Jerry Maguire (1996)

Jerry Maguire

• Why did I wait so long to watch this? My gosh. It’s not a masterpiece or anything, but this really stirred up so many different emotions inside of me. I’ve seen several clips of it in the past, I’ve heard some of the iconic lines, and I know that the human head weighs eight pounds. But finally, I know everything in its context, and this is now a new recent favorite of mine. I can also enjoy ‘The Lego Batman Movie’ in its entirety. Anyways, this is an absolutely wonderful film that takes like ten different genres and smushes them together, and it works really well. It’s not actually ten genres, but it’s a smooth, balanced blend of sports, romance, and comedy. It’s hard to figure out how to categorize it, but for now, I’m feeling rom-com. I think all of the character building comes from the relationships between each character, and the film uses sports as a way to present each person. It’s beautiful because it’s not just a lovey dovey story, but it also demonstrates friendship, loyalty, and love in every capacity. And yes, there’s bits of this that are very sappy, but it’s so sappy that you can’t help but be completely in love with it. As good (and goofy) as the writing is, it’s the cast that sells this film. Without them, this is your run-of-the-mill rom-com, and it would blend into the background. But each cast member brings their absolute A game, and they all operate on God tier levels. This could arguably be Tom Cruise’s best performance, and certainly a top three favorite for me. It’s a shame and travesty that he didn’t secure an Oscar for this. Cuba Gooding Jr. also delivers a masterclass, and he DID get an Oscar, which was well deserved. Zellweger, King, and Hunt all offer so much depth, with the occasional comedic relief. They are all crucial to the storytelling and the character arcs. We can’t forget Jonathan Lipnicki. Little bro is the GOAT. Oh yeah, and Jerry O’Connell is a hot STUD. Overall, this film can be cheesy, but it’s so encapsulating, wonderfully written, has a great score/soundtrack, and some of the best acting you’ll see. It’s such a classic, and one of my new favorite recent watches. I would recommend it to all rom-com/sports fans. This film is officially Berry Approved, so go check it out now!