VANILLA SKY



USA, 2001, 134 min, color

David Ames is a playboy who falls in love with his best friend's girlfriend Sofia (Penelope Cruz, reprising her role from the original film). Before that relationship can begin, however, David is coaxed into a car driven by an ex-lover, Julie, who turns out to be suicidal. Julie kills herself in a accident, which leaves David horribly disfigured. Reconstructive surgery and the loving support of Sofia seem to reverse David's luck, but eerie incidents are soon making him question the reality of his existence.

"Cameron Crowe is confident enough in our continuing delight in looking at Cruise under his remarkable prosthetics, to attempt his darkest, most ambitious and artiest work to date. Thankfully, speculative philosophy comes with haunting visual flourish and profundity is leavened with poignance and flashes of Crowe's customary warmth and humour. Challenging, slow-burning drama which demands close attention as it switches from one genre to another - romance, noir, sci-fi - and rewards patience with a stunning payoff."