A Classic Tom Cruise Movie Only Has A Few Days Left On Netflix, Stream It While You Can
Though Tom Cruise has had numerous and iconic films, one of his biggest classics is set to leave Netflix soon, so watch it while you can.
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Tom Cruise has been in numerous and iconic films during his career in Hollywood, such as the Mission Impossible franchise and playing the character of Maverick in the 80s hit, Top Gun. Off and on, his films will jump on streaming sites for a short amount of time, and currently one of his best films is due to leave Netflix on February 28th. Rain Man is one of Cruise’s most notable films, due to the plot and the actors’ performances. Cruise starred alongside talented actor Dustin Hoffman in the comedic drama that received numerous accolades upon its release in 1988. So what made this film such a classic, and why should it be watched immediately before Netflix drops the movie in a matter of days?
Tom Cruise plays the character of Charlie Babbitt, who is a collectibles dealer and finds himself in debt at the start of the film. Early on, he discovers that his estranged father had passed away. Cruise travels to Cincinnati, Ohio to take a look at the will and settle all things financially, obviously with the hopes that he would possibly receive a large sum of money. However, upon arriving, he discovers the only items left to him were a few rose bushes and a Buick Roadmaster. His father’s estate is worth a whopping $3 million dollars is left to an older brother, Raymond, which Cruise had no idea existed. The brother, who has autism and savant syndrome, is played by Dustin Hoffman. Cruise then travels to a mental institution with a plan to somehow inherit some or all of the money from the estate. The film follows the two brothers on a road trip and Cruise’s initial selfishness as it develops into deep devotion and love for his brother.
The film was directed by Barry Levinson and the story was written by Barry Morrow. According to The Guardian, Morrow discussed some of the details and plot of the film a few years back. Morrow stated, “Looking back, Rain Man was never a story about autism. It was a tale of two estranged brothers, their journey, and then their fragile redemption.” The story had a huge impact on critics and audiences, raking in a little over $350 million in the box office with a small budget of $25 million. The film received a total of eight nominations at the Academy Awards and won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay. Dustin Hoffman also won Best Actor for his performance. The film was so successful upon its release in 1988, that it became the highest-grossing film of the year.
Not only was the crew, writers, and directors extremely dedicated to the project, but the actors as well. According to The Guardian, Dustin Hoffman researched autistically and savant individuals for an entire year to better prepare for the role. When the movie was being filmed, Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman had a large age gap. Hoffman was 50 and Cruise was 25 when the two actors filmed the movie. Although there was a bit of an age gap, the two were able to portray brothers incredibly well. When Rain Man was initially released at the 39th Berlin International Film Festival, the movie received a Golden Bear, which is actually the highest award at the festival. Alongside Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman, other stars such as Valeria Golino and Lucinda Jenney played roles in the film.
Rain Man is one of those films that needs to be watched at least once in someone’s lifetime. The film explores serious topics such as autism but also has a genuinely great script and a plot that keeps audiences engaged for the entire duration of the movie. Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman really delved deep into their characters and made the entire situation in the film very realistic and believable. On IMDB, Rain Man has a current rating of 8.0, and on Rotten Tomatoes, has a score of 89%. The movie embodies a lot of different aspects, from drama, to comedy, to exploring the importance of family. Rain Man also showcases the wide range of acting between Cruise and Hoffman. The movie is currently streaming on Netflix, however, only until February 28th. So, jump on the streaming site before time runs out.
