Vanilla Sky (2001) Review

Vanilla Sky (2001)

Vanilla Sky follows David Aames, a young magazine magnate, who, after falling in love at a party, loses it at all in a car crash that drastically alters his reality, where dreams and the real world collide. 

Just beneath the surface of Vanilla Sky, I wholeheartedly believe there is a brilliant film in there somewhere. Where exactly though, I’m not sure. So much of how you interpret this movie is determined by what you’re expecting because whatever it is, you couldn’t be farther from reality. It’s not really a love story, nor is it definitively a science fiction piece, more finding an awkward space in time of just existing, exploring the human mind and all of its faults, ambitions, and many, many creations. Many of its best aspects come right down to Cameron Crowe, who puts a lot of himself in David, particularly in the soundtrack, which, if you’re aware of Crowe’s work, you’ll know is part of what makes his movies so endearing. His use of music to set the tone for each scene, from Dylan, to R.E.M. and The Chemical Brothers, is fucking spectacular because it nudges us along in all the right ways on how to feel as David goes through his various ups and downs. 

The film’s faults however, often lie in Crowe as well, and his inexperience in sci-fi/surrealism. His work is impactful for its realistic statements on human nature and the real world. Vanilla Sky is everything but that, though that realism does blend into the movie quite often. The end-all-be-all question is why though? Why is any of this happening? To humble David? To make him grateful for those he has and the life he lived instead of the one he traded it for? It’s too confusing for it’s own good (I know, it’s all explained in the end), though with multiple viewings and specific life experiences, I can see where this movie’s brilliance may shine through. 

We get a very good cast, starring Tilda Swinton, Timothy Spall, Noah Taylor, Cameron Diaz, Jason Lee, Kurt Russell, Penélope Cruz, and Tom Cruise. The real highlight of Vanilla Sky is it’s supporting cast, with Lee and Russell providing superb cases for why David should stay or go, just in the performances; no exposition needed. Cruise however is a little too Jerry Maguire for me here though, big smile but dead behind the eyes, though even he has his moments of excellence. 

Vanilla Sky, directed by Cameron Crowe, is a very misunderstood and maybe even underrated movie by some standards, and while it’s not as rock solid as the original, it works as a mind bending counterpart.

6.6/10