Tom Cruise comes off to many as crazy. For some, this completely hinders the ability to enjoy his performance in anything post-Collateral, a shame since his turn in Tropic Thunder was legendary, and J.J. Abrams’ Mission Impossible III is right up there with Cruise’s best action flicks. Knight and Day isn’t one of Cruise’s finest films, but it’s an enjoyable ride for anyone still willing to spend a couple of hours with everyone’s former favorite Maverick.
After a chance meeting, June (Cameron Diaz), your everyday mechanic, is caught up in a world of espionage and gunfire between Roy (Tom Cruise) and the CIA. In order to keep June safe, Roy brings her on a mission that spans the globe, trying to protect a young genius (Paul Dano) and a world-changing new energy source.
As with most summer blockbusters, Knight and Day doesn’t strive to be anything but fun. Look all you want but there isn’t much subtext or social commentary to be found. However, it does manage to be entertaining almost entirely throughout, thanks in large part to the dynamic between Cruise and Diaz. These stars aren’t always believable in their roles (Diaz certainly doesn’t dress like a mechanic), but they always seem like they are having fun with each other, which can go a long way for an audience.
While the actors are enjoyable, sometimes the story just isn’t. For most spy-thrillers, it’s a requirement for the audience to utilize a suspension of disbelief, but Knight and Day takes it a bit too far. There are moments in the film that are so over-the-top ludicrous that even small children will question its plausibility. One scene near the end of the film was so absurd that it got laughs from the audience, and it’s not the type of moment that should be humorous.
As previously mentioned, your personal enjoyment of Knight and Day depends largely on how you view Tom Cruise. In this reviewer’s eyes, Cruise is still a charming and engaging actor, and Knight and Day allows him to flex his movie star status with full force. Unfortunately, this performance won’t be changing any haters’ minds. It’s a fun film, and a noble attempt to try to regain some lost Cruise fans, but Knight and Day just doesn’t have the stuff that will put him atop Hollywood’s A-list once more.
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