assessment, and others like it, prove that Cruz has unfinished business with Westerners. did Far and away It was an unqualified success, it can be argued that Cruz has achieved what he can in the genre and is best suited to continue his more typical action roles. The fact that he seems to have, on paper, such a natural ability as a western actor and so far has not delivered, makes the idea of ​​a new Tom Cruise western even more exciting.

Other actors demonstrate that travel would benefit from expanding in the West

There are dozens of examples of the career enhancing genre

Given how westerns have been reinvented and reevaluated over the years, it’s perhaps even more surprising that Cruise hasn’t made a genre comeback yet –Far and away. In fact, many of the biggest stars working in Hollywood today have proven that with the right story, Westerns can challenge an actor and lead to unprecedented critical recognition. Performances like Chris Pine’s in Hell or high water and Jamie Foxx’s in The Irreverent Django Unchained Proving that Westerns can showcase a whole new side to an actor.

Although individual accolades are not the be-all and end-all of an actor’s career, it is also true that Westerns can represent an opportunity for an actor to attract awards attention. Leonardo DiCaprio, for example, won his first Academy Award for his role in the bleak survival western The Revenant. It is quite possible to imagine someone as committed as Tom Cruise Playing a similar role that, because Cruise himself has yet to win an Oscar, could help to carve out an extraordinary acting career.

Sources: Rotten tomatoes, Chicago Sun Times