Barnes & Noble

Audacious, dazzling, and even surrealistic, Vanilla Sky begins as a rather conventional erotic thriller but in fairly short order becomes something unclassifiable -- which probably explains the allure of this hypnotically compelling film. And talk about perfect casting: Tom Cruise plays a rich, handsome, self-assured publishing executive as though he were to the manor born, blithely dismissing underlings hither and yon while romancing leggy seductress Cameron Diaz. He’s a guy who has it all, knows it, and enjoys it. Then along comes Penelope Cruz, the winsome Spanish beauty who sweeps him off his feet and sends Diaz into a murderous rage that results in grotesque disfigurement for the pretty-boy publisher. The Cruise character goes into a tailspin, but for us to reveal more would be doing a grave disservice to director Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous), whose imaginative treatment makes Vanilla Sky virtually unique among mainstream Hollywood movies. Inspired by Open Your Eyes, the 1998 art-house hit from Spain (which featured Cruz in the same role) Vanilla Sky is a cinematically ambitious magic-carpet ride that besieges the senses with amazing sights and sounds. The narrative just barely restrains Crowe's creative flights of fancy; indeed, at times the story line seems obtrusive or irrelevant. But the Cruise-Cruz chemistry is palpable, and the presence of these luminous stars helps to bring Crowe’s Sky down to earth, where it can be appreciated. The director supplies a thoughtful commentary for the DVD, which also includes an in-depth conversation with Cruise, two behind-the-scenes documentaries (Prelude to a Dream and Hitting It Hard), assorted bloopers, and an interview with Paul McCartney, whose music is prominently featured in the film. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

A remake of the Spanish film Open Your Eyes (1997), this thriller from director Cameron Crowe bears one of several discarded titles for his previous, Oscar-winning film Almost Famous (2000). Tom Cruise stars as David Ames, a womanizing playboy who finds romantic redemption when he falls in love with his best friend's girlfriend Sofia (Penelope Cruz, reprising her role from the original film). Before that relationship can begin, however, David is coaxed into a car driven by an ex-lover, Julie (Cameron Diaz), who turns out to be suicidal. Driving her car off a bridge, Julie kills herself and horribly disfigures David. Reconstructive surgery and the loving support of Sofia seem to reverse David's luck, but eerie incidents are soon making him question the reality of his existence and his control over his life, even while he is suspected of complicity in Julie's death. Vanilla Sky (2001) bears the expected Crowe trademark of an obsession with recent pop culture and particularly rock music, a more important element of the remake than the original film. That project's writer/director, Alejandro Amenabar, crafted his own supernatural hit the same year with The Others (2001), starring Nicole Kidman, the soon-to-be-ex-wife of Cruise. Karl Williams

New York Times

What carries the movie is Mr. Cruise's impeccable marathon-man star turn. Stephen Holden

Chicago Sun-Times

There is wonderful chemistry of two quite different kinds between Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz on the one hand, and Cruise and Penelope Cruz on the other. Roger Ebert

Product Details

• UPC: 097363393641
• Source: PARAMOUNT
• Region Code: 1
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: Dolby Digital Surround, Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
• Language: English, Français
• Subtitles: English
• Time: 2:15:00
• Sales Rank: 17,765

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• Vanilla Sky / the Firm

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