Jerry Maguire
Jerry Maguire is a 1996 American sports romantic comedy film written and directed by Cameron Crowe. It was produced by Crowe and James L. Brooks, respectively for Vinyl Films and Gracie Films and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing under the TriStar Pictures label. It stars Tom Cruise as the titular sports agent character, alongside Cuba Gooding Jr., Renée Zellweger, Kelly Preston, Jerry O'Connell, Jay Mohr, Bonnie Hunt and Regina King. It was released in North American theaters on December 13, 1996.
Jerry Maguire was inspired by an experience with the sports agent Leigh Steinberg, a technical consultant for the film and his client, Tim McDonald during the 1993 NFL season when free agency was introduced. The film was also partly inspired by a 28-page memo written at Disney in 1991 by Jeffrey Katzenberg.
Jerry Maguire received positive reviews for its performances and screenplay. It grossed more than $273 million worldwide against its $50 million budget. It was the ninth-highest-grossing film of 1996. It was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Cruise, with Cuba Gooding Jr. winning Best Supporting Actor, in addition to the Screen Actors Guild Award in the same category. Cruise won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
Jerry Maguire gained a cult following and has spawned several catchphrases into popular culture, such as "you had me at 'hello'", "you complete me" and "show me the money".
Plot
Jerry Maguire is a slick 35-year-old sports agent working for Sports Management International. After criticism from an injured player's son triggers an epiphany, he writes a mission statement about perceived dishonesty in business and his desire to work with fewer clients to produce a better, more caring personal relationship with them.In response, SMI management sends Bob Sugar, Jerry's protégé, to fire him. This spurs both men to race to call every one of Jerry's clients to retain them. Jerry speaks to Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Rod Tidwell, a smaller client who is disgruntled with his pay. Rod tests Jerry's resolve through a long tirade on his lack of contract extension. By the conclusion of the conversation, Jerry has retained Rod but lost his other clients to Bob.
Leaving the office, Jerry loudly announces that he will start his own agency and asks if anyone will join him, to which only 26-year-old single mother Dorothy Boyd agrees. Frank "Cush" Cushman, a superstar quarterback prospect who is expected to be the number one pick in the NFL draft, initially says he will also stay with Jerry after he makes a personal visit to the Cushman home. Frank's father insists on a handshake deal based on his word instead of a signed contract, but Jerry eventually realizes that Frank and his father have secretly signed with Bob the night before the draft after seeing Jerry spend time introducing Rod to other football executives.
Jerry breaks up with his disgruntled fiancée Avery after she becomes emotionally unsupportive. He then turns to Dorothy, becoming closer to her young son Ray, and eventually starts a romantic relationship with her.
Jerry concentrates all his efforts on Rod, now his only remaining client, who turns out to be difficult to satisfy. In need of money, Jerry calls in a favor to get a contract extension from Rod's current team, the Cardinals, but receives a lowball offer. Rod and his wife decide to reject a $1.4 million deal to support their family despite Jerry's warning that if Rod gets injured, he will receive nothing.
Without any money coming in, Dorothy knows that Jerry cannot afford payroll, so she decides to move to San Diego for a more secure job offer with health benefits. Afraid of losing Dorothy, Jerry proposes marriage to share health benefits, and as she is smitten, she agrees.
Over the next several months, Rod and Jerry grow closer through a series of open and difficult conversations as they struggle to secure him a contract; Rod tells Jerry that he wants him to be honest, while Jerry tells Rod, "Help me, help you," convincing him to stop complaining and start playing with his heart. Rod takes Jerry's advice, playing well and advancing the Cardinals. Jerry's marriage with Dorothy struggles, however, so she suggests they amicably separate before losing too much of their lives to each other.
During a Christmas Day Monday Night Football game between the Cardinals and the Dallas Cowboys, Rod catches a winning touchdown that secures the playoffs for the Cardinals, but appears to receive a serious injury. After a few minutes, he regains consciousness and celebrates with a dance for the cheering crowd. After the scare and the widely televised recovery, Jerry and Rod embrace in front of the media and show how their relationship has progressed from strictly business to a close personal one, which was a point Jerry made in his mission statement.
Triggering a realization, Jerry immediately flies home, finding Dorothy in a meeting of her sister Laurel's divorcee support group. The group watches as Jerry gives an impassioned speech telling Dorothy he needs her, to which she responds, "Shut up… you had me at hello."
Rod appears on Up Close, where he learns Jerry has secured him a massive $11.2 million contract with the Cardinals, allowing him to finish his career in Arizona. Rod breaks down and thanks everyone, extending warm gratitude to Jerry. Jerry and Dorothy celebrate as Jerry is introduced to other pro athletes who have seen his work with Rod. Jerry and Dorothy walk with Ray, discussing Ray's future as a baseball player after noticing his strong throw.
Cast
As themselves:Cameron Crowe wrote the screenplay for Tom Hanks. Crowe took so long to write the screenplay that by the time the film was ready to be made, Hanks turned down the role as he was more interested in directing That Thing You Do!. Woody Harrelson was offered the role but turned it down. Rod Tidwell was partially modeled after Charley Taylor.
Janet Jackson auditioned and was initially accepted for the role of Marcee Tidwell, though it later went to Regina King, who previously co-starred in Jackson's debut film Poetic Justice. Jackson is referenced twice in the film, with a Janet poster seen hanging in Teepee's room and Cuba Gooding Jr.'s character Rod Tidwell asking "What Have You Done for Me Lately?", paying homage to Jackson's hit of the same name. Artie Lange filmed a scene but it was cut.
Patricia Arquette, Kate Beckinsale, Bridget Fonda, Winona Ryder, Marisa Tomei, Cameron Diaz, Gwyneth Paltrow, Uma Thurman and Jennifer Lopez were all considered for the part of Dorothy. Mira Sorvino was also considered for Dorothy but the producers would not meet her quote. The producers also considered Janeane Garofalo for the role of Dorothy but she was deemed too old for the part. Connie Britton auditioned for the role of Dorothy, and the choice was narrowed down to Zellweger and Britton, with Zellweger winning the part. Damon Wayans and Mykelti Williamson were considered for the role of Rod Tidwell. Jamie Foxx auditioned for the role of Rod Tidwell. Diane Lane was considered for the role of Avery Bishop; however, the role was eventually given to Kelly Preston. Billy Wilder was considered for the part of Jerry's mentor Dicky Fox.
Soundtrack
Jerry Maguire was scored by Crowe's then-wife, Nancy Wilson, a member of the rock band Heart. The songwriter Aimee Mann recorded a song, "Wise Up", for the film, but Crowe felt it did not fit. According to Crowe, he had used Mann's original version, a simple demo piano, in a scene in which Jerry Maguire is moving through an airport. Mann's final version was "larger, more lush, more of a personal epic, and quite incredible... suddenly it was too big for the scene it was meant for." He said not being able to use it was "heartbreaking". Though it was not used in the film, "Wise Up" was included on the Jerry Maguire soundtrack album and later used in the 1999 film Magnolia."Secret Garden", originally a Bruce Springsteen track from 1995, was re-released in 1997 after its exposure in the film and on the soundtrack, and reached No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Product placement
TriStar received merchandise and marketing services of over $1.5 million from Reebok in exchange for incorporating a commercial into the film and depicting the Reebok brand within certain agreed-upon standards; when the film was theatrically released, the commercial had been left out and a tirade including "broadsides against Reebok" was included. When the film aired on television, the Reebok commercial had been embedded into the film as originally agreed upon. The "Special Edition" DVD release of the film, which has the film's theatrical edit, includes the commercial as bonus content.Release
Box office
Jerry Maguire debuted at number one above Mars Attacks! and 101 Dalmatians, earning $17,084,296 during its opening weekend. The film would earn the second-highest December opening weekend at the time of its release, behind Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. While it was overtaken by Beavis and Butt-Head Do America in its second weekend, it still collected $13.1 million, outgrossing newcomers Scream and One Fine Day in the process. It eventually grossed $153,952,592 in North American box office and approximately $119.6 million internationally for a $273,552,592 worldwide total, on a budget of $50 million.It was the ninth top-grossing film of 1996 and the fourth highest-grossing romantic drama film of all time.
Critical response
Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.Cuba Gooding Jr. won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Rod Tidwell, the Arizona Cardinals football player who sticks with Maguire. Cruise was also nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role and the movie marked Renée Zellweger's breakout role. The film was nominated for Best Picture, and crew members on the film were nominated for Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Editing awards.
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film three out of four stars, writing that there "are so many subplots that Jerry Maguire seems too full" and also commented that the film "starts out looking cynical and quickly becomes a heartwarmer." Todd McCarthy of Variety wrote "An exceptionally tasty contempo comedic romance, Jerry Maguire runs an unusual pattern on its way to scoring an unexpected number of emotional, social and entertaining points. Smartly written and boasting a sensational cast, Cameron Crowe's shrewdly observed third feature also gives Tom Cruise one of his very best roles..."
Former Green Bay Packers vice president Andrew Brandt said that the film "accurately portrayed the cutthroat nature of the agent business, especially the lengths to which agents will go to retain or pilfer clients. It also captured the financial, emotional and psychological investment that goes far beyond negotiating contracts."