February 1997
s m u g
feed hollywood
by Mike Stiles

"Show Him Your Money!"

After seeing Jerry Maguire, I immediately attended a tupperware party, tried for membership in the Junior League and got a subscription to "Working Woman" magazine... all just to make sure I hadn't turned into a woman. Because after seeing Jerry Maguire, I wanted to marry Tom Cruise and stand by his side through thick and thin.

Thankfully, my desire to get to a theater as soon as possible and see the Beavis & Butthead movie, reassured me of my maleness. Maguire is without question the most likable character Tom Cruise has played since that movie "Far and Away." I don't know if his character was likable in that or not, because I along with millions didn't see it. But I'll just assume he was a great guy.

The true genius of the movie is that is has struck precision balance between male and female appeal. For the guys, lots of laughs and a sports-oriented environment. For the ladies, a gripping enough love story that will make you use your napkin to wipe your eyes, even though it's already coated with... whatever that "butter" stuff is that came off your popcorn.

Thicke and Thin

In short, Jerry is a sports agent that writes a soul-bearing mission statement which he distributes to anyone who will read it. It's not the least naive thing he's ever done, but it seems like a good idea at the time. It's sort of like showing a friend a fan letter you wrote and sent to Alan Thicke, and then being really sorry you did. Everyone applauds the tome, which talks about how agencies should have fewer clients and care about them more. He is immediately fired and every effort is made to make sure no client goes with him. It's a pathetic statement of our times that so many of us could relate to that back-stabbing office scenario. I for one have installed rear-view mirrors on my shoulders so I can keep an eye on mine.

One woman, our heroine, walks out with Jerry... purely on principle, and one unsung football pro also stays with Jerry... purely on principle. Okay, this is where you have to suspend your imagination a little bit. People with that much conviction will soon have their own exhibits in zoos.

Cuba Gooding, Jr. will be a star because of this movie. His portrayal of Jerry's lone client is hilarious bravado and ego, barely covering a big hearted and fragile family man. If Tom wasn't so damn good in this role, he could have easily had the movie stolen from him by Cuba, or by that little kid that's on the Jeff Foxworthy show.

Then there's Bonnie Hunt... a woman that is seemingly treasured like a Dead Sea Scroll by the show business community, but who has been rejected by the mass public time and time and time again. Cats wish they had as many lives as she does. And Eric Stoltz is down to bit parts now. I wonder how many times a day he has to hear, "Oh yeah....I loved you in Mask. How is Cher to work with?"

The movie's catch-phrase is when Cuba screams, "Show me the money!" As long as Cruise continues to bag scripts that are a smash, and as long as he can move seamlessly from the action-adventure of Mission: Impossible to the comic heart-tugging role of Jerry Maguire, audiences will be more than happy to show him their money, their diary, naked home movies, or whatever else he wants to see.

mike@smug.com

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