I can't recall any other movie where I really didn't like the main character of the movie and still come away loving the movie more and more each time. It's a testament to the story, the script and the other actor's that keep this one glued together. This isn't a knock against
Tom Cruise as
Jerry Maguire , the super sports agent to
Rod Tidwell played by
Cuba Gooding Jr. Watching
Jerry throughout the film, you see a man that is extremely dedicated to his job, but lacks any kind of emotional connection or humility, which makes
Dorothy Boyd (Renée Zellweger) infauation with him all the more puzzling. I get that she has fallen in love with the man that "he wants to be and the man that he almost is". But it really is a bit odd how much stock she puts into him. The character does have to be cynical and business-like throughout the entire movie so that the ending will work when he finally realizes what is important and he fulfills his arc.
There aren't that many date movies out there that actually appeal to both sexes. It's usually pretty much one-sided. But in the hands of
Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous), he pulled this off without it ever seeming like a date movie. I've always been a big fan of
Cuba and along with Regina King as Marcee, they were the couple of the film. With all that said, the real star of the movie for me is
Jonathan Lipnicki as
Ray. Whenever I watch this movie and see what
Jonathan is bringing each time on screen, I can't help but think of another awesome kid actor by the name of
Jackie Coogan, although
Jackie was acting up a storm and I suspect that
Jonathan was just being himself. But whatever the situation was, he owned the movie.
This is one of those DVD's I will never sell. Definitely a
Buy for everyone else.