Tom Cruise Wants a Full Movie For His Hugely Problematic Character, Here's Why It's a Mistake
It seems like an impossible mission to make this character fit into the modern feature film.
When Tropic Thunder, a satirical comedy action film directed by Ben Stiller, was released in 2008, audiences were treated to one of the most unexpected and hilarious cameo appearances of all time.
When Les Grossman, portrayed by a heavily disguised and prosthetically altered Tom Cruise, appeared on screen, audiences immediately found themselves thinking, "Wait, is this really him?"
With his foul mouth and explosive temper, this collective image of a big Hollywood producer almost completely stole the attention of the audience from the main ensemble of actors, which included such famous names as Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black and many others.
The story revolved around a group of actors who find themselves fighting for their lives after a supposed military film shoot turns out to be all too real, with Cruise playing a supporting role.
While the film received fairly positive reviews upon its release, it only multiplied its success over the years, earning a cult following due to the provocative nature of its humor.
There is no way you would be able to see anything close to Robert Downey Jr. in literal blackface these days.
After such a runaway success of Cruise's character, fans expected the actor to reprise his role in a standalone film, with the latest reports surfacing in August 2022.
It was stated that Cruise and producer Christopher McQuarrie were "fixated" on Les, which, combined with Ben Stiller's revelation that Tom "had the idea to play Les Grossman in the movie," led fans to believe that it was only a matter of time before they would see him on the big screen again.
But honestly, is it worth it at this point? Cruise's portrayal was undoubtedly very entertaining fifteen years ago, but it is unclear if it will be received as warmly today.
The provocative humor and the fact that the character is partially based on the infamous Harvey Weinstein could lead to the film being decimated by the public.
Moreover, the fact that the character worked so well in small doses doesn't mean he will enjoy a similar success in a feature film.
"I feel like I want it and I don't. Tom Cruise was seriously amazing in this small role and absolutely crushed every moment. I have a feeling it's one of those roles that isn't as good in a full movie," Reddit user BustyUncle said.
Still, fans would like to see Tom in character again, just maybe better in another cameo appearance.
They would also like to see Matthew McConaughey reprise his role as Rick Peck, as their on-screen dynamic with Cruise was amazing to watch.