Finally, not Tom Cruise

[cougie uk]

Reacher was written as a giant of a man with a huge physical presence. Quite often the translation of a character into film leads to disappointment. Why oh why was tom Cruise chosen for the part? It would be hard enough for an actor who fills the physical requirements to play Reacher, let alone his character. Tom Cruise was at a disadvantage from the start, being just under 5'8" which is not freakishly short (still taller than me, but it seems everybody is). Whether the Amazon version is more convincing remains to be seen but it looks like once the screenwriters get hold of the franchise, things start to slide.

I've enjoyed the Reacher novels for a good number of years but the recent ones don't seem to have the same zing and unputdownability. Whether it's over familiarity with the format, the author losing his edge or just my interests changing, it's hard to say. A shame though.

Cruise was the producer of the Reacher films.
I'd hazard a guess that the vast majority of people have never read the books so they don't know how tall the character is meant to be.
Just having Cruise attached to the film almost guarantees you will get your money back.
Nobody would spend big bucks on a film version with a tall but unknown lead.

 

[mistyoptic]

I always pictured Reacher more like Paul Hogan in Crocodile Dundee. Cruise was laughable if you’d actually read the books

 

[yello]

Nobody would spend big bucks on a film version with a tall but unknown lead.

Oh, now stop your posting of reason and common sense!

I have sometimes wondered if certain actors want to see themselves in certain characters, a vice-versa thing almost. That is, get themselves confused in the actor - character equation; want their public to see them as this certain character.

Not to beat up on the CSI franchise, but both Gary Senise and David Caruso seem to suffer from that. An ego w**k if you like. And Senise particularly seems to want to espoue his own Republican leanings through his character, all whilst portraying them as reasoned, just and fair.

 

[matticus]

I've read a couple of Reacher books. Well, they had different titles.

Post of the Thread



(I really enjoyed the ones I read; but yeah, they do have quite a lot of commonality, shall we say ... )

 

[matticus]

Just having Cruise attached to the film almost guarantees you will get your money back.

and DID you get your money back?
(I didn't think the film was THAT bad, but the customer is always right ... )

 

[Chief Broom]

any film is better off without tom wasisname its always necessary to 'suspend disbelief' to get into a film but with this **** actor its doubly so!

 

[Pale Rider]

There's a reason Cruise is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood - it's because he's brilliant at what he does.

 

[yello]

There's a reason Cruise is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood - it's because he's brilliant at what he does.

Would you like to expand on what you think he does then?

And I'm genuinely not attempting to knock Cruise here, nor deny his status, I'm just wondering how you personally go from the one statement to the other.

 

[a.twiddler]

Cruise was the producer of the Reacher films.
I'd hazard a guess that the vast majority of people have never read the books so they don't know how tall the character is meant to be.
Just having Cruise attached to the film almost guarantees you will get your money back.
Nobody would spend big bucks on a film version with a tall but unknown lead.

Possibly in an age of electronic media the number of people who read books has declined but nevertheless it's all the more incomprehensible that Cruise should direct himself in the role if he has respect for the character or the writer's intentions. I imagine he must at least have read the books on which the films were based. Possibly many did enjoy the films but it's just sad to see another iconic character bite the dust of cinematic dumbing-down. Not that it's great literature but the books were an enjoyable parody of a certain style of tightly written American thriller (Child being British and using UK-English spelling) which gets lost in its transfer to the screen.

There's a world of meaning in the phrase, "Reacher said nothing" which is often the lead in to some dramatic event, sometimes a stalemate but used often in the books almost as a trademark. Not so easy to convey into a film which has to cram everything into 90 minutes of mostly action and special effects. Reacher may be portrayed as something of a tank on legs but he is also portrayed as having some sort of inner life and even some wit, within the limitations of being a loner who finds himself the various situations portrayed in the books.

Perhaps the readership like to know what to expect, but it is true that eventually any author will run out of original ideas, and the well will begin to dry up. Reacher has had a pretty good run.

 

[Time Waster]

It's happened throughout film history. Film Noir star Alan Ladd was a mere 5'6” and would often stand on a box in certain shots to appear taller than his female co-stars. Studios would even dig little trenches on sets for taller actresses or build smaller doorframes for their stars.

Not just the film industry. In modern ballet top schools have a maximum height limit for girls at the age they apply and some measure and enforce limits through their time in the school. Girls who grew too tall even got kicked out! I had a relative who couldn't get into the top school because they had a lower height limit that she passed. She ended up at one of the second or third rated instead. You can't get picked for the royal ballet when you're outside their school system it seems and not if too tall.

BTW the reason was the ballet Boys tended to be on average quite short. You can't dance as a girl with a shorter man by being in a trench! Ridiculous because other nations like America really took any height using only talent as the criteria.

Sorry, off topic but slightly relevant. Height hasn't mattered with acting but it has for other arts like ballet. Also a gender bias issue going on back then too but best not go there.

BTW I have no idea if this situation still goes on, my knowledge of this is dated by now.

 

[Andy_R]

Wow. We've gone from the fictional tank on legs that is represented by Jack Reacher to the Royal Ballet in the space of 2 pages. This thing has mutated quicker than Omicron...

 

[mistyoptic]

Wow. We've gone from the fictional tank on legs that is represented by Jack Reacher to the Royal Ballet in the space of 2 pages. This thing has mutated quicker than Omicron...

Reacher said nothing

 

[yello]

I once read an interview with Lee Child (James Grant) His road to writing was an interesting one, almost 'needs must'. An ex-ITV employee (made redundant) as I recall, he's under no illusions as to the literary merits, or otherwise, of his novels. As I also recall, he acknowledges the formula. Came across as a decent bloke who knows he struck it rich.

 

[matticus]

Would you like to expand on what you think he does then?

And I'm genuinely not attempting to knock Cruise here, nor deny his status, I'm just wondering how you personally go from the one statement to the other.

It's a strange thing to wonder, unless YOU think Cruise is NOT excellent at what he does.
He's a very well-known, well-documented, well-interviewed movie star - which of his skills do you doubt? It's all subjective, so feel free to give YOUR opinion!

(he'll remain one of the biggest and best-paid stars in Hollywood, whatever you, I or Pale Rider think!)

 

[welsh dragon]

It's a strange thing to wonder, unless YOU think Cruise is NOT excellent at what he does.
He's a very well-known, well-documented, well-interviewed movie star - which of his skills do you doubt? It's all subjective, so feel free to give YOUR opinion!

(he'll remain one of the biggest and best-paid stars in Hollywood, whatever you, I or Pale Rider think!)

I understand he does just about all his own Stunts. He can fly a helicopter, parachute, drive all the vehicles, sing (allegedly), produce films and direct them. He is without doubt a talented actor.

Not his fault, but there are some characters that every actor cannot play and Jack reacher is one as far as cruise is concerned, although he didn't do a bad job at it but as said anyone who has read one of child's books will know where the films fell short, pardon the pun