Tom Cruise’s worst film, with a 9% rating, sparked his Hollywood career more than any other Mission Impossible film to date.

Although he is controversial, Tom Cruise is controversial the Perfect movie star. You can love him or hate him, but it’s his on-screen charisma and willingness to give it his all in all his roles that, so far, has made him a huge hit at the box office.

He embodies cinema, and his dedication to giving his all in everything he does — whether riding off a cliff on a bike or pulling off an impossible fight scene atop a practical, moving train — is indicative of his legacy and brand in Hollywood.

But this trait of his is not one he has cultivated recently. Even before many Mission: Impossible The movies showed us Cruise’s knack for committing to the unthinkable, and there was one movie right after that The best And Color of moneycalled “Cocktail” (1988), where the actor’s diligence and perseverance spoke volumes about his character.

While the endeavor was critically panned and even earned a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture, the 61-year-old Hollywood icon’s image within the industry was further enhanced – and when word of mouth failed to support the film’s box office success. It was Cruise’s star power that proved revolutionary.

How it has been critically criticized cocktail (1988) cemented Tom Cruise’s status in Hollywood

Seven years into his Hollywood career, he has achieved great success Dangerous work And The bestThe audience saw Tom Cruise – a rising star at the time – portraying the role of ambitious waiter Brian Flanagan in… cocktail. The film is based on Heywood Gould’s book of the same name. Touchstone Pictures, Silver Screen Partners III and Interscope Communications supported the effort. Although this effort did not lack talent or commercial support, it failed to resonate with reviewers.

Although some films of the past, which were misjudged in their genesis, are subject to re-evaluation, cocktail It didn’t quite do that. It received a rating of 9% on Rotten tomatoes“Tomatometer. However, the public’s score stands at a slightly positive verdict of 58%. Later, even Cruise admitted that the initiative led by Roger Donaldson was not the crown jewel of his career (via Rolling Stone).

If that wasn’t enough, the film earned Cruise a nomination for Worst Actor at the Golden Raspberry Awards.

But you have to understand this: With everything critics said about the film, it was still a commercial triumph. Against a budget of $20 million, the film collected $78 million at the domestic box office (via The Numbers). The total global GDP is estimated at $171.5 million. If that’s not impressive, what is?

cocktail He didn’t have reliable word of mouth, but he did have Tom Cruise, whose massive appeal drew flocks to theaters. Whether the film would have achieved it without… Rain Man It is difficult to identify alum.

However, it seems that’s not all that has contributed to Cruise’s standing in Hollywood yet.cocktail. His successful endeavors will certainly serve as the building blocks for the image he has now. Regardless, the actor’s commitment to the 1988 film made it clear to Hollywood that the then-young star was worth relying on.

The film blatantly emphasized that being dependent on Cruise meant he would leave no stone unturned in seeing what he was tasked with come to fruition — even when the effort in question could have been seen as a money grab or one of the many credits in one’s filmography. That act as filler spaces before the next best thing comes along.

But that’s not how Tom Cruise does things.

Tom Cruise gave his all to even the worst-rated film of his career

If his efforts to go all out weren’t so flagrant The best– The film that first demonstrated the power behind Cruise’s stardom –cocktail, which did not compete with the previous film by any measure, was proof enough. Even for an endeavor that many actors would have viewed as an under-the-radar endeavor, Cruise stood apart from the audience and went to great lengths to bring tangibility to Brian Flanagan’s character.

In an old interview, the bona fide star revealed what homework contributed to his portrayal of the character cocktail. Talking to CBCTom Cruise confirmed, “When I started, I interviewed about 35 waiters.” By learning their craft and enlisting their help to bring realism to the premise, the actor showed that he put his best foot forward in this endeavor, even when he faltered in his worst-rated film.

This penchant for “doing” rather than just “showing” proved that Tom Cruise will stop at nothing to ensure the job is done to the highest standards. Instead of relying on it cocktail As a buffer between other opportunities or an acting gig that fell through from a purely lucrative perspective, Cruise prioritized the practicality and artistry that define filmmaking.

These traits are reflected in his legacy and brand even today!

By putting in the same effort as he would into the impossible stunt sequences that would later characterize much of his career, Cruise’s stint in the 1988 romantic comedy-drama may have sealed the deal on his authenticity. He has proven that the actor loves doing what he does, and that he reveres the craft above all else.

So, cocktail It may have failed to impress critics and audiences at the time, but it demonstrated Tom Cruise’s box office standing against all odds, ultimately making him an actor that Hollywood studios could invest in and rely on.