Tom Cruise was born on July 3, 1962, in New York, USA. Did you know his real name is Thomas Cruise Mapother IV? There is a generation of kids who know him only for his action roles, specifically as Ethan Hunt in the Mission: Impossible franchise. They see him as the actor who constantly puts his life in death-defying situations just to pull off a Maximus from Gladiator and ask us, "Are you not entertained?" And why not? The Mission: Impossible movies rake in money worldwide, save for the latest one (Dead Reckoning Part One), which was undermined by the Barbenheimer wave. Tom Cruise Reunites With ‘Mission Impossible’ Co-Star Simon Pegg at Glastonbury Festival 2024, Just One Week After Taylor Swift’s Concert.

The Mission: Impossible films have kept the star busy in the past decade, though we occasionally see rare detours like the underrated Edge of Tomorrow, the reviled The Mummy, and the blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick. Even these films couldn't escape the MI formula of Tom Cruise bringing his action persona. While we love Cruise in his action roles, he is also a very underrated dramatic performer and an even more underrated comic actor. For comedy, let's not look beyond how he made us smile in films like Risky Business, Tropic Thunder, and American Made. But he has done more movies where he displayed his dramatic flair, and it is time to revisit those films.

As he turns 62 (damn, bro!), let's look at seven films where Tom Cruise impressed us in the drama genre.

'Born on the Fourth of July' (1989)

Tom Cruise in Born on the Fourth of July

This Oliver Stone film saw Tom Cruise transition from a teenage sensation to being seen as an actor with serious dexterity. He plays a paralysed ex-army veteran who uses his post-war life for anti-war activism. This brilliant performance got Tom his first Oscar nomination, which he lost to another brilliant actor who gave a wonderful performance in a similar capacity—Daniel Day-Lewis in My Left Foot. Tough luck, Mr Cruise!

'A Few Good Men' (1992)

Tom Cruise in A Few Good Men

A Few Good Men, directed by the great Rob Reiner, is one of the best legal dramas made in Hollywood. It also got a loose remake in Bollywood as Samar Khan's Shaurya. A Few Good Men is about a scandal in the US Marine Department that ended with the death of a Marine. Cruise plays an inexperienced lawyer given the charge of finding the guilty. While the movie is most notable for Jack Nicholson's final monologue, Cruise also gives a very powerful performance in the courtroom scenes. Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two: Tom Cruise Sprints Through London as He Films Scenes For His Upcoming Movie.

'Interview With The Vampire' (1994)

Tom Cruise in Interview With The Vampire

The most famous trivia about Tom Cruise's casting as the vampire Lestat de Lioncourt is that author Anne Rice, on whose book this movie is based, was not keen on the actor taking up the role, believing he was utterly miscast. But after seeing his performance in the film, she admitted she was wrong and declared, "From the moment he appeared, Tom was Lestat for me." That's how you get your staunchest critics to change their opinions about your performance.

'Jerry Maguire' (1996)

Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire

This romantic dramedy pairs a wonderful Cruise with an equally perfect Renée Zellweger. Set against the backdrop of the NFL and sports management, Jerry Maguire is a pleasing film with great recall value and some iconic scenes and quotes ("You complete me!"). While Cuba Gooding Jr got an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, many still feel that Cruise should have won Best Actor over Geoffrey Rush in Shine. What are your thoughts on this?

'Eyes Wide Shut' (1999)

Tom Cruise in Eyes Wide Shut

The great Stanley Kubrick's final film is an erotic psychological drama that brought together ex-spouses Cruise and Nicole Kidman for what is their final onscreen pairing. While Eyes Wide Shut is worth watching for their sexual chemistry, it is also a twisted tale of a man losing his marbles over the revelation that his wife wanted to pursue an affair in the past. Cruise plays well into that role, navigating a bizarre rabbit hole of obsession and paranoia.

'Magnolia' (1999)

Tom Cruise in Magnolia

Paul Thomas Anderson's ensemble drama features an array of popular names like Philip Baker Hall, Philip Seymour Hoffman, William H Macy, Alfred Molina, Julianne Moore, and John C Reilly, among others. But amidst those wonderful actors, Cruise stood out as Frank Mackey, a motivational speaker going through a personal crisis. He earned another Academy Award nomination for his performance, which he once again undeservedly lost to the legendary Michael Caine for The Cider House Rules.

'The Last Samurai' (2003)

Tom Cruise in The Last Samurai

If you disregard the 'white saviour' trope, Edward Zwick's period drama is quite worth watching. Cruise plays an American captain who helps the Japanese samurai in their rebellion against their country's emperor, and he is quite good in the role. Hiroyuki Sanada, who frontlines one of this year's best series, Shōgun, also plays a crucial role in the movie.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 03, 2024 08:21 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).