Jerry Maguire

Updated June 26, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

This is why Cruise is the leading man of movies. In the quirky Jerry Maguire, he's funny, charming, tender and modest — simultaneously. But he's not the only hit; the entire cast is right on track, with scene-stealing performances from Oscar-winner Gooding, Jr., Hunt and Zellweger, whose facial expressions speak volumes. Realizing his profession is full of money-hungry cads (and he has become one of them), sports agent Jerry Maguire (Cruise) writes a mission statement that stresses less money, fewer clients and more human contact. Sure, it's a good idea, but not one you talk about, never mind publish. His stream of consciousness gets him fired, and he walks away with only one client, second-tier football player Rod Tidwell (Gooding, Jr.), and one employee, accountant Dorothy Boyd (Zellweger). Maguire finds inspiration in Tidwell, an arrogant loudmouth, who teaches Maguire the value of family and loyalty. Crowe manages to spin a feel-good tale that always stops short of being mawkish.