Into Vanilla Sky, a mind-bending journey through dreams (or nightmares)?

Recently, a reel caught my attention, showing Tom Cruise and Penelope Cruz engaging in an intense scene from the movie ‘Vanilla Sky,’ where they sketch their impressions of each other on a piece of paper. So, I decided to give this movie a shot. I started the movie thinking it’s a rom-com movie, but oh, let me tell you, it wasn’t at all what I was expecting!

This movie features Tom Cruise and no action scenes. I didn’t know that could happen but well. Vanilla Sky is a mind-bending psychological thriller which explores the ideas of love, identity, reality and most importantly the blurred relationship between dreams and consciousness.

Sometimes, dreams can be a window into our truest desires, a glimpse into our manifestations. This exploration of the subconscious mind unfolded through the character of David Aames (Tom Cruise), a charming and rich publishing magnate who seemingly has it all, everything a guy (especially Brian) wants. However, his life takes a drastic turn when he meets Sofia (Penélope Cruz).

This movie constantly reminded me of ‘The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’, another mind-fucking piece, that explored the capabilities of our subconsciousness, the complexity of dreams and the power of love. The movies are quite similar in that, they both have a layered storytelling. As the film progresses, it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish between the dreamlike sequences and actual events. I was hooked on to the movie and just couldn’t predict what’s going to come next. Chaos seemed inherent to the movie’s plot, although there were instances where the narrative felt unnecessarily prolonged. Nonetheless, the thought-provoking interactions between David and Dr. McCabe, portrayed by Kurt Russel, added depth to the story, highlighting the theme of consequences that permeated throughout.

Here are two quotes from the movie that deeply resonated with me:

Every passing minute is another chance to turn it all around.

This line left an indelible mark on me. It reminded me of all my regrets. I’m sure there is something we all regret - things we wish we had done differently or things we wish we had discovered earlier. This dialogue felt like a comforting reminder that it’s never too late. It’s never too late to make a change. This reiterated dialogue will surely stay with you after the movie is over.

One day you’ll know what love truly is, it’s the sour and the sweet. And I know the sour, which allows me to appreciate the sweet.

This personally spoke to me and the relationships I have had in the past. It reminded me of a similar quote from ‘The Silent Patient’ by Alex Michaelides,

“…we often mistake love for fireworks — for drama and dysfunction. But real love is very quiet, very still. It’s boring, if seen from the perspective of high drama. Love is deep and calm — and constant.”

Some days, you both give your 100/100, but it still feels like a 80/120. But that’s perfectly fine. Like Alex says, love is not all fireworks. Love is both highs and lows. It is in the mundane. It’s in the ‘little things’. It’s sometimes in little moments that go unnoticed, like holding the door open, like offering your handkerchief, like keeping a hand over her head so that she doesn’t accidently bang her head into the kitchen shelf, like remember a boring fact every else forgot, like simply sending a picture saying ‘wish you were here’. Love resides within these seemingly inconsequential gestures, weaving a subtle tapestry of connection between two souls.