The original: 

Jerry Maguire (1996)

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Directed by: 

Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous, Singles, Vanilla Sky, Say Anything) 

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Starring: 

Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jnr, Renee Zellweger, Jonathan Lipnicki, Bonnie Hunt, Regina King, Jay Mohr, Jerry O’Connell, Kelly Preston and Jared Jussim 

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What’s it about? 

When sports agent Jerry Maguire (Cruise) shows weakness (which some people call humanity) in his cut-throat workplace and amoral industry, he is fired and ostracised from his clients. 

 

Betrayed, desperate and with his life in pieces, Maguire finds a hidden strength, a deeper connection with his one remaining client, football star-in-the-making Rod Tidwell (Gooding Jnr), love with his one supportive colleague, Dorothy Boyd (Zellweger) and a family with her and her young son, Ray (Lipnicki). 

 

Comedy, drama and feel-good movie of the 90’s, Jerry Maguire is human, humane, cutting, witty, intelligent and heart-warming, while avoiding being too sappy. 

 

With standout performances by all, iconic one-liners and with a script and direction by Crowe firing on all cylinders (or hitting a home run, or something), this is about how messy, imperfect and flawed humans can be, showing that we all have the capacity for good, and life isn’t about scoring the winning touchdown, but simply turning up to play. 

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"If this (points to heart) is empty, this (points to head) doesn't matter."

- Dicky Fox

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"Success consists of simply getting up one more time than you fall."

- Sign in locker room

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"You had me at hello."

- Dorothy Boyd