Although Tom Cruise mainly focuses on action movies these days, his career was also filled with several acclaimed dramatic performances. Long before Cruise started to scale the sides of buildings or jump from planes in franchises like Mission: Impossible, he made a name for himself balancing action-heavy movies with more nuanced roles in dramas, legal thrillers, rom-coms, and more. As a four-time Academy Award nominee, Cruise was no stranger to complex and challenging characters in intensely dramatic movies.
The best Tom Cruise movies also included some of his strongest dramatic performances, as he embodied all types of characters, from an idealistic Harvard graduate to a seedy pickup artist. Cruises’ filmography boasts works from iconic filmmakers like Martin Scorsese, Paul Thomas Anderson, and even Stanley Kubrick. As a true titan of modern cinema, Cruise has plenty to offer as a dramatic performer, and it’s a real shame he hasn’t been taking up non-action movie roles in recent years.
10 Cocktail (1988)
Tom Cruise as Brian Flanagan
By the time Cocktail was released in 1988, Tom Cruise had already made a name for himself as a major movie star with roles in Risky Business and Top Gun. While these previous roles highlighted his skills as a comedic actor and up-and-coming action star, Cocktail allowed him to delve into more dramatic territory while maintaining elements of lighthearted comedy. As the story of a business student who takes up bartending to make ends meet, Cocktail was a hit at the box office that highlighted Cruise’s undeniable star power.
The critics were not so kind to Cocktail, as reviews called it shallow, and the film won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture. However, looking back on Cocktail, there were hints of Cruise’s bright future in more dramatic roles as he imbued the struggling bartender Brian Flanagan with a real sense of humanity. While Cruise himself may disparage Cocktail as “not a crowning jewel” in his career (via Rolling Stone), there’s a lot to love about this 1980s romantic comedy-drama.
9 The Firm (1993)
Tom Cruise as Mitch McDeere
Before action movies became Tom Cruise’s primary focus, he took up roles in challenging legal dramas like The Firm, a heart-racing thriller based on a novel by John Grisham. As the story of an ambitious young lawyer excited to join a prestigious law firm, the sinister realities of the system become apparent when he starts to learn the dark secrets hidden just below the surface. From money laundering to tax schemes, The Firm was an enjoyable uncovering of corporate corruption.
Cruise gave a strong performance as Mitch McDeere, a bright-eyed Harvard Law graduate who slowly started to realize the deception and dishonesty that have enveloped the legal system. With Cruise in top acting form, it was thrilling to see him alongside major talents like Gene Hackman, Ed Harris, and Holly Hunter, who was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role. With plenty of twists and turns throughout, it’s no surprise The Firm was a hit at the box office (via The Numbers), taking in over $270 million against its $42 million budget.
8 Vanilla Sky (2001)
Tom Cruise as David Aames
Tom Cruise reunited with his Jerry Maguire director Cameron Crowe for the sci-fi psychological thriller Vanilla Sky, the fascinating story of a magazine publisher who begins to question reality after being disfigured in a car crash. As an ambitious mix of genres, Vanilla Sky sometimes crumbled under the weight of its own concept yet remained an enjoyable addition to Cruise’s more dramatic works. Vanilla Sky also featured a strong supporting cast, including Kurt Russell, Penélope Cruz, Tilda Swindon, and Cameron Diaz in one of her very best roles.
As the story of a man who wants it all and loses everything, Vanilla Sky felt like an intriguing waking dream as it delved into the very nature of consciousness. Although Cruise has played it safe with franchise action pictures for much of the 21st century, his role in Vanilla Sky showcased his affinity for stranger projects and ability to push things into exciting new territory. It’s a shame there aren’t more entries like Vanilla Sky in Cruise’s filmography because it was a uniquely thrilling film.
7 Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
Tom Cruise as Dr. Bill Harford
Tom Cruise has worked with many great directors, but one of his most impressive collaborations was on Stanley Kubrick’s final film, Eyes Wide Shut. As a highly unusually erotic mystery, Eyes Wide Shut starred Cruise alongside his then-wife Nicole Kidman as they embarked on a seedy nighttime adventure that brought them right into the heart of a masked orgy organized by a secret society. With a unique sense of style, Eyes Wide Shut was one of Kubrick’s most artful films as he peeled back the complexities of human psychology in a cryptic story of sex and secrets.
Kubrick died shortly before the release of Eyes Wide Shut, and although it was well-received at the time, it was also misunderstood and subjected to censorship due to its R-rated content. However, looking back on Eyes Wide Shut today, it’s clear that it was one of Kubrick’s most accomplished works, as he managed to showcase a side of Cruise never before seen on screen. Eyes Wide Shut was bold, challenging, and subversive, as well as a strong showcase of Cruise’s incredible skill as a dramatic actor.
6 The Color of Money (1986)
Tom Cruise as Vincent Lauria
As a legacy sequel to the 1961 sports drama The Hustler, The Color of Money paired Tom Cruise with screen legend Paul Newman, who reprised his role as “Fast Eddie” Felson. Directed by Martin Scorsese, The Color of Money was the only sequel by the iconic filmmaker and was an interesting follow-up that explored pool players hustling their way through halls and eventually to a major tournament. Part of the joy of The Color of Money was watching Cruise and Newman play off one another as one star entered the backend of their career while the other was just at the beginning.
While Cruise has earned a reputation for doing his own stunts in action movies like Mission: Impossible, he also insisted on performing his own pool stunts in The Color of Money (via UPI). As an accomplished drama blending metaphors of hustling and pool, The Color of Money’s success lay firmly on the incredible trio of actors Cruise, Newman, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. While The Color of Money does not get nearly as much recognition as Scorsese’s better-known films, it was an underrated entry in his filmography that’s well worth seeking out for Cruise’s performance alone.
5 A Few Good Men (1992)
Tom Cruise as Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee
Director Rob Reiner paired Tom Cruise with acting legend Jack Nicholson for the legal drama A Few Good Men. With a screenplay by the future writer of The Social Network and The West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin, A Few Good Men was categorized by its strong writing as Cruise gave his all to a meaty and complex role about a military lawyer discovering his seemingly open-and-shut case was anything but. As the hypocrisies of a mean-spirited Colonel, played by Nicholson, slowly unveiled themselves, this suspenseful courtroom drama kept viewers on the edge of their seats.
A Few Good Men was an insightful deconstruction of the moral corruption that can take place behind the closed doors of respected military institutions. The climatic showdown between Cruise and Nicholson in the courtroom was one of the most iconic courtroom scenes of all time. Although Cruise gave a great performance, it was Nicholson who was most memorable as he shouted the famous line, “You can’t handle the truth!”
4 Jerry Maguire (1996)
Tom Cruise as Jerry Maguire
Jerry Maguire was one of the most quotable movies of the 1990s, whose heartfelt and humorous story resonated with viewers. Featuring an incredible performance from Tom Cruise as the title character and as one of René Zwelleger’s best movies, this laugh-out-loud dramedy walked the fine line between comedy and drama to prove once again why Cruise was one of the biggest movie stars of this era. As the story of a sports agent going out on his own after being fired, Jerry Maguire succeeded due to its compelling main characters’ vulnerable search for purpose in his life and career.
From lines like “you had me at hello” to “help me, help you,” Jerry Maguire’s script was littered with memorable moments and iconic turns of phrase. Cruise was perfectly suited to the role of a morally righteous sports agent who was not willing to turn a blind eye to the dishonest practices of his former employers. Considering the materialistic landscape of late 20th-century America, the message at the heart of Jerry Maguire felt like a breath of fresh air and a great dramatic turn from Cruise.
3 Rain Man (1988)
Tom Cruise as Charlie Babbitt
While Dustin Hoffman took home the Academy Award for his portrayal of the autistic savant Ray Babbitt in Rain Man, this role would not have been nearly as effective without an actor of Tom Cruise’s stature to play off. As the story of a younger brother exploiting his sibling’s incredible intelligence and photographic memory, Rain Man was one of Hoffman’s best movies and an important addition to Cruise’s varied body of work. It’s a road trip movie but also the story of two brothers connecting despite their vast differences.
Rain Man highlighted autism during a time when little was known about the condition and its release influenced more funding, medical research, and awareness among the general public (via Guardian.) Cruise had a difficult challenge with Rain Man as he had the thankless task of leading a movie where the audience focus was primarily on the title character. Although Cruise has usually excelled in leading man roles, Rain Man was an interesting example of him knowing how to play off his supporting co-star and allow Hoffman’s Oscar-winning performance to shine through.
2 Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
Tom Cruise as Sergeant Ron Kovic
While Tom Cruise has played plenty of glorified military heroes in fast-paced action movies, the realities behind the war were powerfully addressed through his role in Oliver Stone’s Born on the Fourth of July. This anti-war biographical drama followed Stone’s Platoon to highlight once again criticisms of the United States’ involvement in Vietnam. Through the story of the paralyzed soldier Sergeant Ron Kovic, Born on the Fourth of July showcased how the glorious illusions of war can be quickly shattered by the lived realities of veterans’ experiences.
In one of his strongest performances, Cruise took audiences on a journey through Kovic’s desire to fight for his country and eventual transformation into an anti-war activist who felt betrayed by the government in whose name he lost his ability to walk. Born on the Fourth of July was a truly unforgettable film that got right to the heart of human emotions to tell a highly political story of fighting, fortitude, and the futility of war. Cruise’s deeply moving portrayal of Kovic earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
1 Magnolia (1999)
Tom Cruise as Frank T.J. Mackey
Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia was released in the same year as Eyes Wide Shut, meaning 1999 was an incredible time to be a fan of Tom Cruise’s more dramatic roles. As one of the most unique movies of all time, Magnolia showcased a new side to Cruise’s acting skills as he portrayed the dating guru Frank T.J. Mackey, perhaps the most compelling character in the film’s ensemble cast. As an arrogant and vulgar motivational speaker and pickup artist, Frank admittedly used his charm and charisma to take advantage of those in his life.
Cruise was nominated for an Oscar for his fantastic performance, which deconstructed his superstar as he stole every scene he was in. With a repulsiveness that’s masked by confidence, Frank’s complex psychology was intrinsically linked to being abandoned by his father as a child and having his mother pass away when he was just 14. Tom Cruise brought all these aspects together in his intensely rich Magnolia performance, which was his finest achievement as a dramatic actor.
Sources: Rolling Stone, The Numbers, UPI, Guardian
