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Vanilla Sky

Vanilla Sky

Mystery · Romance · Science Fiction · 2001

David Aames has it all: wealth, good looks and gorgeous women on his arm. But just as he begins falling for the warmhearted Sofia, his face is horribly disfigured in a car accident. That's just the beginning of his troubles as the lines between illusion and reality, between life and death, are blurred.

Movie details

Vanilla Sky

“LoveHateDreamsLifeWorkPlayFriendshipSex.”

2001 Mystery · Romance · Science Fiction 2h 16m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.8 / 10

Community rating

David Aames has it all: wealth, good looks and gorgeous women on his arm. But just as he begins falling for the warmhearted Sofia, his face is horribly disfigured in a car accident. That's just the beginning of his troubles as the lines between illusion and reality, between life and death, are blurred.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Vanilla Sky?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Cameron Crowe

Written by

Cameron Crowe

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise

David Aames

Penélope Cruz

Penélope Cruz

Sofia Serrano

Cameron Diaz

Cameron Diaz

Julie Gianni

Kurt Russell

Kurt Russell

Curtis McCabe

Jason Lee

Jason Lee

Brian Shelby

Noah Taylor

Noah Taylor

Edmund Ventura

Timothy Spall

Timothy Spall

Thomas Tipp

Court is in session

Put Vanilla Sky on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Sentimental Softie

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.