Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher???

*****If you haven't read the book, the following may contain a plot spoiler. ******

I have been re-reading the book "One Shot" (which is the one being made into a movie) and there is a scene where Jack Reacher breaks into the Zek's house, grabs one of the Russian bad guys, holds him completely off the ground to prevent the bad guy from making contact with anything, and crushes him with his arms, preventing the bad guy from breathing, until the bad guy dies.

I really doubt that Tom Cruise will be able to do that...unless the bad guy is played by Verne Troyer. ;)

This is what I find very frustrating about this casting...the scene I related above is one of many, many examples where Reacher uses his size and enormous strength...it is an essential element of his character. I just don't see how anyone could consider Cruise an acceptable actor to portray Reacher, unless of course the intent is not to actually make a Jack Reacher movie.
 
GKC said:
...I just don't see how anyone could consider Cruise an acceptable actor to portray Reacher, unless of course the intent is not to actually make a Jack Reacher movie.
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I think the idea was to make money for Lee Child from a bunch of folks who could pay a lot. The books will continue to be cast by readers' imaginations. That's OK with me. I will probably skip the flick.
 
I had never heard of lee child or jack reacher untill this thread. You got me curious so I went and bought the first book, "Killing floor" and I cant put it down. I am half way through. I can picture james arness or chuck conners playing the part, when they were 34 years old. Of course thats impossible now. If I see the movie with tom cruise playing jack I might not buy any more of the series! Actualy I picture my dad as jack as he looked the exact discription at that age. Dad was 6 ft 5"s, blond. blue eyed and about 220 ish. He also was quiet. Dad would be a 100 next year. He died right at 90 in 2003.

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I've read a few of the Reacher series books. Compared to the descriptions of Jack Reacher in the books, Tom Cruise should be singing about being in the Lollipop Guild.
 
I used to be quite a fan of John Grisham's books, and I've read almost all of them...until I realized the anti-gun theme that seems to permeate his later novels, and I haven't read the last few he's written. Anyway, I read that he had retained casting approval when one of his novels is made into a movie. (Tom Cruise played the lead in "The Firm" which is fine...size isn't an element of that book.) I'm not a famous author, but if I was, I would have to do the same...as well as script approval...I wouldn't want to see my work destroyed by Hollywood.

I can't believe that Lee Child didn't already have enough money that he didn't need to sell out.
 
I was in my local bookseller's shop today where I picked up a copy of Jack Reacher's Rules, a small-format hardcover with 151 pages of quotes from the Reacher novels, organized by subject matter. Subjects range from "Be Prepared" and "Choose Your Weapons" to "Hitchhiking - The Rules", "Man Walks into a Bar - The Rules", "How to Sleep in a $350 Hotel Room for $50", and the all-important "How to Leave Town".

"I'm a man with a rule. People leave me alone, I leave them alone. They don't, I don't.
-Jack Reacher

Somehow, I don't see Tom Cruise pulling it off.
 
Never read the book but I think Tom is such a psychopath that he can pull it off when he puts his mind to it. I think he really shined in Collateral.
 
Jim Cavizel 6'2 200 lbs plus or Tom Hardy would have been great choices. Vinnie Jones???? maybe.
 
Movies get cast, produced and directed by people who are "bankable", i.e. they can line up the enormous amount of money it takes to make a movie. Lenders and completion bond cos. don't know 'Jack' from Clack but they feel better about the risk if they know the names of the top people.

FWIW...I met a Top Gun flier who was in the training when Cruise made the movie. He said Tom was a good guy so he took him out drinking the night before he went in the simulator...they all wanted to see how he puked!
 
I'm another one who started reading the Reacher series because of this thread and I'm having a hard time with Cruise as the character as well. I keep picturing Dwayne Johnson or the guy that plays "Happy" on Sons of Anarchy. ;)
 
Gorenut said:
I think he really shined in Collateral.
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Yes, he did...quite a different role for him, and it was good to see that side of his acting ability. I also liked that he practiced diligently to master using the H&K, and it wasn't just "movie magic."

There are roles that just aren't a fit for a certain actor, which isn't a reflection on the actor, per se...and sometimes the actor can really surprise you when you thought they would be wrong for the role. I remember when I saw "Insomnia" and "One Hour Photo" that I kept waiting for Robin Williams to break into some zany bit...but he didn't, at all, and in the end it made him seem even more psychotic and creepy, because he was just the opposite of what I expected. That's different than playing against a physical type, though...and if Jack Reacher hadn't been so thoroughly described, and if his gigantic physique didn't play such an important part in his character/ability, then it wouldn't matter so much.

It does, though, and so it's rather like having Rob Schneider play the lead role in the Shaquille O'Neal story. :rolleyes:
 
feralmerril said:
.... Actualy I picture my dad as jack as he looked the exact discription at that age. Dad was 6 ft 5"s, blond. blue eyed and about 220 ish. He also was quiet. Dad would be a 100 next year. He died right at 90 in 2003.

Picture21.jpg
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Dang, that's perfect feral. I'm going to picture your dad from now on when I read Reacher novels. Look at the size of his hands, and that solid, no-nonsense mug!
 
I have only seen mitts bigger than dads a couple times. I remarried right after he died. I wear his wedding ring. I think it was size 14 and I had to get it sized down twice. One of my uncles and him were almost identical.
 
feralmerril said:
I have only seen mitts bigger than dads a couple times. I remarried right after he died. I wear his wedding ring. I think it was size 14 and I had to get it sized down twice. One of my uncles and him were almost identical.
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My Dad had huge hands and fingers. He was a Swede boy farmer. He and his two brothers were required to milk the cows by hand AM and PM. Their hands and fingers responded accordingly. I remember noticing at supper his fingers were as big as the hot dogs. We had milking machines by the time I got the job. Those cows ran me as far off the farm as I could get(Wall Street)!
 
My dad told me also thats why he thought he had big hands. His dad owned the biggest farm in the county and had a herd of 50 or more cows to milk by hand before milking machines. He also told me he thought his dad`s hands and forearms were bigger than his. Dad said grandpa couldnt button his sleeves because his wrists were so big.
 
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