With a myriad of movies under his belt and being undeniably one of the biggest and most bankable movie stars, Tom Cruise has earned phenomenally massive success. Creating a legacy of his own and rocking the global box office with unanimous praise from critics and audiences, the actor has earned several accolades.
However, irrespective of his fame and fortune, Tom Cruise failed to achieve one thing in particular – the Academy Award. Despite his incredible performance that deserved an Oscar, the actor was snubbed by the Academy. So, we have ranked 5 of his movies that undoubtedly deserved an Oscar but failed to bag one.
5) Rain Man
Although Tom Cruise has been nominated for an Oscar several times, the actor failed to ultimately bag one. But we believe Cruise deserved an Academy Award after flexing his dramatic muscles in Barry Levinson’s 1988 Rain Man. Playing the role of an abrasive, selfish and young car dealer Charlie Babbitt, Cruise seemingly evolved as an actor. Anchored by an iconic performance from him, the actor deserved the opportunity to hail an Oscar.
4) A Few Good Men
Showcasing his riveting performance in Rob Reiner’s 1992 movie, A Few Good Men, the movie marked an exorcism for Cruise. The actor played the role of a Navy lawyer, Lieutenant Junior Grade Daniel Kaffee, and appeared alongside Jack Nicholson. Facing intimidating challenges, in the movie, the actor had the role of defending two US marines charged with the murder of another fellow marine. The 1992 legal drama was Cruise’s one of his more likable and relatable performances, that surely deserved an Academy Award.
3) Born on the Fourth of July
Tom Cruise’s finest big-screen hour remains the 1989 war drama, Born On The Fourth Of July. Appearing in the true story of Ronnie Kovic, the actor delivered raw and compelling scenes as the lead. Playing the role of the patriotic young man with the dream of serving his country, but left paralyzed, Cruise brought tears to the eyes of his fans. Dramatizing his action with a gorgeous composition, the actor’s performance is all about internalized grief and rage struggling to break free. This flawless embodiment indeed deserved an Oscar.
2) Jerry Maguire
Cameron Crowe’s 1996 romance comedy Jerry Maguire, was more than a movie about sports agents and romance, featuring Tom Cruise. The film was a tale of resilience, uniqueness love, and most importantly, the relentless pursuit of integrity and morality over profit. Thus, Jerry Maguire ranks second in line for which Cruise deserved an Oscar. The emotional roller-coaster journey mixed with intimate messages, wherein the lead character has a moral epiphany after being exhausted by the cynicism of his job, the film undoubtedly became one of Cruise’s best films.
1) Magnolia
Our list comes to an end with Magnolia, the most phenomenal movie delivered by Tom Cruise, that deserved to bag an Oscar. But unfortunately despite his riveting performance in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1999 psychological drama, that pushed his limits as an actor, Cruise was snubbed by the Academy. His commanding presence as Frank T.J. Mackey in the movie that narrated the epic story of people’s intertwined lives, somehow failed to grab the Oscars’ attention. It’s in this movie that Cruise truly transcends to the best acting of his career.
