Days of Thunder *** (1990, Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Robert Duvall, Randy Quaid, Cary Elwes, John C Reilly, J C Quinn, Michael Rooker) – Classic Movie Review 3334

Director Tony Scott’s 1990 old-style fast-car adventure movie is celebrated, if at all, as the first pairing of the Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, who then became real-life husband and wife. It reunites Cruise and Scott after their triumph with Top Gun (1986).

Cruise brings all his charisma and then unassailable top box-office star power to this lively, old-fashioned racetrack soap opera that survives its soapy moments and eventually roars to the finishing line in the Le Mans Grand Prix. Cruise is an infectiously smiling, endlessly cheerful presence as Cole Trickle (!), while Kidman gives a brave display of acting in awkward casting as a lovestruck neurosurgeon, Dr Claire Lewicki.

And, predictably, one of the best actors in Hollywood, Robert Duvall, effortlessly steals the young people’s thunder as the canny old trainer, Harry Hogge. Randy Quaid is another asset as the race-car owner, Tim Daland. However, it is the thrilling track sequences that best command the attention.

Cruise co-wrote the larky, laddish story, hired veteran Robert Towne to help him with the story and write the screenplay and got director Scott to film him like a pop video star, just like he did in Top Gun. But, this time, the result is more enthusiastic than exciting, a film that is ultra slick and warm on the surface but at heart is slack, cold and empty, several notches down in voltage and allure from the same team’s Top Gun (minus Kidman, of course).

It is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson, who appears in the cast as Aldo Bennedetti. Also in the cast are Michael Rooker, Cary Elwes, Fred Dalton Thompson, John C Reilly and J C Quinn.

Cruise asked for Kidman to be his leading lady after seeing her in the brilliant Aussie thriller Dead Calm (1989), and they married soon after filming, following Tom’s divorce from Mimi Rogers. Cruise got a speeding ticket for driving 85 in a 55mph zone while making the film, but wasn’t permitted to do the stunt driving seen on screen for insurance reasons.

Cruise has been married to Mimi Rogers (9 May 1987 – 4 February 1990) (divorced), Nicole Kidman (24 December 1990 – 8 August 2001) (divorced, two children), and Katie Holmes (18 November 2006 – 20 August 2012) (divorced, one child).

Cruise and Kidman went on to make Far and Away (1992) and Eyes Wide Shut (1999) together.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3334

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