Best Tom Cruise Movies

Yesterday, Tom Cruise celebrated his birthday. He is one of Hollywood’s most famous actors and a true legend of world cinema. He is also known for his determination to perform many of the most difficult stunts himself.

To mark the occasion, we’ve put together a selection of Tom Cruise’s best roles.

Mission: Impossible – Fallout

One of the best films in the entire Mission: Impossible franchise.

Ethan Hunt once again tries to prevent a global catastrophe while dealing with the consequences of a failed operation. The film is remembered not only for its fast-paced story but also for Tom Cruise’s incredible stunts.

The actor performed many of the key stunts himself: he completed a HALO jump from an altitude of around 7.6 km, learned to fly a helicopter for the aerial chase, and jumped between rooftops. During the latter stunt, Cruise broke his ankle but still completed the take.

Top Gun: Maverick

The film that brought audiences back to the world of legendary pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell 36 years later.

For the aerial scenes, the actors underwent special training and were actually inside F/A-18 fighter jets during flight. The aircraft were flown by professional military pilots, while the actors had to manage the cameras, lighting, and makeup themselves inside the cockpit.

The film became the highest-grossing project of Tom Cruise’s career and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.

Rain Man

A drama about young car dealer Charlie Babbitt, who learns after his father’s death that he has an older brother named Raymond. Their journey together gradually changes both of their lives.

The film received eight Academy Award nominations and won four, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Actor for Dustin Hoffman.

Despite Hoffman’s acclaimed performance, it is Cruise’s character who undergoes the story’s central transformation, changing from a selfish careerist into someone capable of caring for another person.

Collateral

Michael Mann’s neo-noir thriller, in which Tom Cruise unexpectedly appears as a cold-blooded contract killer.

Over the course of one night, an ordinary taxi driver becomes involved in a deadly situation and is forced to drive the hitman between his assignments.

To prepare for the role, Cruise trained with firearms and practiced moving quickly through crowds. His gray hair and restrained manner made Vincent one of the most unusual characters of the actor’s career.

Edge of Tomorrow

A science-fiction action film about a military officer who becomes trapped in a time loop and is forced to relive the same day again and again. Every death sends him back to the beginning of the battle, gradually transforming him into an experienced soldier.

During filming, Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt wore real metal exoskeletons. On average, the suits weighed around 39 kilograms, while some versions were even heavier.

Despite the intense physical strain, the actors performed extended battle scenes and stunts while wearing them.

Magnolia

One of the strongest dramatic performances of Tom Cruise’s career.

He played Frank T. J. Mackey, a charismatic motivational speaker who hides deep psychological trauma behind his confident persona.

While preparing for the role, Cruise helped develop the character and created an extended version of one of his monologues. His performance in Magnolia earned him a Golden Globe and an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.