Tom Cruise is playing JACK REACHER?

[lovecraft68]

Originally Posted by PennLady

Well, I'd have to disagree in that particular instance. Like I said, I am not a Cruise fan. I'm not a hater, but I'm not a fan. But in Collateral -- which I'm sure I wanted to see more b/c Michael Mann directed it than anything else -- I thought he was great. I think he's actually good as a cold, calculating bad guy, b/c that's how he looks, naturally, to me.

I think part of the reason I could take him in that role was that he didn't look like "Tom Cruise," if only in that he'd dyed his hair gray. But in nearly everything else, he looks like himself and that makes it harder to get past the fact that hey, Tom Cruise is playing this role.

Well, we'll differ on how good he was in that role. But where you say he is good as cold and calculated that is not necessarily Reacher. They need a guy who can convincingly "lose it" Cruise looks funny when he's mad, I think its the big teeth.

sort of looks like this

[PennLady]

Originally Posted by Bramblethorn

Saw him in Eastern Promises and then as an awkward professor in Good in the same week. The contrast was impressive.

IIRC, he spent a couple of weeks in Russia hanging out with the real gangsters in order to get into character for EP. Man's dedicated to his trade!

/threadjack

Yes, according to the featurettes I watched on EP, he did spend some time with real Russian gangsters. His coworkers seemed a bit in awe. Mortensen (I misspelled the first time) has such range of parts, and although now he has the star power to be a lead, I get the feeling he doesn't care. If a part is interesting, he'll play it.

And he has a sense of humor:
http://www.colbertnation.com/the-col...ering-the-call

[PennLady]

Originally Posted by lovecraft68

Well, we'll differ on how good he was in that role. But where you say he is good as cold and calculated that is not necessarily Reacher. They need a guy who can convincingly "lose it" Cruise looks funny when he's mad, I think its the big teeth.

sort of looks like this

I never said or meant that "cold and calculated" was a good approach to Reacher. It worked in Collateral and might work in other films, although Cruise probably doesn't want to cast himself as the bad guy too often.

[lovecraft68]

Originally Posted by PennLady

I never said or meant that "cold and calculated" was a good approach to Reacher. It worked in Collateral and might work in other films, although Cruise probably doesn't want to cast himself as the bad guy too often.

Right, but we're discussing is he Reacher here more than what he is or isn't in other roles, and he's not Reacher, this is a cash cow, butts in seat sell out, but that's what Hollywood does.

I'm the type that even if I saw the movie(which I doubt I will) then read some of the books again, I would always have my "minds eye" view of Reacher, it will never be Cruise to me, but I wonder about people who will see the movie then grab the book, wonder what they'll think?

[PennLady]

Originally Posted by lovecraft68

Right, but we're discussing is he Reacher here more than what he is or isn't in other roles, and he's not Reacher, this is a cash cow, butts in seat sell out, but that's what Hollywood does.

I'm the type that even if I saw the movie(which I doubt I will) then read some of the books again, I would always have my "minds eye" view of Reacher, it will never be Cruise to me, but I wonder about people who will see the movie then grab the book, wonder what they'll think?

Well, the discussion has wandered as it often does. Most of us here seem to think, even if we haven't read the books, that Cruise is a poor casting choice as Reacher. As for what people will see if the see the movie, then read, I guess that would depend on the person. If the descriptions are that different, I'm sure I'd have no trouble visualizing Reacher on my own and he wouldn't look like Cruise.

[lovecraft68]

Originally Posted by PennLady

Well, the discussion has wandered as it often does. Most of us here seem to think, even if we haven't read the books, that Cruise is a poor casting choice as Reacher. As for what people will see if the see the movie, then read, I guess that would depend on the person. If the descriptions are that different, I'm sure I'd have no trouble visualizing Reacher on my own and he wouldn't look like Cruise.

You know, it suddenly hit me.

Dolph Lungren(the younger version) is Jack Reacher.

[jomar]

Originally Posted by lovecraft68

...

I'm the type that even if I saw the movie(which I doubt I will) then read some of the books again, I would always have my "minds eye" view of Reacher, it will never be Cruise to me, but I wonder about people who will see the movie then grab the book, wonder what they'll think?

Same here since I've read the books. Interesting question on viewers then readers.

Originally Posted by lovecraft68

Well, we'll differ on how good he was in that role. But where you say he is good as cold and calculated that is not necessarily Reacher. They need a guy who can convincingly "lose it" Cruise looks funny when he's mad, I think its the big teeth.

sort of looks like this

Reacher never "loses it"...ever.

[lovecraft68]

Originally Posted by jomar

Same here since I've read the books. Interesting question on viewers then readers.



Reacher never "loses it"...ever.

But he's got that "controlled chaos" type of thing going. I just feel Cruise falls way short and not just height wise.

hell I'm 5'9" maybe I should go out for the roll of a giant wrestler, wouldn't matter right?

[jomar]

Originally Posted by lovecraft68

But he's got that "controlled chaos" type of thing going. I just feel Cruise falls way short and not just height wise.

hell I'm 5'9" maybe I should go out for the roll of a giant wrestler, wouldn't matter right?

I've never thought of it as controlled chaos, not that you shouldn't or I think you're wrong. I see him as more of a efficient killing machine the way Child writes Reacher's observations and calculations in encounters.

[Handley_Page]

At last, I have identified Jack Reacher (thank you, Wiki) and I discovered I have read a couple of them. Tom Cruise is not my idea of a six-foot five giant with a scar-beribboned 50 inch chest, (at all), but script-writers can do anything these days, I guess.

But lets face it, if they can change the name of Gibson's Dog (a black labrador) for the new film, they can do almost anything (a true cynic might suggest that it is a shame John Wayne ain't still around).

[Bramblethorn]

Originally Posted by lovecraft68

But he's got that "controlled chaos" type of thing going. I just feel Cruise falls way short and not just height wise.

hell I'm 5'9" maybe I should go out for the roll of a giant wrestler, wouldn't matter right?

Hey, if Al Pacino can take down Henry Rollins...

[mikey2much]

An author named Donald Hamilton, wrote a series of books about a spy named Matt Helm. He was rough and tough in a Jack Reacher way. He had a belt buckle that was a hidden knife, other than that he had no gimmicks, just basic toughness and a killer's instinct.

I was excited when I heard they were going to make a movie of one of the books.

They cast Dean fucking Martin, who played Matt Helm as a man with a drink in his hand , a babe on his arm and exploding buttons on his dinner jacket. Totally fucked up the character that the books had built. Yet they made several of the films based on Dean Martin's hamming it up with a string of pretty girls. The movies made money I guess but they killed the books.

I like Reacher and the way that Childs writes him. I hope he does better than Donald Hamilton did.

[sirhugs]

Chris Hemsworth is too young, Liam Neeson may be too old, but how about:

Viggo Mortenson (my choice)
Christian Bale (for box office + gravitas)
Mark Ruffalo (hey, if he can do The Hulk ...)
Chris Evans (too young?)
Sean Bean (not enough box office?)
Jeffery Dean Morgan (ditto?)
Denzel (colour blind casting call?)
Will Smith (ditto)


sellout....

[PennLady]

Originally Posted by sirhugs

Chris Hemsworth is too young, Liam Neeson may be too old, but how about:

Viggo Mortenson (my choice)
Christian Bale (for box office + gravitas)
Mark Ruffalo (hey, if he can do The Hulk ...)
Chris Evans (too young?)
Sean Bean (not enough box office?)
Jeffery Dean Morgan (ditto?)
Denzel (colour blind casting call?)
Will Smith (ditto)


sellout....

I thought of Chris Hemsworth myself, and yes, thought he was probably too young for the part. Also thought of Chris Evans, and had the same doubt. I mentioned Viggo, too, so I'd go with him first. Christian Bale and Denzel would be my next choices.

Funny, Mr Penn and I just watched "Minority Report" last night (well, I watched most of it) and for much of the movie I wondered how it would have been if Colin Farrell and Tom Cruise had reversed roles. I think that might have worked really well.

[Cruel2BKind]

Originally Posted by Bramblethorn

Saw him in Eastern Promises and then as an awkward professor in Good in the same week. The contrast was impressive.

IIRC, he spent a couple of weeks in Russia hanging out with the real gangsters in order to get into character for EP. Man's dedicated to his trade!

Watch 'the road'

He lived like a hobo for two months to get ready for that role. The scene where he takes his shirt off, it's al him. I'm looking for a photo, can't find one.

[Tx Tall Tales]

Originally Posted by lovecraft68

You know, it suddenly hit me.

Dolph Lungren(the younger version) is Jack Reacher.

I've read all the Jack Reacher stuff. His size is a key component of every story. Dolph would have been a good Jack Reacher, Tom Selleck as well.

Today, Adam Baldwin, of Chuck and Firefly. Near perfect match. Not much of box office draw.

Liam Neeson has the size and cold mannerism. John Corbett, 6'5" and a great look doesn't have the tough guy feel, and not much of a box office name. Similar for Vince Vaughn, another 6'4", but hard to see him in that role.

When I heard Tom Cruise had the role about a month ago, I decided it was one more movie I wasn't going to watch.

[sr71plt]

The Washington Post ran an article this Sunday on Lee Child's (public position) views on Tom Cruise playing Jack Reacher:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/entert...f7b_story.html

[sirhugs]

Originally Posted by sr71plt

The Washington Post ran an article this Sunday on Lee Child's (public position) views on Tom Cruise playing Jack Reacher:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/entert...f7b_story.html

let me guess: "show me the money."

[PennLady]

Originally Posted by sr71plt

The Washington Post ran an article this Sunday on Lee Child's (public position) views on Tom Cruise playing Jack Reacher:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/entert...f7b_story.html

I read it. Any reason to believe Child is putting on a front? You mentioned you'd discussed this with him before, I think? And he does have a good point -- there are few if any actors who would meet Reacher's physical description.

[PennLady]

Found this at a movie blog I frequent -- here's one opinion of Cruise and the movie.

http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/2012/..._elemental.php

Excerpt:

Within the last week I read a comment about Chris McQuarrie's Jack Reacher (Paramount, 12.21) being "a '90s urban actioner," which the commenter intended, I gathered, as some kind of putdown. Well, take out the negative inference and he's dead right -- Reacher is a kind of old-fashioned actioner in a '90s or '80s or '70s vein (can't decide which) but in a highly refreshing, intelligent, follow-the-clues-and-watch-your-back fashion.

...

Honestly? I was fairly satisfied but not that blown away by the final 25%, but the first 75% plays very tight and true and together, and Tom Cruise, as the titular character, has the confidence and presence and steady-as-she-goes vibe of a hero who doesn't have to reach or scream or emphasize anything in order to exude that steely-stud authority that we all like. Reacher is just a bang-around Pittsburgh dirty-cop movie with a kind of Samurai-styled outsider (Cruise) working with a sharp-eyed, straight-dope attorney (Rosamund Pike) trying to uncover who stinks and what's wrong and who needs to be beaten or killed or whatever.

[sr71plt]

Originally Posted by PennLady

I read it. Any reason to believe Child is putting on a front? You mentioned you'd discussed this with him before, I think? And he does have a good point -- there are few if any actors who would meet Reacher's physical description.

Privately he claimed he had little to do with the casting and didn't really care as long as the checks cleared--was just happy that they were finally getting around to filming his books. But who knows what he really thinks?

[Cruel2BKind]

Tom hardy?

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__...5/DKR_Bane.jpg


He's closer to the height you guys are talking about at 5' 10", and he's already been in a movie where they used height-boosting shoes and camera angles (to great effect) to make him look huge.

Also, he's able to be extremely intimidating when he needs to be.

[PennLady]

Originally Posted by Cruel2BKind

Tom hardy?

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__...5/DKR_Bane.jpg


He's closer to the height you guys are talking about at 5' 10", and he's already been in a movie where they used height-boosting shoes and camera angles (to great effect) to make him look huge.

Also, he's able to be extremely intimidating when he needs to be.

He might fit, but he doesn't have the name recognition.

[Cruel2BKind]

Originally Posted by PennLady

He might fit, but he doesn't have the name recognition.

He's been in Dark Knight Rises, inception, warrior... He doesn't have the draw of the cruise midget, but he has a little somethin-somethin'

[sr71plt]

I little late to speculate on who it should be. The finished movie is launching already. And the decision was made a long time ago to bank on the star name rather than the character name.