Jerry Maguire

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Rating: R

Review Date: 07-02-97

Studio site: Sony Pictures

Stars: Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr., Rene Zellwegger

Jerry Maguire is fantastic. This is one of the better movies I have seen this year. 

First let's lay down the backdrop. Tom Cruise is Jerry Maguire, a sports agent that is struck with a sense of morals and releases a mission statement to his colleagues about the state of their business. While this memo is essentially brilliant, his colleagues know that this is the end for Jerry at the firm. Rene Zellwegger is Dorothy Boyd, just another face at the office to most but she thinks Jerry has a different side to him after reading his mission statement. In fact she basically thinks that Jerry Maguire is a brilliant man. 

As Jerry learns of his dismissal, his clients are stolen one by one and he becomes as panicked as he has ever been. It is time to set out on his own, but he can't seem to get any of his clients to come with him. He tries to get people at the office to join him on his new venture, but only Zellwegger sees Jerry's promise as an individual and agrees to join him. All of his other so-called friends turn the cold shoulder on him including the person he trained that stole all of his clients. He does however keep one client, the risky individual football player Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.). 

Gooding, Zellwegger, and Cruise play their parts to near perfection. Cruise on his emotional rollercoaster ride, Zellwebber in love but still with a brain, and Gooding as the "Show me the money" client and friend all display Academy Award talent and depth. But the character who seems to steal the show is Zellwegger's son played by Jonathan Lipnicki. Lipnicki is inquisitive and charming as a typical kid who asks typical kid question. We have all known kids that are exactly like Lipnicki. 

Jerry Maguire falls into the category of almost perfect date movie. There's romance, Gooding, and Cruise for the females to get involved in. While males tend to like Zellwegger and the sports underscore of the film. I believe that both sexes will find this movie equally enjoyable and it's a winner for all. I highly recommend Jerry Maguire. 

Grade: A

Parents Guide: This film's R rating should not be taken lightly. Besides the strong "locker room" language at times, there are also scenes of "locker room" backsides. Also there is a rather intesne sex scene between Cruise and his then girlfriend in the movie Kelly Preston that might be too strong for some. This is a great movie, but parents may want to view it first to decide on its appropriateness for younger kids. Cruise is a big draw and many teens and pre-teens will want to see him, so act carefully when making your decision.

Comments to: The Common Guy

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