Blank Check with Griffin & David - Jerry Maguire

Episode Date: July 7, 2016

Griffin and David this week “show you the money” with 1996’s decade defining film Jerry Maguire. What was the impact of this movie? How many memorable terms and phrases did Crowe invent that have gone on to become common place vernacular in our culture? How great is Renée Zellweger? Together they discuss the plot’s many layers, Jay Mohr as the perfect asshole, Oscar trivia and express a lot of appreciation for Jonathan Lipnicki’s stellar performance as the insanely cute kid.

i love you you you complete me complete me. And I just... Shut up. Just, just shut up. You had me at podcast. God. What a nightmare. We had a really tough time. Too many quotes. This is the most quotable movie of all time. I'm David Sims. I'm Griffin Newman.

Welcome to our podcast. It's called Blank Check with Griffin and David. We're hashtag the two time. I'm David Sims. I'm Griffin Newman. Welcome to our podcast. It's called Blank Check with Griffin and David. We're hashtag the two friends. We host the show. We go through filmmakers who have massive success and then get blank checks to work on other projects. And sometimes those checks bounce. Sure. And sometimes they cash those suckers in.

Yep. This is a miniseries. We do miniseries. We go through filmographies. And the guy we're working on right now Is Cameron Crowe Cameron Crowe And we are on his most iconic

Successful film Yes That film is called Jerry Maguire This mini-series is called We Pod A Cast This is his most iconic film I guess I think so It's definitely his most successful Yeah We Pod A Cast We're foreshadowing where this mini-series is going A cast. This is his most iconic film, I guess. I think so. It's definitely his most successful. Yeah.

Yeah, We Podcast. We're foreshadowing where this miniseries is going. We are. But right now, we're in the- We're in the golden- The glory days. I mean, we could have called it Podcast McGuire. That would have been a great miniseries title.

Yeah, it would have been great. Podcast McGuire. We Podcast. You get it. Look, the people wanted it. 47% voted for We Podcast. It's true. Who am I to not listen to the public other than when we chose to do Cameron Crowe instead of James Cameron?

Whatever. Today we are discussing the motion picture Jerry Maguire. Jerry ma-fuckin' Gwire. Jerry ma-fuckin' Gwire. Yeah. Hugely successful movie. Huge. It's incomprehensible how big this movie was.

And it's especially hard to comprehend today because this is not a kind of movie that gets made by studios anymore. And when it does, no one goes to see it. Imagine this movie getting made today. Imagine like... Lunacy. It could happen.

I'm trying to think of a Tom Cruise level star today. I guess there's nobody. There's nobody. I'd argue there isn't one. But say, you know, if Chris Pratt decided to work with an actual artiste and make just like a romantic drama that he wrote.

You know, he or she wrote. This artiste. I think it'd do $25 million domestic. It's hard to imagine it becoming this kind of a phenomenon do you know what i think the last example of this is the the last film to function in this kind of way yeah unstoppable will smith coming off of like 10 consecutive hits making pursuit of happiness which is nowhere sure but pursuit of happiness was not this kind of movie even though it did very well But I'm just saying, that was the last time where it was like a star was so unbeatable that they could make a character drama and it played like a blockbuster.

Yeah. I'm not saying they're the same movie, but I'm saying I don't think there's anyone who has that kind of cachet today, you know? Jennifer Lawrence, maybe. Possibly, but no one saw Joy. Yeah, but people saw The Silver Linings Playbook. Yeah, but that was the one that made her. What? No, she'd already been in The Hunger Games.

What? No. The Silver Linings playbook is a better example. I think that's a good example. I think that film pushed her over the edge. Because it got all the Oscar nominations. She was already a huge deal. And it was a straightforward romantic drama. Like it was not, you know, with comic elements.

I agree, but a lot of that film's on Coop, and I also think... No, no, no, you're wrong. No, but I also think that was part of her ascension. Of course it was part of it, but, you know, I think that's a decent example. Because The Pursuit of Happiness is a weepy. It's not funny at all.

It's just like a true space art, true story. It's a star-driven drama with no, like, catchy hook. This is not the conversation we need to have. No, because to put this in context I mean you look at fucking Cruises the 10 years leading up to this movie. Yeah. He was just unstoppable. Uh yeah.

I mean that's the thing. The brand was so fucking strong. Tom Hanks did something like this too. But Tom Hanks was more of a he was always a comedy you know star as well as a drama star. And also that run ended. Like Tom Hanks was this guy also in the 90s. This is kind of my point is that these two guys couldn't do this today.

There's a reason these two guys are doing more sort of genre-y films now. Well, there's two very different reasons, I would say. Yeah. Tom Hanks, because he got a little older, you know, he became more of a dad. Yeah. And Tom Cruise because of some issues in his personal life. But Cruise only does sci-fi now, essentially. Yeah, because that's where we can buy him, or action.

Like, we can buy him as an impossible person. Yeah, and Hanks now, I mean, mostly does smaller scale kind of dad movies, but also, like, his bread and butter now is that fucking Dan Brown series. Is that his bread and butter? It's just, I don't know why they make those. I don't either. Except for that they make money. Which is so weird because who sees them?

It's because they make like international money and stuff. But like, do you really think Tom Hanks like calls Ron Howard and is like, let's do another Brownie. Let's do another Dan Brown. I mean, honestly, they made three of them. They made three of them. But I also, I think it's like. It's like they get to go to Paris, have some nice dinners, shoot a week in the Louvre. You know, like, hey, where are we going this time? Going to the Vatican?

Great. Great. I mean, we need to try this new place, you know? Yeah. I also think, I mean, this is, we're getting this nature, this conversation about the nature of modern stardom, which I think isn't that off topic because it's important. You know, this is what this whole movie is like peak stardom, peak movie stardom.

But I think modern stardom is tied into this thing that even if you're huge, if you're Jennifer Lawrence or you're Chris Pratt or whomever, you need to sort of have the like trees that you hang your hammock up on. you need to sort of have the like trees that you hang your hammock up on. Like you need to, you know, the swing of your hammock is you taking the risk of doing something that might not work, but you know,

you have a fucking guardians of the galaxy or Jurassic world on either side. I guess so. I also think it's just that the world is too big now and it's like, it's harder for someone to dominate, you know, the culture in the same way. And also dramedies like the the everything's made internationally now everything's made internationally now and the movies that sell well overseas are the ones that are super fucking

visual i just love it inferno shot in venice and budapest i just imagine like tom being like there's this place in budapest with like poppy seed muffins that we need to go to. Can we have like a week in Budapest? Do you not see what I'm saying though? Yes, I see what you're saying. I mean, yes, I think that's probably what happened. But the fact that like, okay, no one sees fucking hologram for the king,

but Hanks is like, okay, I got a brown coming. I at least know that's like an easy 250 worldwide. I don't like the phrase, I've got a brown coming. I'm pushing out a brown. I'm taking a trip to brown town. Okay, I'm gonna, so let's talk about Cruise. I'll just talk about Cruise very briefly, because this is a Cameron Crowe podcast,

so we should talk about Cameron Crowe, but briefly. When a film is this much about a movie star, we've got to contextualize a little bit, you know? And I think we did the same thing with Will Smith and After Earth. I'm not saying that Cruise had this level of authorship over the film, but this is like the Tom Cruise movie. There's one other guy I want to talk about, though.

James L. Brooks, but I want to talk about Cruise. There's yet another guy I want to talk about. Cuba Gooding Jr.? One more guy. Jonathan Lipnicki? Benjamin Hosley. Oh, yeah. Are you typing, Ben? I am. I hear you typing. I know. I got a new keyboard. It's a Dell. It's really loud. You gonna get that

typing off the track? Oh, I don't know. I think it's kind of nice ambiance, don't you? Did you specifically ask for a louder keyboard? No. That, of course, is the clacking fingers of the clacker. Tip-tapping

away. No, do not. He's the tip-tapper. No. No, I don't like tip-tapping. No. Because it's clacky. The clacker. Tip-tapping away. No, do not. He's the tip-tapper. No. No, I don't like tip-tapping. No. Because it's clacky. Yeah, no. Look, let's be serious.

He's only got a couple nicknames. Oh, God. Ben Hosley, Producer Ben, Perdue or Ben, The Ben Deucer, The Poet Laureate, The Haas,

The Peeper, The Fuckmaster, The Tiebreaker, Birthday Benny, I'd say Mr. Positive, Hello Fennel, Kylo Ben producer Ben Kenobi

Ben I. Chomelon Ben Sait did I forget any? maybe there's a bunch I think we got him he's not Professor Crispy no

you didn't forget that one because he's not that right he's not that but let's just contextualize one more thing now that the name's been brought up. Ben and I used to work on a podcast called Talking TCGS.

Recap show for the Chris Gathard show. Later existed a slightly different form, TCGS After Party. I don't remember how it originated, but at some point we started a bit on Talking TCGS where we would ask our listeners to tweet things at Jonathan Lipnicki.

Oh yeah, yes Jake. We'd give out sort of like code words and we'd go like if you agree or disagree tweet hashtag at JLipnicki.

Right. And the idea was that we would look at Jonathan Lipnicki's mentions to see what people wanted rather than look at our own mentions. Okay.

He blocked you for this. Yes, he was not happy. Every time people tweet stuff at him he'd'd go, what the fuck is this? What are you doing? You crazy. Yeah, it's all pretty fair. Yeah, I don't know.

You were harassing him. Yeah. Yeah, look, I was young. I was naive. It was a different time. We were that young. What is it, two years ago? Yeah, TCGS was on public access.

It was a different time. We didn't know. So I just, you know, mea culpa. Jonathan Lipnicki plays Ray in this film, Jerry Maguire. He was five years old. Yeah, I mean, he's like a real five-year-old in this movie. It's a dynamite performance. Incredible.

It's one of the best kid performances ever. But it's also definitive for like you see it and you're like, I don't want to see what that kid looks like when he grows up. Nope. I like the kid right now and that's it well he and he's stuck around you know the strength of the performance is that he's such a fucking kid so crazy but also he's those glasses yeah you know like you know how the kid and say anything is kind of just like you're like a bland kid he's like fine but he just sort of runs around like this kid it's like he's perfect because he

doesn't look like all the parts of his body have grown at the right he's got weird proportions he's got a big head he's got a little body huge glasses like huge glasses he kind of lolls around he's got like a really curious way of talking but not like a it's just funny he has like natural rapport with yeah yeah and he also i mean here's some other factors they dress him like a little adult yeah they dress him in like little button downs and khakis. Yeah, he's like a tiny gentleman. Yes. The wardrobes of this movie.

Oh, incredible. Fucking amazing. Incredible. I wish we all looked like this right now. Yeah. I want to look like 90s businessmen and women. Yes, agreed. And Bonnie Hunt's costumes?

Come on, get out of here. Oh my God, and Cuba Gunning Jr. wears a wonderful ensemble in this well a lot more he's wearing his birthday suit a lot more he's showing off those pecs yeah yeah he's showing off dead ass and that shadowy crotch area

you get like the V above the dick sometimes here's another thing about John Thelmanickey taking a harsh left turn from talking about the V above Cuba Gunn Jr.'s dick to a 5 year old but I do I feel like a lot of movies

where there's like a 5 year old they cast like a 9 year old oh sure you know and this is you watch it like this is an actual 5 year old but there also is he feels so unstudied that like a lot of scenes where he's talking to Cruise, he's sort of like melting into the couch.

Yeah, definitely. Like he's not sort of like leaning forward or keeping his head straight. Like he's always like, a lot of the movies he's sitting and he's sort of like at weird angles. He's funny. It's just like a kid and they placed him and he sat in that position and he just said stuff. So, but let's talk about his scene partner and arguable equal, Tom Cruise. Yeah.

So Tom Cruise. In my opinion, this is the beginning of or right at the start of the second great age of Cruise. Yeah. After the first great age of Cruise. This is sort of the transition. Mission Impossible, in my opinion, is the transition. That's when he becomes a franchise. Because for years.

Mission Impossible is when he has his own company and he picks his directors. Right, that was the first movie he produced. Yes, that was the first. Cruise Wagner produced it. And the thing with Mission Impossible is everyone's like, when's Cruise going to get a franchise?

He needs a marquee franchise. We've had Cruise around. You know, he's a teen actor in the early 80s. He's in movies like Taps and The Outsiders and Risky Business and All the Right Moves.

Co-starring? Lea Thompson. And Tom Cruise as wiener. Yeah, I know. Yeah. Let's keep the dick talk down after that early burst. Right? You know, I feel like we lean too hard on it sometimes.

I don't know. I think people like it. People like it. I know. I know. That's what I'm saying. I don't want it to become overexposed. Are you embarrassed because they quoted the dick thing in Podmas?

No, I loved that. Okay. That was great. Okay. And then he's got the first stage of Cruise after Risky Business, right? Yeah. Which is when he's in movies like Top Gun, great. But then he's making movies like The Color of Money and Rain Man and Born on the Fourth

of July, where he's obviously trying really fast to be a big prestige player. And seeking out American auteurs. And then at the same time making very silly movies like Cocktail, Days of Thunder, Far and Away. But on the other hand you got like A Few Good Men that's a you know. Important thing to note. No great

movies here. A lot of good movies. But other than Far Away, Far and Away, all of these movies are hits. All huge hits. Far and Away underperformed. Far and Away was a hit. I think Farnaway did fine. I think it underperformed expectations. For a movie about Irish people frolicking in the countryside, it did okay. But he was so unbeatable at that point, and there was the Cruz Kidman thing.

Yeah, he's got a big tabloid romance, and he's a marquee idol, and yada, yada, yada. And then, so he's so big after all this, and then Interview with the Vampire is a big hit. Right. All of these are at least triples of not home runs. Exactly. So then we're in the second phase of Cruise which I feel like he's trying to sort of exert control at every level of the movie

making process. So you've got, he picks De Palma, a crazy choice to make the Mission Impossible movie. And that's the launch of his franchise. Just to clarify, at this point he has one Oscar nomination? For Born on the Fourth of July. That's the one he's gotten pre- to clarify, at this point he has one Oscar nomination? For Born on the Fourth of July. That's the one he's got in Pre-Maguire.

Okay, so then, yes. But he gets robbed of them for, you know, like, Color of Money. Newman wins an Oscar. Right. He doesn't get nominated. Rain Man Hoffman wins an Oscar. He doesn't get nominated. He keeps on sort of alley-ooping people.

Few Good Men gets a picture. You know, Jack Nicholson. He doesn't get anything. And then everyone thought he was going to win for Born on the Fourth of July. And then, like, November surprise. Here comes a little film out of nowhere. Jack Nicholson he doesn't get anything and then everyone thought he was going to win for Born on the 4th of July and then like November surprise here comes a little film out of nowhere

here comes a little man called Danny Day Danny DL hits the scene and fucking cleans on the DL on the DL he slid into your DLs

like dear me like the Garfield me slid in like Giffield and then so the thing is after Jerry Maguire which is maybe his biggest hit yet.

It's crazy. Like, I mean, I think Mission Impossible might have made more money or whatever. Top Gun, I think, is still his biggest grocer at that point. Maybe. But Jerry Maguire's in the top, like, three. But I mean, also, just in terms of, like, it gets the Oscar nominations. It gets the reviews. It has this, like, incredible long life on video and on cable.

It's so quotable. It's kind of the Tom Cruise movie because he's just playing a guy. He's not playing a fighter pilot or a spy. And the whole movie is Cruise. The whole movie, it sinks or swims on Cruise. And yet it's a great ensemble piece. But this movie is like a five-tool player. That's the thing you're getting at.

It's critically loved. That's the thing you're getting at. Is that it's like, it's critically loved. It gets the Oscars. It's a huge financial success. Everyday people love it. Like it's like a big mainstream success. And then it has a huge afterlife. What does he do after this? Do you know?

The one right after this? There's nothing right after this. What he does after this, he and Kubrick and Kidman link up. They go off to make Eyes Wide Shut for fucking, you know, endless years. And he's out of the picture for like three years. He's out of the picture and everyone's like, what's this movie? What's this crazy movie going to be? But it doesn't even matter because he made Jerry Maguire.

So it's like he never leaves. You know, it's just sort of echoing around. Because then even after Eyes Wide Shut, which was so much more financially successful than it had any right to be because of the strength of Cruise, you know? Like, anyone else in that movie, that movie would have made $2. Eyes Wide Shut? Yeah. Oh, totally.

My God. And it, like, opened to number one at the box office, like, 20, 20 plus million or something. Yeah, it was seen as a disappointment only by the standards of Cruise's stardom. Right. By the standards of three-hour orgy movies about dreamlike journeys through fake Manhattan. Yeah. A-okay.

But then he goes- But then after that he makes- MI2, Vanilla Sky. He makes MI2, he makes Vanilla Sky, he makes Minority Report, he makes The Last Samurai, he makes Collateral. Yes.

And thus ends the second age of Cruise, in my opinion, because then the third age begins, which is defined by- War of the Worlds. It's the marketing campaign for War of the Worlds. It's defined by his off-screen behavior. Yeah.

And then he never recovers to quite the level we know him from. No. But he's still a big movie star, and he still often will make a good movie. But here's a big difference. But this right here, ugh. I think now Tom Cruise movies

almost do well in spite of Tom Cruise. Like when people sit in the theater and they watch it and they like him, then he's doing the magic. But I feel like movies now are sold in spite of him. A little bit. So I feel like Mission Impossible, they're like, well, I just like the franchise and I like the stunts. Yeah, it's well executed.

He'll do anything, but it's not sold on his personality anymore. There's a weird self-awareness about, like, Tom Cruise is crazy. I mean, I've often argued this. That's why the later ones work. They argue that he's an insane person. The movies are about how he's so crazy. Now, I also think this is why. And Edge of Tomorrow, I think the thing was like, everyone was like, ah, Tom Cruise.

And then the concept was so big. Here's my Edge of Tomorrow theory, because it ties right to Jerry Maguire. The reason both those movies work, and those are his two best films, in my opinion. They deconstruct the Cruise persona. Exactly. They're metatextual films. They break him down. They introduce you to Tom Cruise movie star, right?

Like, here he is. He's king of the shit. Nope. Bullshit. And then in the first 15 minutes, they tear it all down. Crumbles. It's a facade. They make him human by showing that it's an act.

And then he has to figure it out. Exactly. Right. You want to see movies where Tom Cruise has to become Tom Cruise, whereas the old Tom Cruise narrative was, save for Jerry Maguire, most Tom Cruise movies were, this dude's the most awesome dude in the world. Handsome man achieves. He fucking rules.

Think about Top Gun's like that. You know, I mean, Top Gun is a little bit like, you've got too much ego, but it's like, he's fine. But the conflict in a classic old first wave Cruise movie is always that someone else doubts him. It's not that he doubts himself. He doesn't doubt himself. It's people go, hey, watch it. And he's like, I'm fucking Tom Cruise.

I know what I'm doing. And the third act is he wins everyone over and then he succeeds more than he even was succeeding in the first two acts. Obviously, a movie like Born on the Fourth of July or Rain Man, which is a little more serious, doesn't count. But movies like Top Gun, Days of Thunder, like The Firm. Well, The Firm is a thriller. But, you know, what's another one? Mission Impossible. A hundred percent.

You know, that's the first one. Cocktail. Cocktail. Yeah. That's what it is. Right. A Few Good Men. Absolutely.

A Few Good Men is the best example of them all, where it's just like, you're a lawyer. And he's like, yeah, I'm a good lawyer. And it's like, you seem like an asshole. Maybe. I'm a good lawyer. Are you's like, you seem like an asshole. Maybe. I'm a good lawyer. Are you going to win the case? Yes. What happens?

Wins the case. This is maybe the end. This is the first movie where it's like Tom Cruise movie star persona. Because Born on the Fourth of July is like. Yeah, he's playing a character. He's trying there. This is like cashing in on the Tom Cruise movie star persona. But it also is the guy

struggling in a real way. Internally. It's a self-created struggle. And you buy it. Because that's the thing. It's tough, obviously. And we were talking about this on the Fletchcast, I remember, about actors like Ryan Reynolds who are like, they're so hot.

You're like, I can't really buy this guy. It's kind of having a problem. A little too slippery. You know what I mean? I think this is the problem Crowe and Cruise make with Vanilla Sky later, where they're trying to be, again, like, woe is him, right? And you're like, I don't know. But in Jerry Maguire, it works, where you buy it.

You buy that he has failed, that he's collapsed, you know? So let's talk about Crow a little bit, because there's a big gap between singles. Yeah. Five years between singles. Yeah. Five years practically. Yeah. Singles came out in 92, but he made it in 91. Sat on the shelf. Does he just sort of, do you know what the backstory is?

I mean, does he just sort of write this as a spec script? I mean, I know James L. Brooks is back as a producer on this one. He is. He goes back to Gracie Films. Right. And I feel like that was a lot of this movie getting off the ground was the James L. Brooks' track record was so strong. I mean, as Ben was saying, dude just fucking prints money for like 20 years.

Anything he picked was right on. Pretty much. You know? I mean, the dudes he chose to mentor. Obviously, we don't remember his failures, but that's because he had so many successes. There was a I'll Do Anything was a big flop. I'll Do Anything is the one I think of. But I'm just saying even just in terms of like Simps, Simpsons, uh, Cameron Crowe, Wes Anderson,

like he was like picking winners. I don't know the, I don't know the story of how this movie came to be except for that Tom you know, Cameron Crowe wrote a movie about a sports agent and they, you know, James L. Brooks produced it and Tom Cruise decided to make it, you know. I don't know that, what the, what, if

there is more detail to that story. That's the thing, because even, I mean we talked about this last episode, but it's crazy that Cruise agreed to do this. Like, you go, okay, of course it makes sense. It's a great screenplay. It arrives on his doorstep. It's a perfect role for him. It's a defining role for him. And also, Cruise is obviously very interested in working with big artists,

because he picks De Palma, he picks Kubrick after this. Like, he wants, like, big, voicey guys. Yeah, but I don't know. Crow's not on that level. Your takeaway from that. Yeah, you know, I mean, I think you see the potential there. And this is the film that crystallizes the Crow thing into like, I'm not saying this is a better movie than Say Anything or a worse movie than Say Anything. It's a much better movie than Say Anything because it's his best movie. By far.

My point is. And it's the definitive Hollywood movie of the last 20 years, I think. Like basically. Well, yeah. And it's a dinosaur. It's like, 20 years, I think. Like, basically. Well, yeah, and it's a dinosaur. It's like, you know. That's so great. Yeah. And we were talking last week about how-

We got nothing here. This doesn't matter. Yeah, I mean, this film is crazy. You just think that like- This movie is like a two hour, 20 minute romantic drama. Yeah. It's 140 minutes long. So let's get in the plot of this movie.

It's crazy how long it is. It's insane. But, but it is, I mean, um, it's like a six act movie. Yes.

Which I love. Yeah, me too. I think three acts are bullshit. Fuck three acts. The first, there's a three act movie in the first 20 minutes of this movie. Which is amazing.

I mean, the first 10 minutes of this movie are like a speeding train. I also think, I mean, this film, Crow hits the ground running and he's sort of this movie are like a speeding train. I also think, I mean, this film, Crow hits the ground running, and he's sort of structuring this like a visual essay for like the first ten minutes. Sure, because he's narrating. You have all these different elements coming in.

You have his mentor talking direct address to the camera, which has always been his strength, but now he's really playing with the form, you know? Yeah, you know who was supposed to play the mentor, right? Who? Billy Wilder. Oh, that makes sense. Who is Crow's mentor. Yes. And he didn't

for some reason, Wilder said, get an actor, basically. Yeah. I'm not gonna be as good. Who is the guy? The guy's really good. His name is Jared Jussim, who is not an actor. Interesting. He just walked into a production meeting or something, or into an audition, and Crow and James LeBrooks were like, this guy is the best! Because he's best well that's like i mean he plays dickie fox i yeah i

love how in moneyball like 90 of the guys in the office working for the team scouts yeah like when and they have that look yeah when bennett miller was just like researching and he was going around the office he was like yeah you should just be you know how to say this yeah exactly you know how to say five tool player or you know know, like, yeah, yeah, yeah. And the scenes where the guys are yelling at Brad Pitt have this like metatextual strength to them where it's like, well, these guys are explaining to Brad Pitt, the actor, that he doesn't know what he's talking about.

That movie is so great. And I recently rewatched it and it's so great. I love that movie. And I would actually say that movie is like the closest we've come to a Jerry Maguire typeguire type thing in a while but you look at the difference of it didn't make the same kind of impact it didn't it did well but like that film is also like that's a star-driven movie that's like a character drama about a guy having a crisis inside sports it has no romance i mean which is jerry mcguire's key selling point it's also that

film is uh it's great, but it's I love it. It's not cynical, but the thesis of the movie is, like, you can't explain failure. Sure. It's about a man trying to fight a broken system and realizing that there's no way to fight it. Shit happens where it doesn't happen. You know?

I love that movie. Great movie. Anyway, Jerry Maguire. I wish Foxcatcher was better. I tried to re-watch Foxcatcher. And I still was gripped by it. There are incredible elements to that movie. Yeah, but it doesn't... It's not watchable. Like, it's not that watchable.

No, I don't think so. I still think it's good, though. I think it's a little underrated. But it's... Yeah. I don't know. I don't know if it's underrated, because it was simultaneously

people were shitting on it and praising it way too much. Like, people really stuck to their camps on that movie, you know? Yeah. Miller, make a couple more movies and we'll do a Miller miniseries. Yeah, just make more films. Yeah. That scene with, the first scene with Tatum and Ruffalo wrestling

is like unbelievable. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. There are like scenes in the film that are so masterfully directed. But Jerry Maguire. Jerry Maguire. I'm sorry, it was my fault. I led us down that path. Okay, let's talk about Jerry Maguire.

So the opening of the film. So it's a, you know, don't do it ever, guys. Don't do it. Listen to those screenwriting. It's voiceover explaining things. You've got Jerry Maguire saying like, I'm a sports agent. I'm a big shot. Here's me. There I'm a sports agent. I'm a big shot. Here's me.

There I am. Tom Cruise. And it also allows you to, like, I mean, he does a lot of showing, not telling. I mean, Jerry Maguire is talking about how he views his life. But underneath this, you're seeing bits of it. And you're able to extrapolate from that. Like, this guy's a little too smooth. That great thing where the, like, the athletes being, like, led off.

Yeah. Too smooth. That great thing where the athletes being led off from cameras after obviously being accused of some sort of sexual assault charge. She was 16, not 15. Something like that. And Jerry Maguire is like, the one thing we all know is this guy plays great football. And you're like, oh, God, he's awful. But that's the thing they say. The reason they say don't use voiceover is that it's like telling, not showing. Right? That's like if you can't find a more graceful way to explain this.

But this is why this film is so smart on so many levels. The use of the voiceover here is we're going to have Jerry Maguire tell you. He's selling you. Yeah, right. He's going to tell you how he views his life. Sure. And you're going to see how his life looks from the outside and come to your own conclusions. I love that. So he's going tell you how he views his life sure and you're gonna see how his life looks from the outside and come to your own conclusions so he's going like i'm great and

you're watching it you're going like fuck this guy well here's and here's what so so the inciting incident in this movie right at the start is that even if even though he's like look at me like you know i work for these big sports stars and that's my job and it's great. He has this breakdown really early on after a hockey player gets injured and his son says fuck you to Jerry Maguire. It's like his 17th concussion and the doctor's like, you know. And he's like, I gotta get back all the ice. I need the bonus.

I gotta get the bonus. And the son's like, how many times can this happen before? He's like, Cruz is so good at this movie. Looking at his cell phone being like it would take all four like vr warriors like he's just he's not even getting it right he's just trying to like talk to a kid yeah it's such a good scene uh who's that kid drake bell right it's drake i knew it was someone famous he's so good yeah he just goes fuck you uh i remember he

nails that line he does he's great Because the whole movie hinges on that line. So the initial incident is that Jerry writes this mission statement that's like, our industry's become so cynical and we should focus on less athletes. He takes a long, hard look in the mirror and realizes that he's a fucking phony bullshit artist. But then he immediately papers it back up. That's what I love about the movie. The whole movie is him figuring that out. Yeah.

But it all happens in the first 20 minutes and then he starts to kind of try and like ignore it again. He figures it out and doesn't know how to actually put it into action. Sure. But I think he's but his personality takes a longer time to change. Right. Because he doesn't know how to do it. He understands what to be. He's starting self-awareness is creeping into his brain.

But it's like right. It's like taking a while to be. He's starting self-awareness is creeping into his brain. But it's like, right. It's like taking a while to take hold. So he writes this like insane stream of conscious manifesto. He goes to Kinko's. He has them printed up with a cover that looks like Catcher in the Rye, which he brags about. He has it shipped to everyone in the office. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Let's not forget about that copy guy.

Okay. They have a cool exchange. Remember he talks about his balls? Yeah. Yeah. You hang your balls out there. Yeah. Yeah have a cool exchange. Remember, he talks about his balls? Yeah. Yeah. You hang your balls out there. Yeah. Yeah. Ben liked that. Also, I like copy shops.

Right, you like 90s technology. Yep. Yep, yep, yep. Are you drinking something with a bunch of ice in it? Yeah. This whole episode's you doing, like, Foley work. It's like you... God damn it. Alright, keep going. Are you just gonna crunch ice in your mouth while we're talking?

So he's still on top of the world. Yeah. But what I love is, and this is all the opening credits are playing over the scene where he walks into the office and they all start clapping for him. And he, by the way, called up and he wakes up and he's like, oh, fuck, I shouldn't have sent that out. And he calls up and he's like, did you already send it out? And they're like, yep, sent it this morning. And he's like, oh, fuck, I shouldn't have sent that out. And he calls up and he's like, did you already send it out? And they're like, yep, sent it this morning. And he's like, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. He walks in the office.

They all cheer him. And you cut to Donald Logue and someone else. Yeah. Donald Logue? How do you say his name? I go Donald Logue. Donald Logue. I might be wrong about that.

I have no idea how you say his name. And they're like, how long have you been here? Like, about a week. We know he's done. Yeah. He's cut. And, yeah. But I like that the fakeness lingers even through his supposed calling out of the fakeness.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then I think shortly after that, we're introduced to Rod Tidwell Jr.? No. Shortly after that, we're introduced to Dorothy Boyd, played by Renee Zellweger. Oh, my Lord. In a star-making performance. I mean, an unbelievable performance. A wonderful performance.

Here's the thing. I've seen this movie too many times to count. I've seen this movie like 200 times. Yeah, you've seen it more than me. You, before the episode, referred to it as your favorite movie. It's maybe my favorite movie. Yeah.

Like, in terms of just a movie you re-watch over and over and over again. I know Renee Zellweger. Sure. You know her ups and downs. Right. But every single time I watch this movie, from the first time I watched it on VHS when I was like fucking eight,

to like watching it, you know, on my fucking Amazon X-ray, on my Amazon Fire tablet last night, I go, who's this girl? Do you know what I'm saying? No, I know what you mean. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It has this lightning in a bottle uh star making uh energy where it feels like where the fuck did she come from even though you know the 20 years that follow it sure which are ups and downs you know she wins an oscar yeah and i'm hoping she has a resurgence because you watch her in this and you're just like she's capable of so fucking much yeah i don't i don't know i don't know that that's gonna happen i don't know it's there's not not been a lot of evidence in the last 10 years that she's sort of still got it.

She's made one movie in the last nine years. Yeah, I know. I think, I mean, maybe seven, six. I believe she hasn't made a film since 2009. That sounds about right. I think it's been seven years. And she's got Bridget Jones 3 coming out, which is, talk about a hammock, it's her going back to her franchise.

That movie's going to bomb. Yeah, but I don't know, it's her going back to her franchise. That movie's gonna bomb. Yeah, but I don't know, safe space? I don't know. Yeah. Yeah, I know. Whatever. It doesn't matter. I mean, let's talk about Renee 96 in Jerry Maguire, who's fantastic. Yeah. No, we're introduced to her on the plane.

Remember, her son is allergic to the blanket, and he barfs into a little barf bag? Yeah. And that's a great introduction to her. Yeah. So Janusz Kaminski shot this film. Yeah. And he loves just being right up against everyone's face in this movie. There's so many full face shots.

But that's also Crowe's style. I mean, all three of the movies have a bunch of it. Yeah, Crowe loves that too. Absolutely. So at this point, the three cinematographers are Laszlo Kovacs. What's his name? Tak Fujimoto name Tak Fujimoto and

I mean that's insane murderous row but where I would say that those two guys that we just you know the other you know like they did fine

but like those movies like this is a visually distinctive movie Yanush is having a lot of fun with this movie and I think he crystallizes a look like a color palette

that matches the energy of Cameron's performances and his actors. It's very broad. Yes. A lot of this is shot in autumnal oranges and browns. It's warm. And then when Jerry's feeling sad, it's blue and dark and really well lit.

And it's all very shiny and slick. Yeah. I mean, this is very much a studio film. Which is, if you tried to make this movie today, it would have a budget of $15 to $20 million. Sure.

The budget on this movie was $50. Yeah. And that was 20 years ago. Like, it would have $15 to $20 million today and it would be a lot more compressed, you know? And a lot more sort of bootstrappy. and part of the success of this movie is it uh successfully portrays the scale of the world he lives in yes you know yes from the clothing to the environments yeah there's all these like brands floating around yeah because he's obviously lives in this world of branding

and there's you know ESPN is always floating like I love you know like you're always like into that there's photographers

everywhere I don't know it's got a lot of people and it's got scope to it big movie I read that apparently they made a deal with Reebok

to like get a sponsorship in the movie so they could have the Reebok products and then they dissed them in the movie yeah 100%

they had a contract that said like we will not only feature Reebok this much, but have a scene where the characters talk about Reebok in a positive way. Right. And they not only didn't include that scene, but also included a scene where people were like, fuck Reebok. And apparently they were like, oh, don't worry, it's in the TV edit. And on the TV edit, they include the scene they shot. Sure, the nice scene where they're like, love Reebok, good shoes from they wear i wear the shoe i wear the shoe of reebok no so we meet dorothy boyd who's

this sort of accountant at uh you know she's she's on a a nobody a peon yeah at smi the sports agency but she cameron crowe is a genius at least now he is yeah like right you know when he's making it yeah just that idea of like she's in coach with her sick son and listen eavesdropping in on jerry mcguire like regaling his seatmate with the story of him proposing to his fiance which is like the most like grossly awful story which is basically like she insulted him while they were rock climbing and then like uh you know so he didn't propose but then they like got caught by a surprise like engagement party have we met the fiance at this point on screen no but we he she renee dorothy says whoever nailed like snagged him must be some classy broad and then you cut to like

a like absurd sex scene where the dog is watching them have sex. Which I feel like... And she's like, the never stop fucking me sex scene. I feel like it was one of the first non-comedic sex scenes I'd ever seen in a movie. Sure. That probably says something. It's a little comedic, but I mean, it's more just like... The other sex scenes I'd seen were fucking Austin Powers. You know what I'm saying? Where it's just like goofballs

with Gilla Cuddy. They are having sex. I mean, I thought all sex was the scene in Hot Shots Part Deux until I was like seven or eight. i was like oh you gotta fucking you need a diving board are you kidding me right right it's so expensive you gotta do this every time uh but this was like one of the first movies i saw where like they it's a joke because of the editing i mean i think it's the juxtaposition it's not like a big joke it's more like you're just like oh like this is almost a very

performative relationship on both of their parts played by a very aggro Kelly Preston uh yeah uh they're both Scientologists

they are yeah she is John Travolta's wife to this very day which is an element of the Scientology thing of just like I'm going to exude

supreme confidence and control of my environment and put up a real wall, you know? Yeah. I mean, she's good. Yeah. In the movie. But I think she fits into the Tom Cruise thing very well because they both come from an environment of just like, you know? I see what you're saying.

But I mean, I think Crow isn't doing that. But I mean, I know what you're saying. No, I'm not not saying it's an intentional thing but i think that's one of the reasons you ever wanted me to be with a woman i would do it like that that that like and he and that's another one of the things it's a tight close-up she's delivering it straight down the barrel of the lens yeah and like there's this i think this sort of like it, it's, like, there's so many parallel storylines about the same, like, it's, like, Jerry is realizing, like, this is the kind of, like, person I want to be with if I'm part of that whole sort of puffed up, like, it's just, everything is so performative. Right. Yeah. And, like, she's very performative.

Like, you don't have any real sense of her personality. She's more just, like, impressive. Yeah. And, like, she's very proud of how impressive she is. She keeps saying that she's, like, brutally honest. Yeah. And it she's very proud of how impressive she is. She keeps saying that she's like brutally honest. Yeah. And it's like the most ridiculous

thing you ever heard. She's obviously like the opposite. Lying to herself entirely. Yeah. And yeah. Anyway. But it's a you know it's a good funny scene.

It's a funny scene. Yeah. This movie is I mean not just the fact that it sort of has this five act structure but this is one of those films that really feels like a novel. Like, watching it, I have such a hard time going, like, so he just sat down and wrote this screenplay? It is hard to imagine how he plotted this out.

Right, and not just because it's really good and it's hard to believe that anyone can pull something off. It's just unusual, yeah. It's very unusual. It's got no clear hook to it, you know? can pull something off. Yeah. It's very unusual. It's got no clear hook to it.

You know, it's just a ride you sort of go on and it goes on all these different little tangents and sort of got all these subplots, you know, it's all this one guy, but you're seeing his life through like four or five different prisms until it all finally comes together in the last moment. But it's like, you know, a romantic comedy where there are long stretches that aren't about the two of them, where they don't get together for a very long time in the film, you know? Well, and then they get together right away and get married. Right, which is unbelievable. And when that happened, Joanna, my girlfriend was just like, wait, wait, what?

They just got married? And like the movie starts jumping through time much faster. But we're getting out of our seat. Yes, yeah. We are jumping through time. Yeah. So there's that scene where he hits his engagement party with all the athletes and they show this video

of all his ex-girlfriends, including a young Lucy Liu. Yeah, I didn't recognize her. Yeah, she's hard to, because where they're all just like, he can't be alone. He can't be alone. He can't be alone.

Like, you know. Can't be alone. Love you too. Hey, love you too. Yeah. And then he gets fired. Yeah. By the great Jay Moore.

Playing Bob Sugar. What a name for a character. I mean, unbelievable. Good at naming characters. Bob Sugar, Dorothy Boyd, Jerry Maguire. These are good names. Rod Tidwell. Yeah.

How do you feel about Jay Moore, Benny? Well, this is his big... This is his big role. I feel like he's already been on SNL at this point. Am I right in saying this? Yeah, was already fired from SNL at this point. Am I right in saying this? Yeah, he was already fired from SNL at this point. And this is when everyone was like, maybe he's a movie star instead? Right. He had done the two... Yeah, that's the thing. Hollywood

was just like, come on! This guy's got something. There's something here. He's like wildly jerky in that way that they love. He's a great asshole. He's a great asshole. I mean, that's why he's... And he's good in this role at being an asshole. Have you ever seen on the DVD?

I've watched every single extra on the DVD. There's an extended play of him doing the cell phone monologues. Jay Moore? He just did that for a half hour. And it's just, a monologue will come and pass him a new cell phone. He'll be like, hey, baby, hi! And it's all improvised, or he's just random.

And they just shot that forever. And then cut it in for this like big cell phone war that they have you do see watching this movie how like sony execs like you know people watching the dailies the people on set could be like this guy's fucking popping you know yeah absolutely like you know in that movie the guy who has you know because he's kind of playing a baby Tom Cruise in the movie, I mean, that's sort of his whole function in the film is that he's like a little, a little mini Tom Cruise. Sure, absolutely.

That's the idea. He's some sort of like usurper. Right, so you look at him and you go like, well, this guy's got a lot of charisma and he's pulling off this thing and he's holding his own

against Tom Cruise in this big film. But I think the problem is like he's not a leading man even though he is, you know, like kind of a handsome guy and he's got a lot of charisma and he's funny and charming.

Sure. He's charming in this way that's a little upsetting. No, absolutely. Yeah. When you don't even have to think about it. Like Jerry will later be like, that's snake. And you're like, yeah, there's something wrong with him. Like he has no soul.

Yeah. I mean, the key is the reason why he's so good at playing assholes is he doesn't play them like they're an asshole. Like a lot of assholes, especially in comedies, the guy is clearly judging the character. He's like, yeah, I'm playing the asshole. Sure. And you feel like Jay Moore is just like, yeah, I mean, Bob Sugar wants to succeed. Right. Yeah, exactly.

Yeah, exactly. You know, like the guy's slippery, but it feels like you get what he's trying to do. He's just trying to, you know, get his foot on the ground, you know, planted. Yeah. And if he has to steal an snl sketch from someone else he'll do so yeah right i think i think you know it probably is not that far off that's what i think uh the only movies that cruz has made that were more successful than jerry mcguire are the five mission impossible movies except for three and

top gun and and war of the Worlds. Oh, really? Yeah. That's crazy. I also just want to mention, I definitely noticed that Jay Moore hadn't had any work on his teeth yet. Yeah, he's got those little baby chiclet teeth in this movie.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Anyway, wait. I always... Oh, no. The Moore's... Jay Moore. Wait, what was I going to say?

The scene where they go to the restaurant and he fires him is great. That's what I was going to say. I love... It was following up on your scene where they go to the restaurant and he fires him is great that's what I was gonna say I love it was following up on your point where he's just like you said more like you said less clients you said less money what do you think's gonna happen

he just can't even sympathize and then he's like have some sympathy for me I have to fire my mentor this sucks for me heartlessly but it's also the movie is moving so fast at that point Right And it's got music And it's got narration

And you're cutting To Lev Grossman What's his name Not Lev Grossman Lev Grossman's Fucking Tom Cruise In Tropic Thunder Dickie Fox

Dickie Fox You know you're like You're just fucking Moving and shaking And it's like a music video And whatever And then the scene Where Jay Moore goes

So you're fired And then there's that Cut to the water glass Yeah The like The like hold on the water glass. Obviously, Jerry's like, should I just throw this in his face? Yeah. I mean, like, you know.

And it's not like the sound drops out, but all the sort of backing track, it just becomes the scene, and then they're cutting to the sort of other people at the restaurant talking. It's not people looking at him. Yeah. Came here to fire you, Jerry. Yeah. This is happening.

You should say something. But the movie just sort of slows down, and it's like, okay, this life that he was on, this constant sort of speeding train, is now slowed down, and now Jermagar has to look in the mirror and be like, who the fuck am I? Well, first he has to go back to his office and try and salvage his clients as he's being fired. Unbelievable scene. Crazy scene.

And this is the thing. The movie is, like all good movies, it's grabbing you by the hand and just sort of pulling you along. It's like, this Unbelievable scene. Crazy scene. And this is the thing, the movie is, like all good movies, it's grabbing you by the hand and just sort of pulling you along. It's like, this is gonna happen now. Another thing with this movie, a reason why it's a great movie,

every single scene in this movie is good. I agree. Like every scene in this movie, There's no scene where you're like sort of looking at the watch, like okay, I get it,

this performs a perfunctory function, but like I'm not interested in this scene. it's well executed, it's beautifully shot, it's well edited, the performances are incredible, topctory function, but I'm not interested in this scene. It's well executed. It's beautifully shot. It's well edited. The performances are incredible, top to bottom, but also, from a writing standpoint, every scene in this film has its own interesting

dramatic tension. Yeah, man. There's some weird kind of energy going on each scene where you're kind of on the edge of your seat. I feel like most of the movies that become infamous as sort of these, like, cable movies and these VHS movies that people would watch over and over and over again, like Shawshank, you know, there's this thing where it's like these scenes just have some sort of, like, some sort of pulse in them.

Scene by scene basis, if you catch it on TV, you're going to watch it to the end. Yeah. Because there's no one scene where you go, ah, let me flip around and see what else is on. Absolutely. Yeah. So, yeah, I mean, it's every scene in this movie is great, but he goes back to the office. He tries to, he starts calling his clients,

and I mean, this is a beautifully edited action sequence, essentially, where he's like, you know, I can cut your rate to 7%, you know, and Jay Moore is on the other end being like, you can't leave, like, we're the big buses. He said I didn't like black people. I'm Mr. Black People. That thing where the movie is immediately poking at, these are shrimpy white guys.

That's something I wanted to say. And it's true in the engagement sequence earlier, the engagement party sequence. This is a movie where Tom Cruise allows himself to be small. Yes. He's very small in the movie, partly because, obviously, he's acting alongside athletes, like big people,

but he lets himself be shrimpy. Yes. You think, like, that guy's 5'8", you know, or whatever. He's like, what is he, 5'6", 5'7"? Oh, he's my size, yeah. Yeah, he's 5'6", if not smaller. And it's great,

because he obviously isn't as worried about it, maybe because Cameron Crowe has convinced him not to be worried about it maybe because of the athlete thing. But it just looks so good. But I think it was also like I need to tear you down so I can build you up. Right. And you love Tom Cruise in this movie more than you've loved him ever before because you sort of had to take the blocks out.

Yeah. But yes there is that thing of like what are you talking about? I'm Mr. Black. Where you're like these shrimpy little guys, these shrimpy dorks in their like 90s sports jackets are like representing these like, you know, a lot of like athletes who are African-American. Like a lot of athletes who are obviously a lot younger than them are in a different place in society, in the world, in their consciousness. But also it's like the fact, the mere fact that you're saying that is proof that you're not of course anyone who self-identifies as mr black i'm mr black people right it's like well then you're categorizing and you're separating them you're thinking of them as other than

yourself and then of course jay moore is doing the opposite thing where he's just being like hey yo what's up you know he's trying to be like you know but but i find it interesting that mr black person line mr black people line is like that feels like there's this ring to that scene i think he nails it from a performance standpoint but there's a ring to that scene where i'm like this feels like something tom cruise would have said in 2007 you know like he's never gotten trouble racially but it feels like one of those weird things he'd say once he was sort of like collapsing. Absolutely. As a movie star. I'll say I've been watching O.J. Made in America.

Okay. It's amazing. I've watched all five. Yep. And I like watched an episode of that and then watched Jerry Maguire and then watched another episode of that and it's like cushioned in between. And I think this

film in its own way deals with the weird dichotomy between the the sports industry the management of these teams the management for the players you know these companies all being these old money sort of rich white guys or like new money kind of yuppie assholes. And it's all in service of these like, you know, young sort of like just sort of gifted. I mean, black men, you know, these men who are just handed this amazing ability and then work really hard and know they have like eight years. Sure. Yeah. You got to get your money fast because especially in a game like football, you know, obviously to To work it. You'll be retiring in your early, mid-30s. Right. And if you haven't banked millions and millions of dollars,

like, what are you going to do? Like, maybe you'll work in TV. Maybe. You know, like, you know. But there's this thing in O.J. Made in America where it's like all these old white guys who they're talking to who are like Brentwood friends of O.J.

Yeah. And it's like they wouldn't have looked at him before he became the Jews. And the second. No, I know what you're saying. It fell apart. They were like, well, fuck him. He always was a problem.

Well, right at the end. Right. Yeah. I mean, and I'm not saying they shouldn't have turned against OJ Simpson. But the beauty of this movie is like this is one agent dealing with one player as a person. You know, like he learned. That's the journey you take. And we'll talk about it because, of course, the tension is that. All right. Well, he has a person. You know, like he learns how to just view him. But that's the journey he has to take and we'll talk about it because of course the tension is that,

all right, well so he has this, he stops using her as a commodity. He has this big phone call with Rod Tidwell who is played by Kiefer Gooding Jr. in an Oscar winning performance. Right.

And Rod is kind of like, what, it's the thing that's so prevalent in sports today and all sports today is like an athlete with a quote unquote attitude problem

which like can be a very coded phrase but it can also just mean someone who, you know, maybe like doesn't gel with a quote unquote attitude problem, which like can be a very coded phrase, but it can also just mean someone who, you know, it may be like, doesn't show with a team in some way or another. And like Rod seems to just have a big,

like, you know, chip on his shoulder about like, Oh, I wanted more money. Like I don't have enough money. I'm really good at this. Like, and I think an agent's job,

and that's the dynamic in this movie is often like to kind of tell the guy, Hey, like stop yapping. Like you just got to be quiet. You got to be nice. As Rod says, agent's job, and that's the dynamic in this movie, is often to kind of tell the guy, hey, like, stop yapping. You just gotta be quiet. You gotta be nice. As Rod says, you have to tell him to dance. You telling me to dance? Right. But there's this dynamic of like...

And so he has this long call with Jerry. He's a good player. Yep. He may even be a great player. Right. He's definitively not a star player. No. He's like a player no like people don't like him you know yeah not they dislike him but they don't feel that sort of rush and jerry mcguire's in the business of trying to make people love athletes well sure because that's the whole point of getting them endorsements and so on and so forth he doesn't care if they win games or not you know

that he doesn't make money per game he makes money for them renegotiating contracts. And people are going to get a bigger contract if they sell merchandise, if they get people in the stadium. People get in the stadium because they see the players that they love. And Rod Tidwell isn't loved. You know? No, he is not. There's a line I love.

He thinks he should be, maybe, but you know. Regina King, who is unbelievable in this movie as well. Regina King, who should have won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. I mean, really should have. Yep. Watching this, I was really taken aback. Absolutely. It is actually insane that neither Zellweger nor King were nominated.

Well, Zellweger was campaigned supporting, which is ludicrous. Yeah. She should have been campaign lead. But she got supporting. But she was a big, small, you know, not a big star yet, so they pushed her in supporting. She got supporting nominations at the Globes and the SAG Awards, I think. I'll look it up. She definitely, I think she got a SAG, but that's right at Globes and the SAG Awards I think. I'll look it up. I think she got a SAG but that's right at the start of the SAG Awards. Yeah. SAGs were weird.

I think she was nominated best supporting for the Globes and the SAG. But yeah Regina King is phenomenal in this movie. Fucking phenomenal. She plays Rod's wife. And also just a great actress that we don't appreciate enough. We're not doing the Rod phone call with the show me the money. I don't know if you've heard that line. Let's see the phone call. No I mean yes I have. It's a good line. Yeah the thing I wanted to say I mean I'm skipping ahead because I don't know if you've heard that line. Let's see the phone call. No, I mean, yes, I have. It's a good line.

Yeah. The thing I wanted to say, I mean, I'm skipping ahead because I don't remember which scene it comes in, but when one of the scenes where Regina King comes in to sort of renegotiate with Rod, with her husband, and she says like, I have a marketing degree, Jerry. My husband has a marketing degree. It's like never mentioned again, but the idea that he understands how this works. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He knows the kind of guy he needs to be.

He knows how he should be positioned. And what he doesn't understand is how to become the guy that can do this. Renee only got sack. She didn't get the Golden Globes. Crazy. Okay, so- She didn't even get a screenplay nomination at the Golden Globes. That's just weird.

I mean, this is like the most written movie of all time. The only reason this thing didn't win Best Screenplay at the Oscars is because it lost to Fargo. That's the only reason it didn't win, because it lost to one of the best screenplays ever written. I mean, yeah. And also, yes, it's a very, of course,

flowery screenplay with lots and lots of big, famous dialogue. Yeah, it's a writerly film. Make sure we talk about the oscars again at the end of this because i have i have a thing to say but okay so on the phone call he's going through all these people and then he lands on rejecting him there's the gymnast scene which i really like very funny scene where she's crying and then goes like she goes jerry this hurts me more than hurts you hello still jerry yeah it's great. And then, yeah, Rod actually wants to talk to him because, you know, he's like a B-level star, essentially.

He wants to, you know, he feels like he deserves more attention. Rod also likes having an audience. Rod's always performing, you know? I mean, it's like he's around his house. He's always got an entourage. I mean, he's got Ari Spears as his little brother, but there's always, like, people around Rod, and he's always sort of put on a show for them as much as he is

trying to push his own thing. Incredible scene. It's such a good scene. Show me the money. Right, so it's like a, you know, you get the sense that while Bob Sugar is just peeling him off, going through call after call after call. But Jerry can't let him go, because he's like, well, I do at least have him on the phone. That's the thing. Like, he hasn't rejected

me. Yeah. And, uh... He's frustrated. He wants to get the phone. That's the thing. He hasn't rejected me. Yeah. He's frustrated. He wants to get the phone. This talks about every scene has a couple different types of tension going on. It's so tense. There are dynamics. There are conflicts. And you're watching the call lights flicker out on his switch. On his awesome ass old school office phone.

I swear to God. There are some 90s computer monitors in this movie, Ben. There are some fat computer monitors. Oh, I know. I was watching and I was pleased. You know what's the one I love? I feel like Ben jerks off to 90s technology. That's an outrageous statement, David.

All right. I don't jerk off. I was watching them. We're going to hear Ben jerking off in the background of this episode after all the foley work he's doing. What were you going to say? There's the one laptop they show where the screen, the actual display of the screen is like one-fourth of the actual size of the screen. I had a laptop where it has the big border.

I said, Ben, that the border, there's the plastic border. We haven't even gotten out of the first half hour of the movie. So there's the big phone call war. Jerry loses. He gets one client out of it. Rod Tidwell. After saying show me the money. He gives him break. He says you gotta show me the money.

Show me the money! I love black people! That great cut to outside of the office and everyone's like what the fuck is he doing in there? And it's pathetic. And then he goes out into the office and announces. He gets one more. You're forgetting.

No, he doesn't get Kush until later. Oh, okay. Sorry, sorry, sorry. Now I remember. Yes, I apologize. You should apologize. I'm very sorry to our listeners. I have let you down once again.

He goes out and he gives a speech I mean, Cruz is incredible in this movie I kept like yelling at the screen Like, look at him, look at him, look at what he's doing here Every time he goes like, fine, fine, fine Like, he's so great At like letting his emotions Suddenly like, you know, unleash

And then like hiding them again The thing where he's like, you know, I know what you think I'm gonna do Which is flip out it's not just that that he allowed crow to make him look small this way but it also allows him to look bad like he just looks like he doesn't have it together sweaty and like kind of yeah uncollected and every time cruz my previously has been about this guy's got it together sure and if it's about how he doesn't have it together it's because he may look perfect yeah he may dress, but inside there's something bothering him. Yeah.

Not outside. Yeah, right. But this movie kind of makes him look like shit. He's embarrassing himself. And so he leaves, and because she's so moved by his plight and was so moved by his memo, Dorothy Boyd. There he goes. Who's coming with me?

We forgot to mention there's that cute little meet-cute they have at the airport where Dorothy's looking for Lipnick. And Lipnick is on the carousel giving people high fives. He's on the luggage carousel. So she's like, I will go with you. His arms are so funny in this movie. He's got the funniest little T-Rex arms. Chubby T-Rex arms.

So she goes with him. She makes the foolish decision to quit the company and go with him. And then that's sort of the start of the movie. Yeah. Like 35 minutes in. Almost 40. Yeah. It's amazing.

It's like, okay, first act done, but it's also kind of like first and second act done? Yeah. It's so good. I need a cigarette. He's starting his own. You don't smoke. No, that's true. I've never smoked a cigarette in my entire life.

Me neither. I've only smoked fake ones on camera. And don't start. Yeah. I'm not going to. And to all our listeners, don't smoke. That's true. I've never smoked a cigarette in my entire life. Me neither. I've only smoked fake ones on camera. And don't start. And to all our listeners, don't start. It's a terrible habit. You're hearing the raspy, cigarette-burned voice of producer Ben Hosley over there. Heed his warning.

They start this sort of outlaw agency that's just going to be the two of them. But to secure its future, he goes to try and get the support of Cushman. Cush. Cush, played by Jerry O'Connell. Looking pretty hot. Yeah. Is Sliders happening yet?

Or is Sliders post this? I believe not yet. I think Sliders is maybe right after this. When does he slide into Sliders? He slid into our TVs like 1997. As Queen Mallory. I'd guess 97? No! 96? 95! Sliders has already happened. Oh wow. So anyway.

And Cushman And his father's played by an uncredited Bo Bridges. So good. The great Bo Bridges. The always underused Bo Bridges. Stronger than oak. So Cushman's dad is like I'm gonna stay with you. Yeah.

And shakes his hand and again, Cruz, just that manic little like, ha, ha, ha, ha, like he does. It's so good. I love it. But see, this is the one film we're talking about. He shakes Moe Bridges. How the greatness of the modern Tom Cruise, like the modern era of Tom Cruise films,

is that they acknowledge everything that we find weird about Tom Cruise and use that to their advantage. And this is the first film to do that, to be like, he seems a little too together. Like something weird's going on. This guy's almost like an alien. The scenes where he's putting the moves on, it's like a little, he's put a little too much spin on the ball, you know? Well, and that's sort of the crazy plot line of the romance in this movie

yeah which is that it's almost like it's like he's some sort of like gazelle that got wounded yeah and then renee zellweger who's kind of like a bit of a home buddy and is a single mother and like doesn't go out with guys much because she's a single mother yeah is kind of like oh this guy's so vulnerable and hot and charming and i'm so moved by his mission statement. Maybe I can actually get with him because he's just so vulnerable. He's really an alone man. Because there's that scene early on where she's like,

you need to be alone. Alone, alone, alone. Yeah. And let's not forget Bonnie Hunt, the great Bonnie Hunt. She's so good. Plays Renee Zager's sister. Laurel.

Who hosts a women's group. Divorced women's group Plays Renee Zager's sister. Laurel! Who hosts like a women's group. Divorced women's group. Divorced women's group. One of the members of the group is Cameron Crowe's mother. Yeah, she's great. Who also, she's in the last two films. Is she? I think she's at the dinner party in Say Anything and in Singles. She plays. She's like his good luck charm?

I think she plays maybe the receptionist at the boob clinic or something like that. I don't remember the movie. Oh, yeah. It's a film from 1981. It's literally been flushed out of my brain. Camera crap. Yeah.

Do camera crap? 92. Yeah. Anyway, whatever. Anyway, he gets the Cushman contract. Yes. And so he goes to the house. He's like, we got Cushman.

We're okay. And Beau Bridges is like, I said to myself- If he shows, we'll stay with him. He comes in and he's got the fire and he's like jerry jerry jerry we're sticking with you you don't have to give us the cell we're sticking with you and he like breaks down and he's like i said if you showed up if you flew out here we'd stick with you right and it's like okay he's got two but yeah now like the two friends one two he's got two are they two friends well that's the question um but so then yeah but. But now the movie's like, hey, we actually have another lead character. This Dorothy Boyd.

Let's cut over to her. Yeah. Let's do this. She's got a sister. She's got a divorced women's group. She's hunting. Bonnie hunting. She's Bonnie hunting.

She's got a little Ray. Yeah. And her sister's like, why have you quit your job to like throw in with this guy? Like you need a health care plan. You have a son. And she's like, I just want to be inspired so fucking good i'm the oldest 26 year old in the world she renee nails all this stuff this is the secret with cameron crowe maybe not his writing's gotten bad but i do feel like the wrong actor with these with these monologues it's a disaster but but it is i mean he he made movie stars. I mean, it was amazing. He both

would crystallize stars, you know, and make them. He'd create them and he'd deconstruct them and build them up even bigger than they were before. Sure. God, she's fucking good in this movie. What was I about to say? I'm the oldest 26-year-old in the

world. The oldest 26-year-old in the world. Yeah. I've had three lovers in four years. And then Bonnie Hunt goes, it's not bad. And they were all like, preferable to all of them was like a nice warm bath or whatever. Oh, we did forget to mention that Eric Stoltz is at the party, the engagement party. Everybody loves you. Three for three.

What's the line? It's everybody loves you. Yeah. Makes me, I can't remember. It drives me crazy. Something like that. He has like. Three for three. What's the line? It's everybody loves you. Yeah. Makes me, I can't remember the it drives me crazy. Something like that. He has like a one liner. Yeah. Oh, this was the story I was going to tell. This is what I was going to say. I remember reading some interview with Renee Zellweger and talking

about how she got that part because she had done little bit pieces. She was in Texas Chainsaw Massacre three or four. The Next Generation, The New Beginning. It's the one with. The one with McConaughey. Right. And she had like, you know, a non-speaking role in Days of Confused. I mean, she was like a Texas girl and she was doing some of the local Texas films. Yeah, she's in a second of Reality Bites.

She's in Love in a 45. She's in Empire Records. Right. Yeah. That was her biggest thing up until now. Yeah. But this was definitely like, to be the second lead in a Tom Cruise movie was like a huge jump up.

Oh, you think so? Yeah. Yeah. I agree with you. Yeah. Apparently, they did the final screen test. She went in, she did it with Tom Cruise,

she read the lines, and she felt like she did well, and she walked out, and she remembered that her agent said to her, so the thing they're concerned about, just so you know, not to get in your head about, but the thing they're concerned about is if there's enough sexual chemistry between you and Tom. They think you're great on your own.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But they think for some weird reason you're not having sexual chemistry with Tom Cruise. You, a woman, are not connecting

with Tom Cruise, a man. Carry on. And she walked out and that like rang in her head and the audition had ended. She had left the room and she ran back into the room

and just like pounced on Tom Cruise. Like the audition ended and she ran back in and just fucking jumped into his arms and just like pounced on Tom Cruise. I did not know this story. And she ran back in and just fucking jumped into his arms and started making out with him. And then like, was like, I just wanted to show you that we had chemistry together. And then walked out and they were like, that's our star.

And there is that feeling of like, there is a ferocity to this performance. Not that it's an aggressive performance, but there is. No, because she's somewhat of a downtrodden character, at least on paper. But there is a ferocity of, this is my chance,

Renee Zellweger, the actress, to show everyone what I got. And Dorothy Boyd. She's attacking it. Right, which maps onto Dorothy Boyd, which is like, this is my shot to get my life together. And it's nice.

It's nice. It's a nice movie. But then, you know, we've got a big sequence at the NFL draft where Jerry realizes that he does not have Kush. Sugar has Kush.

Sugar has Kush. Because Sugar intimidated them into thinking like, ah, you know, the teams aren't going to deal with Jerry. You got to deal with me or whatever happened. Yeah, he's like,

if you want to get on the team, Jerry's not the guy for you. Jerry walks Rod through the lobby and introduces him to people and that's nice. Like, that's like, if you want to get on the team, Jerry's not the guy for you. Jerry walks Rod through the lobby and introduces him to people, and that's nice. That's a fun little- Because Rod's like, why don't you fucking spend time with me? He's like, here's my time on you. Rod gets it. I mean, Rod does say, you know, your golden meal ticket.

He knows that Kush is the big product. But Jerry's also sort of going like, hey, I'm thinking big picture. I know people like you when they meet you, so I'm going to have you press the flesh and impress people because you're charismatic. You're not connecting with the audience, but these people might like you if they get you one-on-one. Long montage of them going around, and it works. It feels like it works. It feels like people are getting into

Tidwell. He goes back to the hotel room. Kush is just sitting there. He's got a Team Kush hat on. He's fucking noodling on the guitar. He's got a mountain of Reebok sneakers and a guy comes up, drops off, room service, and he goes, hey, what size are you? Seven and a half. He goes, why don't you take a couple at the door?

He says twelve and a half, which I said seven and a half because that's my shoe size. Because I'm a Tom Cruise sized person. When I hear that, I'm just like, twelve and a half? That's a big foot. Yeah. Geez. There are four twelve and a halfs? How big is your foot? Ten and a half. I have small feet. Oh really? Yeah, because you're a very tall man.

I am. I have small feet for my height. Interesting. Although, O'Connell's big, right? I think so. I guess 12 and a half if you're in the world of professional athletes. Yeah, but it's a bellhop who takes the fucking... It's a bellhop, damn it. It's surprising the bellhop has feet that big. You know my brother kind of knows

Jerry O'Connell Really? Let him tell you the story sometimes It's He broke to You let him tell the We should have Joey on As a guest sometime Oh 100%

Yeah This should have been a good one He's seen this one a lot But 100% we'll have Joey Yeah we should do that Yeah He's good Yeah

Yeah he's got some Cause you know Jerry O'Connell's done a lot Of Broadway plays It's funny I know And your brother Joey Works in theater It's just Jerry O'Connell's done a lot of Broadway plays. It's funny. I know. And your brother Joey. Works in theater.

It's just Jerry O'Connell's such a funny creature. You know? Yeah. Like, the way he keeps reinventing himself is so strange. Yeah, like, still every other year they give him a pilot. And he's got that nice marriage to Rebecca Romijn that's been, like, 15, 20 years now. Yeah, I think like 10. I think it's longer.

She was with Stamos when she did X-Men. She was still Rebecca Romaine Stamos at that point. I'm off on that. I think it's been like 10, because I think she made it through the first three X-Men with a Stamos attached. She used to be my number one. When I was like 10, I mean, the first X-Men was a huge for me.

What a shocking pick. What an unconventional pick. Rebecca Romaine? The beautiful blonde model? I was so into it, because I'm saying it's not my type anymore. What an unconventional pick. Rebecca Romijn? I was so into- The beautiful blonde model? I was so into- Well, because I'm saying it's not my type anymore. Oh, wow. Congratulations.

Yeah. But when I was 10, I just like only wanted fucking X-Men stuff, you know? I just was like, who's my favorite hottie? I don't know, someone from the X-Men.

Maybe I like Famke Janssen more than Rebecca Romijn. Famke Janssen's great. Rebecca Romijn is great. My. Someone from the X-Men. Maybe I like Famke Janssen more than Rebecca Romijn. Famke Janssen's great. Rebecca Romijn is great. My crushes were just X-Men at that point. Renee Zellweger is great. Yes. Okay.

In Jerry Maguire. So he goes back up. There's a phone call. He goes, let me pick it up. Yeah, he talks to Sugar. And he goes, is Maguire in the room? Sniff if he's in the room. He does a hard sniff.

And it's this amazing fucking movie star close up. And Cruise has this like rictus grin on his face. Yeah. He's losing his mind. He's like sweating bullets. He's like, yeah, you're with the big boys now. Don't worry about McGuire. You need to be with me, Cush. You're gonna play. It's so gross.

Moore is so good. And he just stands there in silence. Gritting his teeth. My favorite line, not my favorite line, in the movie Moore is so good. And he just stands there in silence. Yeah. And then he asks. Gritting his teeth. Beau Bridges about it all. Well, he, my favorite line, not my favorite line in a movie that has five of the most famous lines. No, but a line I really like, and especially line reading. He's sitting there with the gritted teeth, sugar hangs up, and then McGuire just goes,

we have no comment at this time. To make it look like it was just some press guy. Yeah, that he was on the phone. Yeah. And then he goes, you know what? Why don't we just sign something right now? Right. You were in the lobby with the black fella.

Bo Bridges, man. Quietly villainous performance. Bo Bridges, though. I remember if you watch the director and cast commentary, when Bo Bridges says, with the black fella, Cuba Gooding Jr. bristles. He's like, easy. He's mad about it.

He's very good at quietly villainous in The Descendants, too. That's a good flavor of Bo. Yeah. He's a skinnier Bo. I forgot that Bo was kind of skinny. Well, especially when he started out. Bo's pretty husky now. Yeah.

He's a husky dude now. Have you ever seen The Landlord, the Hal Ashby movie? I've never seen The Landlord, the Hal Ashby movie. It's one of my 10 favorite films of all time. Well, good for you. Thank you. Humble brag. But Bo Bridges is very skinny in that, and he's like really fucking-

That's a long time ago. He's like a handsome dude. You're like, oh, boy. Oh, I don't know. Because now you go like, well, Bo and Jeff. You know, it's like- Sure, right. One of those guys is a little better than the other guy.

Yeah, they're both pretty old at this point. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, so he loses Kush. Yeah. And then he loses Avery, his fiancee, shortly after when she's trying to puff him up and says, you are not a loser. Who said anything about loser? Yeah.

You know, and she punches him. You know what I'm talking about? He breaks up with her. She goes, no one breaks up with me. Right, and she destroys him. Punches him in the face. Yeah, good for Avery. Yeah.

Yeah. I guess so. No, I'm on Avery's side in that scene. Okay. Yeah, she'll punch him. No one breaks up with Avery Bishop. Yeah, I mean, neither of us have done it, right? No, no.

Ben, have you ever broken up with Avery Bishop? Which Avery Bishop? The character played by Kelly Preston in the film Jerry Maguire? No, I have not. Okay. So then it's like, okay, okay. I thought that we'd already hit the second act, the sort of the low. But nope.

No, no, now we're there? Yep. And so he goes to see Dorothy and immediately reveals, like, I broke up with Avery. Yeah. And he's drunk out of his mind. Got a wound on the eye, and she goes in the kitchen with Bonnie Hunt. Bonnie Hunt knows what's up. She's like, dude, this guy is, he'll, he's desperate.

Yeah. He just needs to be with somebody. And Zellweger's like, no, no, no, no. And, but Zellweger's also, like. Into him. Wants it to be the kid. Into him, and also just, like, leave me the fuck alone. Yeah.

I want to, maybe I want to be with this guy. Like, this guy inspired me for a second there. Yeah, I just want someone who inspires me. And then there's a moment I love that Crow is so good at these little behavioral things. And once again, they become his undoing because he starts trying to like engineer them. Make whole movies about them. Right. But there's the moment where she's got the plate of pasta and they turn around at the

same moment and it goes straight into Zoegger's chest. Into Zoegger's chest, yeah. And Bonnie Hunt just very calmly says, okay, lean forward, lean forward, lean down. And she's like making sure. Peels it out, yeah. Right. And she's like, still edible? That it only stays in the one area.

She needs your shirt. Yeah, right. It's just these messy behavioral scenes that just have, like, each scene has, like, a sort of powder keg to it. And you're just like, these people are uh they care about each other like you know these people have some sort of intimacy yeah yeah be it sisterly be it you know romantic whatever right so while this is happening what's jerry doing oh my god okay what's he doing ray sneaks out of the bathroom on his tiptoes he sneaks out quiet like a mouse. That shot where you see his head when he leaves the couch and you just sort of see his head go by.

It's just the top of his head. It is adorable. He's got the funniest head. He's got a funny head. But he chats to Jerry. And you can see that Jerry, and this is, of course, the linchpin of the whole movie. He's talking about his dead dad to Jerry. And you can see that Jerry, and this is, of course, the linchpin of the whole movie. Yeah. He's like talking about his dead dad to him.

Yeah. He's like, when my dad died and, you know, like he's like, when my dad retired, like he worked for blah for 20 years. And then he said, I wish they'd give me a more comfortable chair. You know, and then he died. And then Ray starts talking about his dead father. He doesn't talk to him like he's a kid. Right.

But he's actually bearing his soul to him. Right. Right. And Ray tries to do the same. And Jerry's like, I want to talk about my dad. And he's like, no, let's go to the zoo. Is the car scene before or after this? The human head weighs five pounds. The car scene is after.

Okay. No, it's before. Because it's after the airport. Because when he comes down. He gives him a ride from the airport. When he comes down to say hi to Jerry on the couch, he goes back back to the human head weighs eight pounds but there's did you know my neighbor is three rabbits that's the best fucking joke i love that so much i laugh so hard every time every time that line takes me by surprise because they've established this clear

dynamic where it's like they're gonna compete with facts and ray's got these real kindergarten facts and jerry mcguuire has like sports stats. Right. And then he just goes with something that no one could know. But the film acknowledges that's funny and Cruise like loses it. And he's just like I can't compete with that. And his laugh is so genuine. Yeah.

And I don't want to say like I don't think he's capable of as an actor. No he is capable. But I also feel like it feels sort of like a take where he maybe lost it at Lipnicki where he genuinely was just so charmed by Lipnicki maybe Lipnicki was just saying random shit I have no idea or maybe it was just Crow said now say this and he said it and it just was real funny coming out of his little mouth

it feels like a real genuine laugh and Lipnicki laughs too like they all are like Lipnicki knows what he was fucking doing he knows it's a fact that McGuire couldn't know so you know on and on things go cause the thing is the linchpin They're like, Nicky knows what he was fucking doing. He knows it's a fact that McGuire couldn't know. So, you know, on and on things go. Because the thing is, the linchpin of the relationship is Tom Cruise and Ray. It's Jerry and Ray.

It's a line I love. I got a great guy. Well, that's much later in the movie. And he loves my kid. And he really likes me a lot. He sure does like me a lot. He sure does like me a lot. Yeah. And so as their agency continues, their agency being just Rod Tidwell.

Right. The Rod Tidwell agency. Right. RTA. And Jerry is trying to figure out how to represent him right and how to make him famous, essentially. He gets a crappy contract offer from his team, the Cardinals, and they're like, okay, we'll just play out and be a free agent. You can get a better offer if you do well this season.

You know, it's like literally that's – something happens all the time to this day. But it's scary. He could get injured. He's older at this point, you know? The idea is he's in the middle of his career. He's not old, but he's maybe past the hump, right? And if it was going to happen, it would have happened by now. So the numbers might only start shrinking.

He's got a bunch of kids. He's got a lot of family who he seems to be supporting. He's got two kids. He's got two So the numbers might only start shrinking. He's got a bunch of kids. He's got a lot of family who he seems to be supporting. He's got two kids. He's got two kids. He's got two kids. He's got a third on the way. No, no. He's got one kid and another on the way.

Oh, okay. Sorry. But he's got a lot of family members. His kid, played by Jeremy Suarez, Tyson, by the way, is adorable. Incredible. Who does the, the big man is back! Yeah. Ah!

He's great. I love him. But there are the things, like, you know, he's got his brothers around with him all the time. DP? It's always, it's a full house. DP, you're militant, but I love you. But there are the things like, you know, he's got his brothers around with him all the time. I mean, there's always, it's a full house. TP, you're militant, but I love you. Got nothing but love for you.

And is he the one? I could quote this whole movie. The older one's the one who lost the foot. The older one's the one who lost the foot, but you don't see him except for the one scene where he's like in his room by the computer and there's like a leak. There's like water damage on the walls. He's got a Janet Jackson poster. Yeah.

Which I think is a reference to the fact that Janet Jackson almost played the Regina King part. Yes. It was originally cast. And then I think dropped out for music stuff, and then they cast Regina King in the best performance of all time. Great call. Yeah.

Regina King basically looks the same these days. It's kind of crazy. She has aged beautifully. It's so good. I mean, I watch, I don't know if you guys watch American Crime, but she's amazing on that show on ABC. Won an Emmy for that, right? She did. Which was just like, yeah, about time someone gives her a reward for something.

She's been doing such solid work for like fucking 25 years. She's so good in Ray, which is not a great movie or anything, but she's to me the sort of standout of it. I agree. Another film in which the person who played her husband won the Oscar and she arguably was doing the tougher job. Sure. The heavy lifting, you know, to make the performance really sing. I think Cuba deserved his Oscar, but yeah.

Here's the thing. On one hand, I think Cuba deserved his Oscar. On the other hand, it's probably my least favorite of like the eight main performances in the film. Oh, really? Yeah. Oh, I think it's such a performance. And I don't mean as any slight as him. I think he's performances in the film. Oh, really? Yeah. And I don't mean as any slight as him. I think he's incredible in this movie.

I think Cruise is better. I think Zellweger is better. I think King is better. They're all great. I think Nicky's better. Yeah, I'm not, you know, flipping my nose, thumbing my nose rather. At Gooding, I just think the film is so loaded with incredible performances and he has the showiest

character. He has a showy character. I don't disagree with you. I just think he also nails the quiet moments, which is why it's, to me, top shelf. Like, the scenes where, that scene where he's watching the wedding tape and you just see his face, like, he's got a big grin on his face because he's happy

for, we'll get to it in a second, and you just see his face like just shift, not even fall. And he realizes like, oh, they have no idea what they're doing going into this. Like they don't know why they got married. Yeah, you didn't have the talk, did you? I mean, Denny says it, but we already know it. He does that.

He does great stuff like that throughout the movie. I'll just say this, I guess. If you go, okay, in a fair world, the four leads of this film would have been nominated as Cruise, lead, Zellweger, lead, King supporting, Gooding supporting. Of those four... And Huff would have been nominated for supporting, too. Yeah.

And not one, but she would have been nominated. Of those four, Gooding's my least favorite. And then Vicky would be nominated for supporting. Yeah. Of those four, Gooding would be my least favorite. I don't get it. He's great. I think he's great, but the other ones are greater.

Whatever. I don't know. Regina King, I just think, should have won, but the other ones are greater. Whatever. I don't know. Regina King, I just think, should have won for this. Whatever. She didn't. Yeah, I know. She wouldn't have been in competition with him anyway. Yeah.

Anyway, moving on. He's talking to Ray. They have a great conversation. Right. He's like, my mom's coming back out. He's like, I'll slip back. I'll see you later. Ray slips out.

You said fuck. Yeah. Don't worry. I won't though. You said fuck. I won't though. He looks genuinely astonished. And there's this thing. They're shooting him from like three quarters. You said fuck. Yeah. Don't worry, I won't tell. You said fuck. I won't tell. He looks genuinely astonished. And there's this thing,

they're shooting him from like three quarters and he's like sitting sideways on the couch. His head is like leaning against the couch, yeah. But it looks like the couch is eating him. Yeah, because he's small. He's like a rag doll. He's like a ventriloquist dummy. His feet don't reach the whole cushion.

They don't cover the whole couch cushion because he's a little guy. And then Renée Zellweger comes back out. She's changed into a different shirt. Yeah, but then he gives a drunken speech, but he's got to go right away. He's got a fire poker. He realizes how drunk he is. I am drunk.

But he does make out with her and grab her boob. She calls him boss. He says he feels like Clarence Thomas, which is a big laugh to this day. Yeah. Just to show you how much Clarence Thomas' alleged sexual harassment has lingered in the culture. I just love- Now I feel like Clarence Thomas.

Yeah. I love the sleaziness of he goes in for the kiss immediately with the hand on the boob. He has the boob hand before the lip mouth. They're simultaneous, and I also think- I mean, he's me age 15. Yeah. Right, that's the thing. I mean, this really could be a sort of like Greedo shot first kind of thing where you

go like, did he- Yeah, what touches skin first? What was the first contact? But the thing I love about it is it's not even- Sorry about the hand. Yeah. But when he says it, he does the gesture because it's not even just like he places a palm on the breast.

He's grabbing it. He's got a grab. It's like a claw hand's not even just like he places a palm on the breast. He's grabbing it. He's got to grab. It's like a claw hand. And he just like he wants to steal the boob. Like he wants to reach the boob and put it in his pocket. But that's what I like. Like the movie could so easily be about him being a total jerk. Yes.

But you get that he's vulnerable. She knows he's vulnerable. He immediately. They know that they like each other in some form or another. But they know they at this point they're like probably not a good idea. Right. Even if we like each other, even form or another. At this point, they're like, probably not a good idea. Even if we like each other, even if we want to do this, this probably is not smart. And then the next day, she goes in the office and she's like,

alone, alone, alone. You just need to be alone. He's like, do you want to go to dinner? She's like, I know a great place. Okay, now I know you guys like this movie and you like these characters. That is kind of gross, that scene a little bit, right? Nope.

Okay, fine. Raise your objection, though. Yeah, I'd love to hear your argument. I mean, he is her boss. Correct. And the way that that plays out is he's drunk, and I don't know, it's a little gross, I'm just saying. That's all.

The drunk scene or the scene afterwards? The drunk scene. Oh, yeah, 100%. Oh, no, that scene's supposed to be gross. Oh, that scene's very gross. Yeah, it's another little gross. I'm just saying. That's all. The drunk scene or the scene afterwards? The drunk scene. Oh, yeah, 100%. Oh, no, that scene's supposed to be gross. Oh, that scene's very gross. Yeah, it's another low point. But I'm saying it's like a little harassy, like sexual harassy. That's why he says he feels like Clarence Thomas.

100%. No, I know, but I'm saying it's like we're also supposed to be like, oh, that Tom Cruise and, oh, what a guy. That's not what this movie is. Yeah. This movie isn't about like, oh, that. It's like, no, these are things that happen to people. I think the thesis of this movie is Tom Cruise shouldn't be this Tom Cruise-y.

Like, he grabs the boob because he thinks he's Tom Cruise. He says, you complete me at the end of the movie because he's not trying to be Tom Cruise anymore. He's just, to quote another film, a guy standing in front of a girl telling her that he loves her. Right. To paraphrase another movie, I switched the genders. They go to dinner. They go to dinner.

She's wearing a dress. She looks great. That's not a dress. That's an Audrey Hepburn movie. Another amazing line. Todd Louiso plays the nanny slash child technician slash au pair. Another amazing actor.

Another amazing performance. Great little three-scene performance who is obsessed with jazz and clearly at least held a torch for Dorothy. I think he has a crush on her that he never acted upon. Maybe.

Or maybe he dated her briefly and it didn't work out. Maybe he's one of the three lovers who was not as good as a bath. I smell a strong unrequited vibe. Quite possibly. Yeah. But he's kind of open about it where he's like, treat her right, you know?

Yeah. He gives Jerry Maguire a mixtape, a cassette of jazz music. Of Coltrane and Davis in Stockholm in 1963, before their culture was ruined by a thousand bar rooms and like whatever. Yeah. Now, here's a question. He goes, oh, that's not what I thought you were going to give me. Right, right. Because he thinks

he's reaching for a condom. That was my question. Okay, so that's the joke. He's like, you know, he's like, you know, if you're going to spend that, I just want to give you, and Jerry goes like, oh, God, don't. You know, like he obviously thinks he's going to produce some sort of prophylactic. Have you ever had someone give you a condom without

asking for it? I don't think so. I can't imagine what the scenario would be. It's a little goofy. It's a little bit of a reason. But then the jazz tape makes up for it. And then of course they listen to the music when they have sex and Jerry's like, what is

this music? It's great. There's the amazing scene. My reaction to everything in this movie is great. That's how I react. It's great. There's the amazing scene. My reaction to everything in this movie is great. That's how I react. It is great. God, when he brings her back home and then, I mean, is there anything we need to cover in the day to tell?

No, no, no. There's the mariachi band that plays next to that's very funny. There's lots of great stuff. I mean, you know, there's the scene where they're making out and he breaks her dress strap and ties it back together. I mean, God. Oh, fuck.

It is hard sometimes to make Cruise have chemistry. A hundred percent. Like Kelly McGillis or some of his female co-stars. Yeah. He doesn't work with them. Oh, you mean Top Gun, that movie starring two people who don't like the other gender? Sure. Wait a second.

Relax. Relax. I don't want to go down that road. I'm not into that. The thing I think is so amazing about the dress strap moment is that it's the sexiest depiction of someone putting on clothes I've ever seen. Yeah, it's a good putting on clothes.

Like, he hits the thing by accident, and then it's like, oh, you watch it, and you go like, oh, is he going to fucking undress her on the porch? Like, is he going to, you know, is he going to take out the boob hand again? And it's like, no, in the most seductive way possible, he makes her more clothes.

He puts it back together. Right, so this is him. He's learning slowly. Well, no, I think he's a little more collected. This is him being sexy Jerry Maguire again, who's probably a bit of a ladies' man. Yeah. He's got a little bit of the magic back.

Not to mention that black book is torched, so he can't go back to the old chestnuts. There's also the scene where- Can't play the hits. During the sex scene where she opens the door and he's kind of standing there looking like a sexy Tom Cruise, and she just closes the door. Immediately slams it and then waits a moment and then opens up again and he's laughing. And he's like, I did the fucking, yeah, a sexy Tom Cruise, and she just closes the door. Immediately slams it and then waits a moment

and then opens up again and he's laughing. And he's like, I did the fucking, yeah, I'm Tom Cruise. I'm going to do the Tom Cruise thing. Yeah, that's great. I've always said, and I'll say it a thousand times, I like movies where characters laugh at each other. Where characters do funny things in the universe of the movie and the movie acknowledges that that's funny.

I hate movies where characters do something funny and everyone else goes, what? And the audience is supposed to laugh and everyone else is just astonished. And it's like, think about how many times you laugh uncomfortably at something you shouldn't laugh at. Yeah.

Things are funny. The thing that happens, though, is Dorothy quickly, they start dating. Oh, God, no, there's the breakfast scene. Oh, my God. Where he overhears her being like, I love how vulnerable this guy is you know I love like

and Bonnie Hunt's like slow down slow down and like you know she calls him a bottom feeder or like at the bottom of the rung and Jerry hears it all right and then she goes like I don't care I love him the difference with this guy is I love him I'm in love with him and she's like don't say that don't say that and Jerry's listening to the whole thing and then

Ray rumbles and he's like hey't say that don't say that don't say that and jerry's listening the whole thing and then ray rumbles hey jerry yeah and he just i love this scene's perfect like any other hollywood movie would play that scene for drama or for awkwardness or whatever and jerry's just like we bottom feeders start with breakfast like start with cereal before we get our coffee but there's even a great moment apple jacks before hunt and zellweger start talking where they're just futzing with the coffee machine. And it's that moment of like, are we going to talk about it? Yeah, where they're just like... Are we going to have the conversation?

Because I know what's going on. I know you don't want to hear what I have to say. Yeah. So now they're dating. They're dating, but then they quickly... Dorothy's like, this isn't working. I don't make any money. You can't do this. I should go to San Diego.

And I don't want to be a burden on you. I have health insurance. I got to take care of my kid. She takes another job. She's going to move. And Bonnie Hunt supports this. A hundred percent. She's like, good.

Great. He's still very vulnerable. You guys don't know what you're doing. And she's about to move. She's getting in the U-haul yeah and what does jerry do before he talks to bonnie before he talks to dorothy talks to ray in the car yeah he's trying to be like don't worry i'll see you all the time and he just says do you remember what he says go ahead and go little little lip nicky it's so great great can i say something great listeners of our podcast

if you wouldn't mind just tweeting at jay lip nicky great job just tweet great job at him we're not harassing him he did a great job just tweet just tweet you did a great job you did a great at jay lip nicky on twitter you did a great job right hashtag the two friends hashtag the two friends include it there You did a great job. Right. Hashtag the two friends. Hashtag the two friends. Include it there. You did a great job. Hashtag the two friends. I just think it's important that Jerry talks to Ray first because the movie never lets go of that idea that it's like Jerry loves

the kid so much. Loves the kid. And like loves the adoration but also like when Ray gives him the little hug before they go on the date and Dorothy's freaking out and she's like he clearly needs like a, you know, he's been missing

like a dad present. And no one else has worked like that, you know? Because the thing by Hunt says is like, do you want like, you know,

Ray seeing some man in the house who he's going to have to say goodbye to or, you know? No, right, right. And it's like, I mean,

yeah, yeah. It's great. He's not going anywhere. It's more just that Laurel thinks like, this Laurel thinks, like, he doesn't love you. He loved the kid. Right. Which she's kind of right about. Because then he's like, what if you don't go?

What if we just get married? Yeah, because that's a way to solve this problem, right? And she's like, don't just say that. Unless you mean it. Unless you mean it. Oh, boy. It's so heartbreakingly good. He lowers her sunglasses and the answer is in her eyes.

We're so goofy. We're so goofy. Don't worry, we'll be mean to later Cameron Crowe movies. Will we? I don't know. I think we will. I love Crowe. I feel like I, oh, God, it's like a warm bath.

I keep on using the same analogy, but it's like a warm bath I keep on using the same analogy Light some candles You drink some hot cocoa while you're in the bath You know some bathtub cocoa Yeah sure You play a Springsteen album Play Secret Garden by Springsteen Which is a song written for this movie

And it's great The one that's like She'll let you in her house. And her door's on him. No, she'll see. Chris, you're all in she has. And then we start just jumping through time. This is the thing.

The movie really picks, because it's supposed to be set over an entire NFL season in the middle. Like, that starts in the middle. Yeah. This is the thing. The movie really picks because it's supposed to be set over an entire NFL season in the middle. Yeah. Like that starts in the middle. Yeah. And it ends at the end of the NFL season. I love it.

I mean this is storytelling risk. You know? But this is why like good I dropped my phone. You were looking because a drop happened

and it was my phone. I dropped my phone. Sure. Because I'm about to say something dramatic and I don't want to drop the mic because they're Ben's and they're expensive. expensive oh um a thing i love about this movie is

talking about this thing i have every scene is interesting is engaging is entertaining yes is insightful in this movie this movie skips over like the scenes that you don't need to see it's not just that every scene he has in the film he invests a couple different layers onto them so you can't really wrap your fingers around the scenes there's some weird sort of elements you got to kind of lean in to figure out but it also is like you don't need to see them fucking planning the wedding who gives a shit no they get married in her backyard yeah rod sings uh what's going on by uh marvin gay i just say this all the time but i get so frustrated when I see movies that feel like they have this very didactic approach of what a movie needs to be. Sure, and how it needs to lay out at the plot.

And I say all the time, a movie can be anything. That's the amazing thing is a movie can do anything at any moment. So if you want to just have them be married, just cut to them being married. If there was something important that happened along that process, I trust you would show me that one scene. Absolutely. But why not just jump ahead? The wedding's great. The wedding's great. It's adorable. Yeah. It seems like it goes off wonderfully.

And then they're watching the video a little later. Yeah. And you see just like Jerry's face as he's getting ready for like the ceremony. Yeah. And he looks like he's about to go off to war. Yeah. Like he looks like he's about to go off to war. Like he just looks terrible. Oh boy.

And that's what I was talking about. That scene Cuba Goody Jr. plays so well where he watches his face, like you see his face fall as he realizes like, because he's already said, they've had the conversation about shoplifting the poony. Yeah. You know, where he's basically saying like, this is not like a woman you can just casually date or just have around because you need to be with somebody. Yeah, this is a real thing.

And Rod was raised by a single mother. That's the big thing is Rod understands like you don't understand what you're doing entering her life with the son. Right, right. And you can't just do this by half. You got to be in love with her. The problem is that Jerry takes that because he takes everything seriously. He's just like, okay, all right, Well, I guess this is the thing to do. Well, Rod's thesis is you can't be with her if you're not in love with her.

So the whole trick. And Jerry's thing is, well, then I should marry her. And he's like, no, no, no, no, no. You got to be in love with her. And later he asks, like, why did you marry her? And Jerry's like, she was loyal. Yeah. And Rod just starts laughing at him because, but like the whole trick of this movie, the

whole trick that Cameron Crowe pulls is that he is in love with her and he is from early on. He doesn't realize. And he's figuring it out. Yeah. And like, yeah, it's like a backwards relationship. They get married, almost break up and then realize that, no, actually we like to be together. But it's also. And it's not just like that.

I miss people. I miss you. But like. And it's the thing of like, you know, you can't love somebody until you love yourself. You know. Sure, right. He needs to figure himself out.

He just doesn't know who he is yet. So he's not capable of engaging with someone in that way. He finally. So the movie progresses to this big football scene at the end of the movie where Rod gets a big success, you know. Well, there's. I like that you skip ahead very quickly.

The relationship just sort of like, it kind of falls apart. Right. And Dorothy kind of breaks up with him. Yeah. And she has the speech where she says my favorite line

in the film. This is genuinely my favorite line. It's a great line. You know, he loves my kid and he sure does like me a lot. This great guy. He loves me.

He loves my kid and he sure does like me a lot. Yeah. And she just says, I think this next road trip you take should be a break. You know? And she's just saying sort of like, I love that she's the one who kind of breaks up with him. And she's like, look, on the surface, it all is working, but it just doesn success and has already, he's, like, gets his self-worth, like, a lot. He gets, like, you know, he and Rod have this big embrace and, like, you know, other people

are like, oh, like, why don't I have an agent like this? Troy Aiken. You know, no longer are people, yeah, Troy Aiken, Aikman. Oh, I don't fucking know. Says that and, but also, you know, it's like when he has this big moment of self-worth and he's like, wait, I need Dorothy to be here. Like that thing where he picks up the phone and he says her name. Well, let's not rush through this moment. But that's what he's figuring it out.

I know. But Rod, oh God. Rod is like having a real good fucking game. And it's the last game of the season before the contract is going to lapse and he'd have to renew it. Right? Uh-huh. And he does this insane catch where he, like, jumps up. Yep.

Catches the ball. In the end zone. Jumps over the guy. And then it looks like Lance. And then, like, kind of gets knocked on his head. Right on his neck. Right? Lying.

Regina King's there watching with his whole family. Yeah. And they're watching this. She immediately. I mean, this is her Oscar moment, kind of, you know? Oh, she's incredible. But she immediately loses it and they're going, no, no, no. And they're watching this. She immediately, I mean, this is her Oscar moment kind of, you know. Oh, she's incredible. But she immediately loses it

and they're going, no, no, no, honey, honey, honey. Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up. It's the nightmare of any athlete's spouse. Like, it sucks. And a great Cameron Crowe touch where you're watching

them watch the game and then the game just cuts to a commercial. That's credit cards playing football. Yeah, it's a good commercial. But it also like

puts you in It looks fun. It puts you in that moment what it would feel like to be the wife of someone watching potentially my husband might be dead sure might be brain dead he might be paralyzed paralyzed sure my the very least could just be injured and thus were broke you know a million different things and even i feel like i don't know if it's before the commercial break or after but the announcer says like i sure hope his family isn't watching this you know and it's like for everyone else this is just engaging television like not that they don't care about him but like first and foremost I'm knocking everything over today first and foremost uh this is like it's entertainment

it's a story right but for her it's like this is life and death and she immediately gets Jerry on the phone and it's like Jerry I, I need you to tell me something. Yeah. And he goes, he's not responsive. He's out. I just need you to stay calm. And she's like, I can't stay calm. You don't understand what's going on.

Yeah. And I think this is part of the click for him is listening to her and how much he means to her. Because she's been so aggressive in all these other scenes. You know? Yeah. She is a marketing major. And she, yeah, she's sort of almost in charge of her husband's brand. She's talking about the family and it's practical and it's about the numbers that they need

to hit in order to keep everyone afloat. Yeah. But now this is just the love and the terror of not having her husband come back in the same form. Yeah. And he runs onto the field. There's a great movie star moment that he underplays where he's running on and people go,

hey, hey, hey. And just without even looking, he just over his shoulder flashes the VIP pass. So they let him do it. It's so secondary. And he's sort of there on the sidelines watching. That's the thing. I think this is supposed to crystallize what he's offering, which is he's on the phone right away. He's there.

You know, sports agents have hundreds of clients. he's offering yeah which is like he's on the phone right away he's there yeah he's you know like you know sports agents have hundreds of clients like right you know it's pretty unlikely they'd be on the scene like and be able to call the family and be like this is what's happening like it's okay you know it'll be all right just you know but he's always going to be there for rod and then rod gets up of course he's fine he's well well but there's the moment when they're snapping and he kind of comes to. Yeah. And they go, are you okay?

And he goes, wait, wait, wait, wait. Let me have this moment. So good. And he just knows. He knows what's happening. He's woken up and he knows he's just made his career. He did an incredible move. Everyone thought he was dead.

And he now has to play the part. Right. And Cruz says there's the bathroom scene. Fine, fine. Help me help you. Yeah. And Cruz says there's the bathroom scene. Fine, fine. Help me help you. Yeah. And Cruz says. Up at dawn, pride swallowing siege.

Oh, God, he's so good. And Cruz says, like, I'm going to paraphrase it because I don't remember the exact wording, but he says, like, you play with your head, you need to play with your heart. Yeah, sure. Like, the big athletes, the stars, it's because the fans love the guy. And you're not making yourself lovable. And he knows this is the moment. He's just done this heroic thing. It looked amazing.

He falls down. This is his moment to milk it and perform. And he does it. Yeah, he does a big old Super Bowl shuffle. He jumps around. He jumps into the crowd. And just becomes a star. I mean, it's just like this guy's a star.

And afterwards, he's hounded by everyone. He's got sunglasses on. And he wants Jerry. Right. And he just runs over to Jerry and hugs him. Troy Aikman goes like, why don't we have that? Jay Moore tries to touch him on the shoulder or whatever. Puts him on the phone with his wife, and you just see the conversation.

These two people love each other. And it's like, here are three people who care about each other and respect each other on a person-to-person level. It's not business. They are friends. Yeah, absolutely. And that is the love of his life. And Jerry has that, but he's not appreciating it. I'm looking for my wife.

Yeah. Oh, my God. That's the sexiest thing anyone could say. The way he says it in those circumstances. I know. No, I know. I mean, that's the thing. He obviously runs home and into the divorced women's group.

Which I believe was based on something Cameron Crowe's mother actually did in his childhood. Yeah, I believe so. I believe I heard that. And he comes in and he gives the big speech. We live in a cynical world. Yeah. Cynical, cynical world. And we work in a business of tough competitors. I tweeted that last night

and three separate people thought I had gotten fired and like texted me. It was really, I felt bad. I forgot that You Complete Me is set up earlier

in the film. Of course, when they quit the job. Yeah. They see a deaf couple in the elevator sign You Complete Me. He goes,

I wish I knew what they were saying. And she goes, my favorite on is that you complete me. But it's like the one moment where he doesn't know what else to say and he remembers that moment the elevator the most romantic thing he saw anyone ever say um can i ask you a question yeah so he gives the whole speech and she goes shut up just shut up you had me a podcast right she says you had me a podcast that's what she says yeah that

was weird i i was wondering about the podcast did not even be says, you had me a podcast? That's what she says. Yeah, that was weird. I was wondering about that too. Podcasts did not even be invented, but you know, that's another thing that Jerry Maguire was right at the start of, was the podcast revolution, when Renee Zellweger named them. Do you think if they made Jerry Maguire today it would be about a podcast agent instead of about a sports agent? Absolutely. We have podcast

agents, both of us, separate. Yeah. And we're going to show us the money yeah yeah yeah yeah oh my god um no he gives a speech and she's just like shut up you had me a hello it's so good okay now here's my question here's my question for you in the tears here's my question for you what's your question does he ever say hello? Yeah, he does. He does? Okay, I couldn't remember and I didn't want to rewind. The first thing he does when he comes in is say hello. He says

hello and not hi? And then he says, I'm looking for my wife. You know, I'm pretty sure he says hello. He had me at hello. It's a great line. But it also is, I mean, it's the positive version of what was happening with Kush. Like, if you show, I always said, if you showed up,

we'd go with you. You know? Like, the mere fact that he shows up in that state tells her everything she needs to know. What he's saying is meaningless because, you know,

his actions speak volumes. So great. And then that's it. It's a great movie. And then you know how the movie ends? With a fucking Bob Dylan song. Because Cameron Kerr

doesn't fuck around. He gets Bob Dylan songs. No one else gets Bob Dylan songs. And what is his manager his last line is really good. The last line that the manager. To be honest in my life I've failed as much as I've succeeded. I can't remember the exact phrasing of it but like you know. But I love

my wife. I love my life. And I wish you my kind of success. I get choked up even hearing you deliver. It's so good. And you're forgetting the biggest part of the film. When Ray throws a baseball? I got a hot arm that kid. It's a slightly dorky joke. Yeah.

But his fight got a little army throwing the baseball. I like Knocked Up, which is another movie I'll defend to the death. Same here. I like movies that are about, you know, how romance can actually develop between people and not like a meet cute then they're together then nothing happens and they're apart and then they get back together you know like but actually about like the weird narratives and the

compromises people make and like the and the manipulation exactly i said it on our last episode i need less meet cute i need more sweet. The moment where you meet is irrelevant. It's about the moment where you fall in love. Well, I mean, we met in a weird way. Because we talked on Twitter and then we were like, you want to go see a movie together? So we met. I was late as I always am

to everything, to a screening of stories we tell that are a poly documentary. So we spent like an hour and a half sitting next to each other in the dark, and that was how we met. And then when the movie ended, we were like, you want to go get drinks? Now, which movie was it? Because we saw the Bling Ring together.

Stories We Tell. Stories We Tell was the first movie we saw together. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that was funny that we did that. Yeah. Yeah. But we kind of like hit the ground running.

And then the second time was after you'd gotten major fired. No, no, no, the first time you'd gotten major fired. No, no, no. The first time you'd gotten major fired. No, that's not true. I believe the first time was we had shot it and I hadn't heard back about it yet. Is that possible? No, the first time I saw you had already gotten major fired. Really? Yeah, and then the second time-

Was when I wasn't rehired? Yes, exactly. No, no, no. That's why I had gotten in touch with you. You're getting the timeline wrong. No, I'm not. The first time was the show was not picked up. Yeah, that, no. That's why I had gotten in touch with you. You're getting the timeline wrong. No, I'm not. The first time was the show was not picked up. Yeah, that sounds right.

That sounds right. The second time was- You had gotten major fired. Yeah. Because the show had been picked up, but you were not in it. I was not part of it. They had turned you into a fat ginger. Well, I'm not saying anything.

But I did. I texted you. You said, Griff, how are you doing? And we'd only hung out once at that point. The news had hit that it was like ooh Fox to pick up Mulaney you know or whatever and we were like I texted you being like hey good news right? And you were like read the press release

again buddy. Look at the wording and then you said like how are you doing? And I said it's like the Dark Phoenix saga. Sure. Like I was in love and then my love died and now my love's come back but it's trying to kill me. I don't trust it. But then we saw the bling ring and went to movie trivia.

But I think you texted me after that and you were like, we should be really good friends. Like the fact that I equated my heartbreak to the Dark Phoenix saga. That's right. That's right. And this is the point. Like the meeting is whatever. We met and it was fine. But we didn't fall in love until later.

Yeah. You know? I mean trivia was the second time we hung out and then we started going to trivia more and more often. I don't know if there was a specific moment where it was like we're in love with each other, but, you know, it grew. It built. And then the podcast is another level. The point is these relationships, they have stages. And I don't like movies where it's just like someone meets someone, and then they're in love.

I think you know someone for a while, and then there's a moment where you fall in love. Even if you have a crush on them at the beginning, there's a moment where you go, ooh. You know, where the thing drops. Absolutely. To a whole other level. This movie, yeah, it's one of the few realistic relationship movies, because you see them go through so much bullshit before, and you don't walk out of it going like, and they'll be happily ever after.

And yet, it's so heightened, because the dialogue is so crazy, And because the storyline of the sports agent and all that stuff is so crazy. You know, Tom Cruise says things like, see this jacket? You can have it. I don't need it because I am cloaked in failure. He'll just say stuff like that. It's a great movie. What about the free falling scene? There's so many scenes.

We couldn't recap this whole movie. I know. Because there's so many funny little scenes. It's such a scene movie. But yeah, where he's looking for the right song to sing too. Can we go through the box office? Because I know one really interesting stat this movie has in terms of box office. So this movie opened December 13th, 1996.

It was one of the big hits of 96. I think it was like the eighth or ninth highest grossing film of the year. I believe. Yeah. And it was number one. It made $17 million in its opening weekend. Which today would probably be high 20s, 30s, something like that. Maybe like 28.

Just give me a second and I'll tell you. It would be $33 million. Jeez Louise. Pretty good, pretty good. Yeah, and then it just kept on playing. It was number one many weeks in a row. And then it dipped and then came back. It was up and down.

It immediately dips to two, two, two for three weeks. Then back to one, then back to two. And back to one. It's just in down. It immediately dips to two, two, two for three weeks, then back to one, then back to two, and back to one. It's just in the box office. Basically, through February, it's in theaters and grossing big. It closes with $150,000 domestic, and let me see how much it made worldwide.

Yeah, $273 million worldwide. Very good for it. That's insane, yeah. A thing I know about this movie is one of those weeks, one of those later weeks where it's number one is the lowest grossing number one movie in history. Oh, right. You mean like one of the-

And like the doldrums of February when nothing else was coming out and Jerry Maguire was in it. It's probably when it made $5.5 million and was number one. I believe that's the lowest grossing number one movie in history. But at that point,

it was already fucking sweeping up. Okay, let's go through December 1996. Jerry Maguire is number one at the box office. Number two, give me a hint. It's a movie you like a lot. In 1996? Yes. It's a sci-fi movie. That I like a lot. In 1996? Yes. It's a sci-fi movie.

That I like a lot? Yes. We've talked about it on this podcast. Starship Troopers. No. Fuck, that's 97. It is. I think it's pretty soon.

It's like early 97. Yeah. 1996. It's a comedy. It's a sci-fi comedy. That you like a lot. It opened to $9 million. This was its first weekend. In its first weekend it ended with

$37 million domestic. It was a bit of a bomb. Huh. So Men in Black doesn't come out until the following year. True. And Independence Day was earlier. It certainly made more than $37 mil. Yeah. It's a sci-fi comedy that we've talked about a lot.

It's a bomb. I comedy that we've talked about a lot. It's a bomb. I feel like I probably own it. You think I own it? Probably. Yeah. Is there merch? Yeah. It's based on merch.

It's a film that's- Oh! Oh, Mars Attacks. Merch the movie. It's like the merchiest movie of all time. It's a very merchy movie. It's the only film based off of trading cards. It's certainly one of the only films based off of trading cards.

Oh, yeah. Well, Yu-Gi-Oh. I love it. Great movie. Yeah, that was a real disappointing box office. People thought that was going to be a big blockbuster. Yeah. Yeah.

No. No, not at all. Decidedly not. You know, they had a plan they were going to make a sequel that was going to be Dinosaurs Attack because there were like three parallel trading card series that were all attack series and Burton was going to make the other attack movies. That's probably good

that he just made Mars Attacks as much as it's a delightful little movie. It's a classic. Leave it as it is. Untouchable. Number three. Untouchable.

Number three. Fuck you. Is that had been number one the previous week and I think the week before that. Huge hit. Disney movie. 136 mil was the total gross.

Crazy costumes. Grand damn star. Based on an animated film. Oh, 101 Dalmatians. 101 Dalmatians. 101 Dalmatians. Number four is a movie starring Denzel Washington that was rated G. The Preacher's Wife?

Yeah. Nailed that one. Directed by? Penny Marshall. That's right. With Whitneyacher's Wife? Yeah. Nailed that one. Directed by? Penny Marshall. That's right. With Whitney Houston, of course. Yeah. Number five is a film that I have seen

a bunch of times for some reason. An action film set in the Holland Tunnel. Yeah, it's true. An action film set in the Holland Tunnel? It's either the Holland Tunnel. Stallone is in it. What is it? Yep, Stallone's in it.

It was Oscar nominated for best sound effects editing. I know that without looking it up. Jesus Christ. What movie is it? It's called Daylight. Oh, fuck. I was going to say Daybreak, but I thought that wasn't a title. It's a pretty fun little movie. Yeah? Yeah. Remember he has to jump through these

wind tunnels to even get into the tunnel. I've never seen it. Can I say something about The Preacher's Wife? Just a thing that's always stuck in my mind. Yeah. First of all, that's a remake of a movie, but the remake has, the original has a different title, right?

Isn't one like The Priest's Wife? I'll look it up. I believe so. I believe they're different titles. Yeah, all right. The Bishop's Wife with Cary Grant. Fucked us up at trivia once. Yeah, I think that's right.

It made me really angry. Yeah, that's right. But it's true. Yeah. The second thing I was going to say was I remember reading an interview with the kid, the lead kid from The Preacher's Wife

in Disney Adventures magazine. Okay. And they said like, what do you got coming up next? And the kid was like, well, I signed a three picture deal with Disney, so probably The Preacher's Wife too.

And even as like a seven year old, I was like, there's nothing going to get The Preacher's Wife to do. I mean, The Preacher's Wife was fine, did well, but. Yeah, but that's not, they're not franchising that, baby. Kid, welcome to Hollywood. That was the breaks.

Here are some other movies in the top 10 of December in 1996. Why do I remember? I don't know why you remember that. Quotes from interviews from Disney Adventures magazine. Enough, enough. Here's also opening this week, Citizen Ruth. A great movie.

Opened to $26,000. Yeah. On six screens. Not a big hit. It's a colossal bomb, yeah. Yeah. Jingle All the Way is in the top 10 with Jake Lloyd.

See, I saw most of these films in theaters. Sure. I saw Jingle All the Way in theaters. I saw Mars Attacks in theaters. I saw Daylight in theaters. I saw Mars Attacks. I did not see Jerry Maguire in theaters. I saw 101 Dalmatians in theaters. I saw Jingle the Way in theaters. I saw Mars Attacks in theaters. I saw Daylight in theaters. I saw Mars Attacks. I did not see Jerry Maguire in theaters.

I saw 101 Dalmatians in theaters. I saw 101 Dalmatians in theaters. I saw Jerry Maguire in video. I saw The Preacher's Wife in theaters. Yeah. Star Trek First Contact, number seven, I also saw in theaters.

It's a great film. Ransom, I did not see that in theaters. The Ron Howard revenge movie with Mel Gibson. Yeah, it got a ripping James Horner score. Yeah. The main theme from Ransom,

fucking rules. Woo! I jammed to it. Love that Hor Gibson. Yeah, it got a ripping James Horner score. The main theme from Ransom, fucking rules. I jammed to it. Love that Horner. Yeah. Star Trek First Contract's got a great score too, but I think it's Goldsmith. Because, you know, Goldsmith and Horner both took their cracks at Star Trek. Yeah. But I think Goldsmith's on it for that one.

I think so. They both did great jobs. Space Jam, still in there. Well, I mean, come on, slam. Welcome to the jam. English Jam, still in there. Well, I mean, come on, slam. Welcome to the jam. English Patient, still in there. Obviously goes on to win Best Picture over Jerry Maguire in a shocking travesty of a win.

Did people think Maguire was going to win? No. Yeah. No. English Patient had it sewn up. Just sucked. Have I ever told you the thing about my... The mirror has two faces and set it off?

That's what it's called. Oh, yeah. What a man. Yeah. What was I going to called. Oh, yeah, yeah. What a romance. Yeah. What was I going to say? Okay, so I want to talk about the Oscars because this was a notable year in that four of the five Best Picture nominees

were independent films for the first time ever. Yeah, the Best Picture nominees were, can you do it? Shine. Yep. Fargo. Yep. Secrets and Lies.

Yep. And The English Patient. Yeah, and the fifth is Jerry right Jerry M yeah so you had like four independent films two of which were Miramax the English patient is Miramax I believe secret lies or I think shine was no shine was new line fine line anyway anyway anyway anyway anyway this is this year where everyone went like oh Or I think Shine was No Shine was New Line Fine Line Anyway Anyway Anyway Anyway

Anyway This is this year Where everyone went like Oh the indies have taken over Sure right And for the first time The Oscars became like An indie game

Because before that There were the Independent Spirit Awards And that was their little tent You get to see These little oddball movies But the Oscars You had to be a big boy

You had to come play You had to throw down Secret to the Eyes Was not Miramax Just to be clear Okay But English Passion was You had to throw down Like fucking 60 million dollar budget On the table If you were going to Compete at the Oscars Secret to the Eyes was not Miramax, just to be clear. Okay. But English Passion was. You had to throw down like fucking $60 million budget on the table if you were going to compete

at the Oscars. Secret to the Eyes had barely made any money. Like, Shine hadn't made much money. Fargo honestly didn't make that much money. No. Like, yeah. And Jerry Maguire was like the one film that's like, oh, one Hollywood film fighting the rest of this.

And you look at Jerry Maguire today, and Jerry Maguire is the movie that would have the hardest time getting made in the current studio system. 100%. 100%. 100%. You could get major studio financing for Fargo, Shine, or The English Patient so much faster. Because of the Oscars. Right. And Secret Lies is so cheap that you go, like, maybe they would have given it, like, you know, a million dollars.

But Jerry Maguire's studio would never make today. It's amazing that that was viewed as, like, the David versus Goliath and Jerry Maguire was the Goliath. Kind of. And now, like, Jerry Maguire would be theoliath. Kind of. And now Jerry Maguire would be the David because if you're making a film like this, you're making it on an independent level. You're not getting the same sort of support, the same sort of freedom.

You don't have James L. Brooks over your shoulder. You don't get the biggest movie star in the world. And the audiences aren't heading out to that. So you know with some of the big movies, 96 is the dawn of the new blockbuster because you've got Independence Day've got twister you've got mission impossible you've got the rock like you've got a lot of big big action movies so mission impossible and germa were the same year yeah jesus fucking christ he had a real year nutty professor is that year

oh man talk about big he's fat you like that movie, Ben? The Nutty Professor? Yeah, with Eddie Murphy. The Nutty Professor. Oh, yeah. The craziest thing is that I like that movie. Eddie Murphy won two major critics awards

for that performance. Yeah. Like over your Tom Cruise's or your Jeffrey Rush's. I mean, he should have been nominated, no question. It's a tough year, buddy. Okay, The Five Were Fines.

Who should not have won won but he's nominated. Rush who did win. Who should not have won. Cruz who should have won. And then the other two would have been

give me a hint. I'm not going to give you hints because we're going along. But Woody Harrelson and People vs. Larry Flint which is a fantastic performance. Beautiful performance. And also along over you know Harrelson's putting in his dues.

Yeah. And then Billy Bob Thornton for Sling Blade, which is another indie success of the year. And I just wrote a piece about Ben Affleck's Armageddon commentary on the Criterion Edition. And every time, because obviously he recorded it in 98, every time Billy Bob Thornton is on screen, Ben Affleck goes into it like an extended Sling Blade impression where he's like, oh, yeah, see, the NASA's boys say there's an asteroid. And what if the whole movie was just like he got out of the funny home and he just like got in charge of NASA and the whole thing's a hoax and there's no asteroid. Like Ben Affleck's commentary is really, seek it out. It's incredible. I mean, yeah, I'll watch it.

It's really weird that Jeffrey Rush won that year, actually. Like, looking back on it. I mean, A, because he's not the lead of that movie. No, he's not even in it nearly as much as some of these other nominees. And Noah Taylor, I think, has more screen time than he does, I would almost argue. Yeah, but there was some weird magic to it. There was some weird magic. It is weird that he won.

He swept. There was no question he was going to win. It was inevitable. But he has, yeah, it's an interesting performance. It's a good performance. It's just an odd win for a movie that didn't get that much attention otherwise. But it got a bunch of Oscar nominations. Armand Muller's stall.

Yeah, the great. Yeah, so that's the year Fargo wins for actress and screenplay. Cuba wins for supporting actor. Gives a famous Oscar speech where he thanks everybody and he won't leave the stage and he's jumping around. It's very cute. And it's very similar to Rod Tidwell on the talk show when he breaks down crying and they go,

okay, we don't have time to thank everybody. You are my ambassador, Kwan. That's why, I mean, overnight everyone was like, oh, I guess Cuba's a movie star because it was like, gave this star performance and then at the Oscars he like, keeps the brand going. Like, he does the thing we all loved him doing in the movie and everyone was like, more of this please. And they proceeded to burn all his bridges. Yeah, he made some mistakes.

He's still a good actor. He's good in People versus O.J. this year. Yeah, he was very good in that. That's the year Binoche wins over Lauren Bacall to everyone's shock in supporting actress. Right. Gina King should have been both of them. And I think I've referenced this before. It's a tough year though. You got Joan Allen in The Crucible. You got Marianne Jean-Baptiste in Secrets

and Lies. So wait, it's a McDormand wins lead actress. Yeah. Okay. I think I've referenced this before in the past, but this was the first year my parents brought me to like an Oscar party. Yeah, I know you've said this. And I was like, oh, everyone likes English Patient, and I just picked English Patient in every category,

and I almost won the whole thing. I was the only one who had Binoche because everyone else picked Bico. Right. Good job, buddy. Thank you. So we're basically done with talking about... G. Maguire's. G. Maguire.

Oh, yeah, I wanted to read this. Jerry Maggs. This quote from the Armageddon commentary. By the way, Armageddon is a great movie. I just turned around on it having watched it with the commentary. Yeah. There's this moment where there's this like God awful like, you know, almost a parody montage of them all like waving American flags and shit.

And Affleck's like, I love this sequence. It looks like a Miller Genuine Giraffe dad. I like those ass. Like, he's just so funny. I have to listen to that. Anyway, earlier on, he's like, have you ever noticed how everyone in these movies has to be the best?

Bruce Willis is the best deep core driller. What, do they rate deep core drillers? Like, if you went around and asked somebody who's the best deep core driller, who would have an answer? Is he the only one on the commentary track? No, the commentary switches between four isolated tracks. Oh, that's always weird. It is weird. Michael Bay, who's

actually pretty funny and candid, but he's very Michael Bay. Bruce Willis, who's useless, and they barely cut to him at all. Yeah. Jerry Bruckheimer, who's kind of whatever. You don't hear much of him. Patting himself on the back, yeah. Michael Bay is often just like, that dog costs $20,000. That is a trained dog. He costs $20,000. Like, he's doing a lot of that stuff.

And Affleck's just throwing out straight heat. Affleck is literally like, did you see that helicopter in the background? That helicopter's in the scene for one second. They'll eat a whole day because they're just trying to show off and have a helicopter in the background. He's so funny.

That and Con Air, those two movies have, like, the weirdest cast for a major blockbuster. Armageddon has a crazy cast. Yeah. I mean, that's what Affleck talks about. He's like, me, Owen Wilson. Michaelageddon has a crazy cast. Yeah. I mean that's what Affleck talks about. He's like me, Owen Wilson, Michael Clark Duncan

Steve Buscemi. But like Steve Buscemi is the writer. He's talking about how there were all these actors who write. Affleck had just won an Oscar for writing and they were all just sort of hanging out and being like what is this fucking movie? Peter Stonemaier, Will Patton William Fichtner, Billy Bob also an actor who had just won an Oscar

for writing. Yeah. Claimed novelist Bruce Willis. Yeah, Bruce Willis, who wrote In Search of Lost Time. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Jerry Maguire, great movie. Okay, so. This is my favorite Crow movie.

I can't deny it. It is not mine. So Almost Famous is your favorite? I believe so. Oh, shit. I forgot to point something out. I say believe so because I haven't seen Elizabetht is not mine. So Almost Famous is your favorite? I believe so. Oh, shit. I forgot to point something out. I say believe so because I haven't seen Elizabethtown yet. Yes, Ben.

Oh, please. And his apartment? Uh-huh. Prominent fax machine. I swear to God. Okay, so that concludes Ben's tech corner for the day. Ben, have fun cleaning up the ejaculate all over your little fucking sound booth. I will.

No, this is a way better movie than Almost Famous. I'm sorry to say. I prefer Almost Famous. We'll talk about that next week. And next week, we'll be reviewing the bootleg cut, also known as Untitled. David is gesturing, jerking off a penis. Yep. He's running his

cupped hand up and down do you know like he almost called almost famous Vanilla Sky and then he almost called it untitled there were like so many crappy titles he just had in like a basket I like all those titles you know what I think is a great title Vanilla Sky I want to eat that movie when I see that DVD

I go yeah give me a scoop of that Vanilla Sky I think is a great title. I mean, he obviously wrote that down and was just like, I'll call a movie Vanilla Sky sometime. Someday I'll call something Vanilla Sky. Vanilla Sky. Great title. Do you remember Paul McCartney's Vanilla Sky song?

Yeah, it's like totally cute. I remember him playing it at the Oscars. He's like... But he has to keep on saying Vanilla Sky over. I lost another Vanilla Sky. Like, that's how you get home. A-doop-a-doop. A-doop-a-doop Vanilla Sky.

That's so weird. Love Vanilla Sky. Give me two scoops of that. I mean, I can't wait to talk about Vanilla Sky, and I have not seen it in years. You know the weird thing about Vanilla Sky? It's called Vanilla Sky? Yeah, I actually saw Abre Los Ojos

before I saw Vanilla Sky, which it's a remake sky yeah i actually saw abre los ojos before i saw vanilla sky like which it's a remake yeah which i don't think is that common because that movie wasn't a very big hit but for some reason i watched it on tv well see i'll say i there was i the summer camp i went to the day camp i went to and i was like seven or eight this kid on the bus was fucking obsessed with abras le ojos open your eyes and we talk about it every fucking day kind of a cool movie way or eight. This kid on the bus was fucking obsessed with Abras Le Ojos. Open Your Eyes. And would talk about it every fucking day. It's kind of a cool movie. Way better than Vanilla Sky. But every day he'd sit next to me on the

bus and be like, I'm telling you this movie. And he would just like talk about it. So when Vanilla Sky came out and it was a remake of that, I was like, well, fuck that. You know when someone talks about something so much that you've decided you hate it? Sure. So I like didn't want to see a remake of that movie. Maybe we should watch it. That I hadn't seen. Maybe we should. It's pretty's pretty good yeah i want to watch it and he's had an interesting career uh ed mandibar yeah some of the uh my back page is the uncool imagine

tangerine a thousand words the uncool is the name of his website i mean a lot of these things he repurposed for other things i hotel kisses in through the outdoor well that's terrible that's what if he had made a movie called in through the outdoor yeah i would have vomited if he made a movie called in through the outdoor i'll say i mean you know calling a movie untitled is pretentious i do think almost famous is one of the few movies where it's like that kind of works as a title i think almost famous is a decent title i I do too, but I think Untitled is a shit title. I think it's a good title for that movie. Fuck that.

I like it. Fuck it. Next week we'll be reviewing Untitled, aka Almost Famous, the bootleg cut. I believe you can find it on Blu-ray right now for $5. I don't know if it's available on streaming sites or if on your Amazons, your iTuneses, if it's only the theatrical version, but

it's out there. You can watch it somehow. So please, you know, thank you for listening. Get ready for that. Yeah. There'll also be a Del Close Marathon episode. I don't know when that will drop in relation to this, but it's a bonus episode.

We're still trying to figure out exactly what it will be. All right, we've run like two hours. Okay. End two hours. End of this. Thank you all for listening. Please rate, subscribe, review, tweet at us, email us, all the stuff. We promise we will read some reviews. We keep saying we're going to

do it. Sorry about that. It'll happen soon. Just tune in next time for another case from the Orange Twist file, another burger report, review corner, all your favorite things, Merchandise Spotlight. Jerry Maguire, Merchandise Spotlight was the most produced VHS tape of all time. It was the highest selling non-Disney VHS of all time, which has led to the meme-y sort of everything is terrible thing where the guy's trying to collect as many Jerry Maguire

tapes as possible. And he's built a collect as many Jerry Maguire tapes as possible. And he's built a room out of Jerry Maguire tapes. Do you know about this? No, but we have to. It's funny. You call them Mimi's? Meme. Mimi.

I was saying Mimi like not, like it's a meme-ish thing. It's Mimi with a Y. Yeah. Oh, okay. Yeah. Anyway, stay tuned for all of that. And as always, remember to tweet at JLabNicky. Great job.

You did a great job. Hashtag the two. This has been a UCB comedy production. Check out our other shows on the UCB Comedy Podcast Network.