December 12–19, 1996

movie shorts

JERRY MAGUIRE

Once again director/writer Cameron Crowe (Say Anything, Singles) has come up with a preachy film full of gushy romance, cutesy-pie emotion and bold revelations earmarked by swelling popular song. Only this time, Crowe has turned everything I hate about him into something wonderful. In goofy romantic/buddy film mode, Crowe has fashioned a funny, warm film about growth, discovery and partnership. As a high-fiving, high-pressure frat guy, Tom Cruise's title character starts off the film as a big-money sports agent. Intimacy — even though he's entering into a tough tag-team marriage with hard-nosed goddess Kelly Preston — is not his strong point. A breakdown vision of money-grubbing, drug-snorting sports heroes devoid of any morals pushes Cruise to see the light, to take life at a simpler slower pace. When his big-biz agency fires him for his bold move, sexy, spunky secretary/single mom (Renee Zellweger) follows her heart to be with him. The only other person who follows Cruise into his one-man sports agency is a cocky hotdog footballer (Cuba Gooding Jr.); he has all the heart in the world for his family and friend/agent but little for the game. The charismatic Gooding, the determined and sensitive Cruise and the quirkily engaging Zellweger (along with support from Bonnie Hunt, Beau Bridges and several star cameos) deliver one cool blow for romantic comedy.

— a.d. amorosi

(AMC Andorra; AMC Orleans; Ritz 12; UA Bryn Mawr; UA Cheltenham; UA Grant; UA Riverview; UA 69th St.)