5 Movies Tom Cruise Should Have Won an Oscar For
Top 5 Tom Cruise movies
Tom Cruise movies has been a major movie star for about 40 years now. It’s hard to believe. He’s starred in so many hit movies, but he hasn’t actually won an Oscar in a major category yet. People are talking about his new movie, “Digger”, and are wondering if this film will finally earn him the trophy.
We’ll have to wait until 2027 to see if he wins for it, since that’s when the awards ceremonies for the films of 2026 will take place. But honestly, looking back, he’s had plenty of other chances to win so far. He’s delivered some truly great performances over the years.
5 “Born on the Fourth of July” (1989)
This is the first major film on my list. It’s a very famous movie. Tom Cruise plays Ron Kovic, a real person. The story is about how he goes off to fight in the Vietnam War, becomes paralyzed, and subsequently becomes an anti-war activist. It’s definitely what you’d call an “Oscar contender,” but it’s the kind of movie people actually enjoy. He really went out of his way to convey all the heavy, sad emotions that come with such a life-changing experience.
I also have to mention Rain Man. He was great in that one, too. That movie actually won the Oscar for Best Picture, and Dustin Hoffman won Best Actor. The fact that these two movies came out so close together really proved that Tom Cruise wasn’t just an action or comedy star. He was a real actor. He received his first Oscar nomination for “Born on the Fourth of July”. However, he didn’t win. Daniel Day-Lewis took home the award that year for “My Left Foot”, a similarly intense role.
4 “EYES WIDE SHUT” (1999)
At the start of the new century, Tom Cruise collaborated with legendary director Stanley Kubrick. This would be Kubrick’s final film. It’s called Eyes Wide Shut. Opinions differ on what kind of movie it is. Is it a thriller? Is it a drama? It’s kind of all of those things. It’s about a doctor who becomes extremely jealous and embarks on a crazy, strange adventure through New York City after discovering that his wife has been toying with the idea of cheating on him.
This is probably one of his most selfless performances ever. You can tell he was absolutely willing to do whatever Kubrick asked of him. He plays a wealthy doctor, but he isn’t part of the super-elite. As he gets drawn into their world, he has to show fear and insecurity. He isn’t the only great actor in the film—Nicole Kidman is also really good—but he is the main character. The film feels so oppressive and strange because he masters his role so brilliantly.
3 “TROPIC THUNDER” (2008)
Some people like to say, “Oh, it was just the makeup and the wig that made him so good.” That’s just not true. Sure, as Les Grossman he looked completely different, but his acting performance is what made the whole thing possible. If he’d looked like himself, he still would’ve been hilarious. This time, he wasn’t in a drama. It was a comedy, but he played the part with incredible intensity. He was loud and aggressive—in a way that was just fun to watch.
To be honest, he stole every single scene he was in. You get the feeling he should have deserved a Best Supporting Actor nomination for it. The only reason he probably didn’t get it is that Robert Downey Jr. starred in the same movie and was nominated for it. It’s pretty rare for two actors from the same comedy to be nominated. But you really have to see it to believe how fully Tom Cruise committed to this ridiculous role.
2 “MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FALLOUT” (2018)
Can I just vent a little here? Why do we act like action stars aren’t just as good as dramatic actors? That’s unfair. These guys have to do so much. Even if they don’t do every single stunt themselves, they have to be on the move all day long while looking cool and powerful. Tom Cruise is basically the king of this. In the Mission: Impossible series, he shows everyone how it’s done. He’s great in every installment, but Mission: Impossible – Fallout is something special.
The movie is fast-paced, and the action is top-notch. Tom Cruise and his friends seem completely focused for the entire two and a half hours. Most actors treat Shakespeare as if it were the most important thing in the world. Tom Cruise treats the character of Ethan Hunt exactly the same way. If an actor takes his role this seriously, why isn’t he nominated for an Oscar? He really should be. He’s that good.
1 “MAGNOLIA” (1999)
If we had to pick just one movie for which he really should have won, it would be Magnolia. He was nominated for Best Supporting Actor and was simply stunning. He played a man named Frank T.J. Mackey, an extremely intense motivational speaker. He has to be domineering and mean, only to suddenly come across as very sad and vulnerable. He makes the most of his time on screen.
He lost out to Michael Caine for the film The Cider House Rules. Well, Michael Caine is a legend. But he’s been better in other movies. He’d already won an Oscar for “Hannah and Her Sisters”. That he won again, even though Tom Cruise was right there beside him and gave his best performance ever in “Magnolia”? That’s just unbelievable. Tom Cruise would have deserved that win.
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