The 100 Greatest movies of the 1990s # 19. American History X (72 Viewers)

[timschochet]

45. Clueless (1995)

Directed by Amy Heckerling

Starring: Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd, Stacey Dash

Synopsis: A popular high school girl decides to do “good deeds”.

As if! - Alicia Silverstone as Cher Horowitz

A modern version of the Jane Austen novel Emma, this is a funny and delightful high school movie, set in the same general setting as Beverly Hills 90210 which was a hit show during essentially the same time period. Don’t know if I really care that much about spoiled wealthy Los Angeles high school kids but that seemed to be what the time period was about and hey, it’s entertaining. Silverstone is really good in this one role (she hasn’t done much since.)

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

So who's gonna start the FFA approved rom com list?

 

[El Floppo]

Maguire is the classic Cinderella story, but with a broken, more interesting prince and told from both sides.

Of course it romantic. And there's plenty of humor, although I wouldn't call it a straight comedy.

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

Clueless also deserves to be on the list. Still some good movies to go but a lot of stuff is too high and others are yoo low.

 

[General Malaise]

Maguire is the classic Cinderella story, but with a broken, more interesting prince and told from both sides.

Of course it romantic. And there's plenty of humor, although I wouldn't call it a straight comedy.

Would dramedy be a better term? It's not slapstick or a Seth Rogan type of comedy, but there's some good laughs - I think the scene between Jerry and Tidwell in the locker room where Tidwell follows him out butt naked is comical. The little kid - as obnoxious as some might have found him - had some funny bits in the movie. I find Hellen Hunt funny in most things she does and not because she's acting out as a comedian, I just find her funny in a subtle way.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Im going to sound like trip as i think the start of the top 50 has worse movies than the previous 50.

Not a fan of Jerry Maguire at all. I think its a pretty bad movie and have no idea why people think its good or romantic.

We think that because it is. You don't have to like it, but it doesn't mean it's not good. It is good and it is romantic. It's the epitome of a rom-com.

What parts do you find romantic then? Do cared or wanted those two together at the end?

To me the epitome of a rom-com is to be romantic and have comedy. You laugh a lot watching this movie too?

I will stick to my opinion i posted above. Most people in our demographic in the ffa don't watch rom-coms much, so they gravitate to ones that are "ok" for them to watch. Jerry Maguire and Princess Bride are two examples of this.

You're asking me what parts of Jerry Maguire are romantic? Seriously? Have you seen it? Single mom, struggling to get by falls in love with a disgraced power agent who in turn not only falls in love with the girl but also her child. That speaks nothing about the relationship between the Tidwells, which is also romantic insomuch as she's every bit as important in their decisions as he is. Lastly, you have Hellen Hunt essentially swooning every time Cruise comes to talk to her sister.

You're also contradicting yourself in this post. You call it a rom-com that's okay for guys to watch immediately after suggesting it's NOT a rom-com, so which is it?

I didn't contradict. I said it is not the "epitome of a rom-com" because it is neither funny or romantic. Yes, i get that it is in that genre, i was just disagreeing with you that is even an ok entry in the genre.

 

[General Malaise]

45. Clueless (1995)

Directed by Amy Heckerling

Starring: Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd, Stacey Dash

Synopsis: A popular high school girl decides to do “good deeds”.

As if! - Alicia Silverstone as Cher Horowitz

A modern version of the Jane Austen novel Emma, this is a funny and delightful high school movie, set in the same general setting as Beverly Hills 90210 which was a hit show during essentially the same time period. Don’t know if I really care that much about spoiled wealthy Los Angeles high school kids but that seemed to be what the time period was about and hey, it’s entertaining. Silverstone is really good in this one role (she hasn’t done much since.)

I use "I totally paused" quite a bit rolling through stop signs California style. Great flick. My SIL has Pat Mahomes on her fantasy team (one keeper) and uses the team name "Rollin with Ma-homes". That's pretty good!

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Including rom coms

I like rom coms, generally, but I didn’t like Jerry McGuire.

WRONG!

You’re right, I forgot I hate rom coms and like Jerry McGuire.

 

[General Malaise]

Im going to sound like trip as i think the start of the top 50 has worse movies than the previous 50.

Not a fan of Jerry Maguire at all. I think its a pretty bad movie and have no idea why people think its good or romantic.

We think that because it is. You don't have to like it, but it doesn't mean it's not good. It is good and it is romantic. It's the epitome of a rom-com.

What parts do you find romantic then? Do cared or wanted those two together at the end?

To me the epitome of a rom-com is to be romantic and have comedy. You laugh a lot watching this movie too?

I will stick to my opinion i posted above. Most people in our demographic in the ffa don't watch rom-coms much, so they gravitate to ones that are "ok" for them to watch. Jerry Maguire and Princess Bride are two examples of this.

You're asking me what parts of Jerry Maguire are romantic? Seriously? Have you seen it? Single mom, struggling to get by falls in love with a disgraced power agent who in turn not only falls in love with the girl but also her child. That speaks nothing about the relationship between the Tidwells, which is also romantic insomuch as she's every bit as important in their decisions as he is. Lastly, you have Hellen Hunt essentially swooning every time Cruise comes to talk to her sister.

You're also contradicting yourself in this post. You call it a rom-com that's okay for guys to watch immediately after suggesting it's NOT a rom-com, so which is it?

I didn't contradict. I said it is not the "epitome of a rom-com" because it is neither funny or romantic. Yes, i get that it is in that genre, i was just disagreeing with you that is even an ok entry in the genre.

It's romantic. You're being obtuse to try and make a point.

I'll feed it into Chap GPT:

Is Jerry Maguire a Rom-Com?

"Jerry Maguire" is not strictly a romantic comedy, but it does contain strong romantic and comedic elements—so it's often classified as a romantic dramedy (drama + comedy with romance).

Here's how it breaks down:​

• Romantic subplot? Definitely. The relationship between Jerry (Tom Cruise) and Dorothy (Renée Zellweger) is central, including iconic lines like "You complete me."
• Comedy? Yes, there are comedic moments and witty dialogue (especially from Cuba Gooding Jr.'s character, Rod Tidwell).
• Drama? Absolutely. The story focuses heavily on Jerry's personal and professional crisis, with emotional and moral stakes.
• Rom-Com conventions? Some are present (quirky love interest, relationship obstacles, feel-good resolution), but it's not light-hearted or formulaic enough to be a typical rom-com.

Final verdict:​

"Jerry Maguire" is best described as a romantic dramedy or character-driven sports romance. If you're expecting a pure rom-com, it might feel too serious—but if you're open to a genre blend, it definitely delivers romance, laughs, and heart.


I'm moving on. Feel free to stay here if you like but I'm done.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Sucks for Clueless that it was posted on the same day as all the Jerry Maguire slap fights.

Clueless is based on Jane Austen's Emma. Is liking something Jane Austen-related allowed in here?

 

[FarFromHome]

Clueless was the top end hype of Mrs Silverstone. As a teenager, I was all in on this beautiful bunny. The movie? Don't remember it much.

 

[Joe Schmo]

Didn't get clueless, thought it was over rated and a snoozefest. My $.02.

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

both RT and IMDB list Jerry Maguire as a rom com

 

[Andy Dufresne]

At least we can afford to have our own lawn!

Trust me. This was a really sick burn.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

At least we can afford to have our own lawn!

Trust me. This was a really sick burn.

It really does explain why they are always standing on other people's lawns.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Im going to sound like trip as i think the start of the top 50 has worse movies than the previous 50.

Not a fan of Jerry Maguire at all. I think its a pretty bad movie and have no idea why people think its good or romantic.

We think that because it is. You don't have to like it, but it doesn't mean it's not good. It is good and it is romantic. It's the epitome of a rom-com.

What parts do you find romantic then? Do cared or wanted those two together at the end?

To me the epitome of a rom-com is to be romantic and have comedy. You laugh a lot watching this movie too?

I will stick to my opinion i posted above. Most people in our demographic in the ffa don't watch rom-coms much, so they gravitate to ones that are "ok" for them to watch. Jerry Maguire and Princess Bride are two examples of this.

You're asking me what parts of Jerry Maguire are romantic? Seriously? Have you seen it? Single mom, struggling to get by falls in love with a disgraced power agent who in turn not only falls in love with the girl but also her child. That speaks nothing about the relationship between the Tidwells, which is also romantic insomuch as she's every bit as important in their decisions as he is. Lastly, you have Hellen Hunt essentially swooning every time Cruise comes to talk to her sister.

You're also contradicting yourself in this post. You call it a rom-com that's okay for guys to watch immediately after suggesting it's NOT a rom-com, so which is it?

I didn't contradict. I said it is not the "epitome of a rom-com" because it is neither funny or romantic. Yes, i get that it is in that genre, i was just disagreeing with you that is even an ok entry in the genre.

It's romantic. You're being obtuse to try and make a point.

I'll feed it into Chap GPT:

Is Jerry Maguire a Rom-Com?

"Jerry Maguire" is not strictly a romantic comedy, but it does contain strong romantic and comedic elements—so it's often classified as a romantic dramedy (drama + comedy with romance).

Here's how it breaks down:​

• Romantic subplot? Definitely. The relationship between Jerry (Tom Cruise) and Dorothy (Renée Zellweger) is central, including iconic lines like "You complete me."
• Comedy? Yes, there are comedic moments and witty dialogue (especially from Cuba Gooding Jr.'s character, Rod Tidwell).
• Drama? Absolutely. The story focuses heavily on Jerry's personal and professional crisis, with emotional and moral stakes.
• Rom-Com conventions? Some are present (quirky love interest, relationship obstacles, feel-good resolution), but it's not light-hearted or formulaic enough to be a typical rom-com.

Final verdict:​

"Jerry Maguire" is best described as a romantic dramedy or character-driven sports romance. If you're expecting a pure rom-com, it might feel too serious—but if you're open to a genre blend, it definitely delivers romance, laughs, and heart.


I'm moving on. Feel free to stay here if you like but I'm done.

Thanks for letting me know what AI thinks of the movie.

Not being obtuse. we agree on the category it belongs to, but we dont agree on its quality. Or Platoons, evidently but i honestly dont know if i would or if i did rank it.

 

[General Malaise]

Im going to sound like trip as i think the start of the top 50 has worse movies than the previous 50.

Not a fan of Jerry Maguire at all. I think its a pretty bad movie and have no idea why people think its good or romantic.

We think that because it is. You don't have to like it, but it doesn't mean it's not good. It is good and it is romantic. It's the epitome of a rom-com.

What parts do you find romantic then? Do cared or wanted those two together at the end?

To me the epitome of a rom-com is to be romantic and have comedy. You laugh a lot watching this movie too?

I will stick to my opinion i posted above. Most people in our demographic in the ffa don't watch rom-coms much, so they gravitate to ones that are "ok" for them to watch. Jerry Maguire and Princess Bride are two examples of this.

You're asking me what parts of Jerry Maguire are romantic? Seriously? Have you seen it? Single mom, struggling to get by falls in love with a disgraced power agent who in turn not only falls in love with the girl but also her child. That speaks nothing about the relationship between the Tidwells, which is also romantic insomuch as she's every bit as important in their decisions as he is. Lastly, you have Hellen Hunt essentially swooning every time Cruise comes to talk to her sister.

You're also contradicting yourself in this post. You call it a rom-com that's okay for guys to watch immediately after suggesting it's NOT a rom-com, so which is it?

I didn't contradict. I said it is not the "epitome of a rom-com" because it is neither funny or romantic. Yes, i get that it is in that genre, i was just disagreeing with you that is even an ok entry in the genre.

It's romantic. You're being obtuse to try and make a point.

I'll feed it into Chap GPT:

Is Jerry Maguire a Rom-Com?

"Jerry Maguire" is not strictly a romantic comedy, but it does contain strong romantic and comedic elements—so it's often classified as a romantic dramedy (drama + comedy with romance).

Here's how it breaks down:​

• Romantic subplot? Definitely. The relationship between Jerry (Tom Cruise) and Dorothy (Renée Zellweger) is central, including iconic lines like "You complete me."
• Comedy? Yes, there are comedic moments and witty dialogue (especially from Cuba Gooding Jr.'s character, Rod Tidwell).
• Drama? Absolutely. The story focuses heavily on Jerry's personal and professional crisis, with emotional and moral stakes.
• Rom-Com conventions? Some are present (quirky love interest, relationship obstacles, feel-good resolution), but it's not light-hearted or formulaic enough to be a typical rom-com.

Final verdict:​

"Jerry Maguire" is best described as a romantic dramedy or character-driven sports romance. If you're expecting a pure rom-com, it might feel too serious—but if you're open to a genre blend, it definitely delivers romance, laughs, and heart.


I'm moving on. Feel free to stay here if you like but I'm done.

Thanks for letting me know what AI thinks of the movie.

Not being obtuse. we agree on the category it belongs to, but we dont agree on its quality. Or Platoons, evidently but i honestly dont know if i would or if i did rank it.

Well, you can also thank Blocked Punt for telling all of us what RT and IMD thinks of the movie too. You've been given 3 separate sources that consider this a rom-com or rom-com adjacent, in addition to my own opinion. Not sure what else you want here.

 

[El Floppo]

Sucks for Clueless that it was posted on the same day as all the Jerry Maguire slap fights.

Clueless is based on Jane Austen's Emma. Is liking something Jane Austen-related allowed in here?

Clueless was great.

another one I rewatched with both my kids, and they both liked it quite a bit... so it's held up as a teen movie. held up on my end as well- totally enjoyable, funny and cute. another ranking that feels relatively right to me (in the 40-60 range).

 

[KarmaPolice]

Im going to sound like trip as i think the start of the top 50 has worse movies than the previous 50.

Not a fan of Jerry Maguire at all. I think its a pretty bad movie and have no idea why people think its good or romantic.

We think that because it is. You don't have to like it, but it doesn't mean it's not good. It is good and it is romantic. It's the epitome of a rom-com.

What parts do you find romantic then? Do cared or wanted those two together at the end?

To me the epitome of a rom-com is to be romantic and have comedy. You laugh a lot watching this movie too?

I will stick to my opinion i posted above. Most people in our demographic in the ffa don't watch rom-coms much, so they gravitate to ones that are "ok" for them to watch. Jerry Maguire and Princess Bride are two examples of this.

You're asking me what parts of Jerry Maguire are romantic? Seriously? Have you seen it? Single mom, struggling to get by falls in love with a disgraced power agent who in turn not only falls in love with the girl but also her child. That speaks nothing about the relationship between the Tidwells, which is also romantic insomuch as she's every bit as important in their decisions as he is. Lastly, you have Hellen Hunt essentially swooning every time Cruise comes to talk to her sister.

You're also contradicting yourself in this post. You call it a rom-com that's okay for guys to watch immediately after suggesting it's NOT a rom-com, so which is it?

I didn't contradict. I said it is not the "epitome of a rom-com" because it is neither funny or romantic. Yes, i get that it is in that genre, i was just disagreeing with you that is even an ok entry in the genre.

It's romantic. You're being obtuse to try and make a point.

I'll feed it into Chap GPT:

Is Jerry Maguire a Rom-Com?

"Jerry Maguire" is not strictly a romantic comedy, but it does contain strong romantic and comedic elements—so it's often classified as a romantic dramedy (drama + comedy with romance).

Here's how it breaks down:​

• Romantic subplot? Definitely. The relationship between Jerry (Tom Cruise) and Dorothy (Renée Zellweger) is central, including iconic lines like "You complete me."
• Comedy? Yes, there are comedic moments and witty dialogue (especially from Cuba Gooding Jr.'s character, Rod Tidwell).
• Drama? Absolutely. The story focuses heavily on Jerry's personal and professional crisis, with emotional and moral stakes.
• Rom-Com conventions? Some are present (quirky love interest, relationship obstacles, feel-good resolution), but it's not light-hearted or formulaic enough to be a typical rom-com.

Final verdict:​

"Jerry Maguire" is best described as a romantic dramedy or character-driven sports romance. If you're expecting a pure rom-com, it might feel too serious—but if you're open to a genre blend, it definitely delivers romance, laughs, and heart.


I'm moving on. Feel free to stay here if you like but I'm done.

Thanks for letting me know what AI thinks of the movie.

Not being obtuse. we agree on the category it belongs to, but we dont agree on its quality. Or Platoons, evidently but i honestly dont know if i would or if i did rank it.

Well, you can also thank Blocked Punt for telling all of us what RT and IMD thinks of the movie too. You've been given 3 separate sources that consider this a rom-com or rom-com adjacent, in addition to my own opinion. Not sure what else you want here.

And i am not sure why you don’t think i think its in the rom-com genre. I have said it is multiple times.

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

Well, you can also thank Blocked Punt for telling all of us what RT and IMD thinks of the movie too.

I'm the Rodney Rodney Dangerfield of this site. I get no respect.

 

[Zow]

Sucks for Clueless that it was posted on the same day as all the Jerry Maguire slap fights.

Clueless is based on Jane Austen's Emma. Is liking something Jane Austen-related allowed in here?

Clueless was great.

another one I rewatched with both my kids, and they both liked it quite a bit... so it's held up as a teen movie. held up on my end as well- totally enjoyable, funny and cute. another ranking that feels relatively right to me (in the 40-60 range).

Agreed. Good modern twist on an Austen novel. Silverstone tows the line of being both likeable yet still clueless rich kid.

Do you like Billie Holiday?

Oh, I looove him!

 

[El Floppo]

Well, you can also thank Blocked Punt for telling all of us what RT and IMD thinks of the movie too.

I'm the Rodney Rodney Dangerfield of this site. I get no respect.

Show everybody your rooster.

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

not sure if these old guys could handle it

 

[Zow]

Im going to sound like trip as i think the start of the top 50 has worse movies than the previous 50.

Not a fan of Jerry Maguire at all. I think its a pretty bad movie and have no idea why people think its good or romantic.

I don't think it's a good movie, but c'mon the "You Complete Me" scene is widely considered one of the more romantic movie scenes of all time.

Here, just a quick google search of "most romantic scenes of all times" takes you to this article where the "You Complete Me" scene is listed.

 

[General Malaise]

Im going to sound like trip as i think the start of the top 50 has worse movies than the previous 50.

Not a fan of Jerry Maguire at all. I think its a pretty bad movie and have no idea why people think its good or romantic.

We think that because it is. You don't have to like it, but it doesn't mean it's not good. It is good and it is romantic. It's the epitome of a rom-com.

What parts do you find romantic then? Do cared or wanted those two together at the end?

To me the epitome of a rom-com is to be romantic and have comedy. You laugh a lot watching this movie too?

I will stick to my opinion i posted above. Most people in our demographic in the ffa don't watch rom-coms much, so they gravitate to ones that are "ok" for them to watch. Jerry Maguire and Princess Bride are two examples of this.

You're asking me what parts of Jerry Maguire are romantic? Seriously? Have you seen it? Single mom, struggling to get by falls in love with a disgraced power agent who in turn not only falls in love with the girl but also her child. That speaks nothing about the relationship between the Tidwells, which is also romantic insomuch as she's every bit as important in their decisions as he is. Lastly, you have Hellen Hunt essentially swooning every time Cruise comes to talk to her sister.

You're also contradicting yourself in this post. You call it a rom-com that's okay for guys to watch immediately after suggesting it's NOT a rom-com, so which is it?

I didn't contradict. I said it is not the "epitome of a rom-com" because it is neither funny or romantic. Yes, i get that it is in that genre, i was just disagreeing with you that is even an ok entry in the genre.

It's romantic. You're being obtuse to try and make a point.

I'll feed it into Chap GPT:

Is Jerry Maguire a Rom-Com?

"Jerry Maguire" is not strictly a romantic comedy, but it does contain strong romantic and comedic elements—so it's often classified as a romantic dramedy (drama + comedy with romance).

Here's how it breaks down:​

• Romantic subplot? Definitely. The relationship between Jerry (Tom Cruise) and Dorothy (Renée Zellweger) is central, including iconic lines like "You complete me."
• Comedy? Yes, there are comedic moments and witty dialogue (especially from Cuba Gooding Jr.'s character, Rod Tidwell).
• Drama? Absolutely. The story focuses heavily on Jerry's personal and professional crisis, with emotional and moral stakes.
• Rom-Com conventions? Some are present (quirky love interest, relationship obstacles, feel-good resolution), but it's not light-hearted or formulaic enough to be a typical rom-com.

Final verdict:​

"Jerry Maguire" is best described as a romantic dramedy or character-driven sports romance. If you're expecting a pure rom-com, it might feel too serious—but if you're open to a genre blend, it definitely delivers romance, laughs, and heart.


I'm moving on. Feel free to stay here if you like but I'm done.

Thanks for letting me know what AI thinks of the movie.

Not being obtuse. we agree on the category it belongs to, but we dont agree on its quality. Or Platoons, evidently but i honestly dont know if i would or if i did rank it.

Well, you can also thank Blocked Punt for telling all of us what RT and IMD thinks of the movie too. You've been given 3 separate sources that consider this a rom-com or rom-com adjacent, in addition to my own opinion. Not sure what else you want here.

And i am not sure why you don’t think i think its in the rom-com genre. I have said it is multiple times.

So much for me moving on, lolz.....

Your original words: Not a fan of Jerry Maguire at all. I think its a pretty bad movie and have no idea why people think its good or romantic.

Now it seems as is if you DO consider it romantic, even though the reason why we're here is you saying originally that it was NOT romantic.

Now we all agree it's a rom-com or rom-com adjacent and we're all happy.

The only thing we don't agree upon now is if this movie is any good. I like it, Tim likes it, you don't like it. And considering your views on Platoon, I feel emboldened knowing I'm right and you're wrong. TA DA!

 

[Dennis Castro]

Sucks for Clueless that it was posted on the same day as all the Jerry Maguire slap fights.

These fish have manners.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

Jerry Maguire over Braveheart.

Doesn't bother me in the least. He didn't separate them by a country mile, either. They're packed close together. It'd be like ranking Philip Rivers as the 47th best QB of all time and Eli Manning the 52nd bet QB. You could flip them and most people wouldn't care. They were good QBs with some flaws but better than most.

No one said anything about this?
Eli won two superbowls, Rivers was allergic to winning in the playoffs.
Thats gotta count for something.

But anyway while Clueless and Jerry Maguire are perfectly good movies that caught the zeitgeist they dont hold a candle to at least half a dozen movies from earlier on that redefined cinema. But hey ho, Tims list and all that

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Sucks for Clueless that it was posted on the same day as all the Jerry Maguire slap fights.

Clueless is based on Jane Austen's Emma. Is liking something Jane Austen-related allowed in here?

Clueless was funny and very different when released. I haven’t watched it in 20+ years but watched it multiple times when it came to cable.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

This may be the most surprising slap fight topic in FFA history.

The topic….how romantic was Jerry McGuire?

 

[KarmaPolice]

Im going to sound like trip as i think the start of the top 50 has worse movies than the previous 50.

Not a fan of Jerry Maguire at all. I think its a pretty bad movie and have no idea why people think its good or romantic.

We think that because it is. You don't have to like it, but it doesn't mean it's not good. It is good and it is romantic. It's the epitome of a rom-com.

What parts do you find romantic then? Do cared or wanted those two together at the end?

To me the epitome of a rom-com is to be romantic and have comedy. You laugh a lot watching this movie too?

I will stick to my opinion i posted above. Most people in our demographic in the ffa don't watch rom-coms much, so they gravitate to ones that are "ok" for them to watch. Jerry Maguire and Princess Bride are two examples of this.

You're asking me what parts of Jerry Maguire are romantic? Seriously? Have you seen it? Single mom, struggling to get by falls in love with a disgraced power agent who in turn not only falls in love with the girl but also her child. That speaks nothing about the relationship between the Tidwells, which is also romantic insomuch as she's every bit as important in their decisions as he is. Lastly, you have Hellen Hunt essentially swooning every time Cruise comes to talk to her sister.

You're also contradicting yourself in this post. You call it a rom-com that's okay for guys to watch immediately after suggesting it's NOT a rom-com, so which is it?

I didn't contradict. I said it is not the "epitome of a rom-com" because it is neither funny or romantic. Yes, i get that it is in that genre, i was just disagreeing with you that is even an ok entry in the genre.

It's romantic. You're being obtuse to try and make a point.

I'll feed it into Chap GPT:

Is Jerry Maguire a Rom-Com?

"Jerry Maguire" is not strictly a romantic comedy, but it does contain strong romantic and comedic elements—so it's often classified as a romantic dramedy (drama + comedy with romance).

Here's how it breaks down:​

• Romantic subplot? Definitely. The relationship between Jerry (Tom Cruise) and Dorothy (Renée Zellweger) is central, including iconic lines like "You complete me."
• Comedy? Yes, there are comedic moments and witty dialogue (especially from Cuba Gooding Jr.'s character, Rod Tidwell).
• Drama? Absolutely. The story focuses heavily on Jerry's personal and professional crisis, with emotional and moral stakes.
• Rom-Com conventions? Some are present (quirky love interest, relationship obstacles, feel-good resolution), but it's not light-hearted or formulaic enough to be a typical rom-com.

Final verdict:​

"Jerry Maguire" is best described as a romantic dramedy or character-driven sports romance. If you're expecting a pure rom-com, it might feel too serious—but if you're open to a genre blend, it definitely delivers romance, laughs, and heart.


I'm moving on. Feel free to stay here if you like but I'm done.

Thanks for letting me know what AI thinks of the movie.

Not being obtuse. we agree on the category it belongs to, but we dont agree on its quality. Or Platoons, evidently but i honestly dont know if i would or if i did rank it.

Well, you can also thank Blocked Punt for telling all of us what RT and IMD thinks of the movie too. You've been given 3 separate sources that consider this a rom-com or rom-com adjacent, in addition to my own opinion. Not sure what else you want here.

And i am not sure why you don’t think i think its in the rom-com genre. I have said it is multiple times.

So much for me moving on, lolz.....

Your original words: Not a fan of Jerry Maguire at all. I think its a pretty bad movie and have no idea why people think its good or romantic.

Now it seems as is if you DO consider it romantic, even though the reason why we're here is you saying originally that it was NOT romantic.

Now we all agree it's a rom-com or rom-com adjacent and we're all happy.

The only thing we don't agree upon now is if this movie is any good. I like it, Tim likes it, you don't like it. And considering your views on Platoon, I feel emboldened knowing I'm right and you're wrong. TA DA!

Making this too difficult man. Yes, I know what I wrote, but no I don't consider it romantic so the bolded is still not correct.

Me saying it's a rom/com means I understand that is the genre it is slotted in. That's where it was at my stores, that's what I would expect it to be listed as if I looked it up online. I am saying that it is a bad movie largely because I don't find it romantic or funny. I actively dislike the main characters and think they are terrible together and it has always surprised me that it is held in such high regard. I coded it in my head as a chick flick dudes tolerate and like because there is some sports in it based on seeing people coming through the stores. Seeing you post that is a perfect example of the genre is why I was asking you what you found romantic and funny about the movie.

I don't even remember what I posted about Platoon, but that must have stuck in your head. I can't remember if I or 80s rated it. It's been a bit since I've seen it, but off the top of my head I put it in the pretty good but a bit overrated category. Some of that is not being a fan of some of the actors in the movie, and Stone can be a bit melodramatic at times in his movies to hammer his points home.

 

[FarFromHome]

This may be the most surprising slap fight topic in FFA history.

The topic….how romantic was Jerry McGuire?

It's the primary reason I love this group of people. Only on this site can this topic be debated intelligently. I'm on the fence. I think Jerry Mcguire is very romantic, but I see the counter argument. Ha ha

 

[BlackCrowes]

This may be the most surprising slap fight topic in FFA history.

The topic….how romantic was Jerry McGuire?

up next, do 'Dawn' and 'Don' rhyme?

 

[UncleZen]

You had me at hello!

 

[Tau837]

No one said anything about this?
Eli won two superbowls, Rivers was allergic to winning in the playoffs.
Thats gotta count for something.

I'll fight you over this.

But in another thread.

 

[Todem]

Clueless is a classic.

Paul Rudd was my favorite character in this flick.

Lots of funny moments. Easily rewatchable.

 

[KarmaPolice]

@General Malaise - out of curiosity I looked at my/80s' countdown, and you are correct - no Platoon and no Jerry Maguire on the countdown. Jerry was on 80s' list of 100, but didn't make the final countdown but Platoon was on neither of our list but there really wasn't much discussion that I saw in there about why not.

ETA: probably because I was looking in the 90s countdown for both. I saw the brief exchange about Platoon in the 80s countdown after that.

 

[General Malaise]

Jerry Maguire over Braveheart.

Doesn't bother me in the least. He didn't separate them by a country mile, either. They're packed close together. It'd be like ranking Philip Rivers as the 47th best QB of all time and Eli Manning the 52nd bet QB. You could flip them and most people wouldn't care. They were good QBs with some flaws but better than most.

No one said anything about this?
Eli won two superbowls, Rivers was allergic to winning in the playoffs.
Thats gotta count for something.

But anyway while Clueless and Jerry Maguire are perfectly good movies that caught the zeitgeist they dont hold a candle to at least half a dozen movies from earlier on that redefined cinema. But hey ho, Tims list and all that

The Giants' defense won 2 Super Bowls. Yes, Eli was critical delivering some key throws but Tyree's velcro catch was not Eli's doing. Outside of that, Phillip Rivers had a slightly better career. The numbers bear that out. The point I'm making is that neither are top 20-25 all time NFL QBs and if you flipped Eli with Rivers in the mid 30s of QBs, nobody would care.

Well, except you, apparently.

There are movies Tim ranked prior that I would put ahead of both JM and Clueless but I'm not bothered by the placement.

 

[General Malaise]

Platoon: Academy Award for BEST picture.

Karma Police: meh, overrated.

Do you own a comic book store in Springfield by chance?

 

[El Floppo]

Platoon: Academy Award for BEST picture.

Karma Police: meh, overrated.

Do you own a comic book store in Springfield by chance?

I liked Platoon. Hated Charlie Sheen in it... Which diminished my overall take on the movie. Id imagine it's still a lock in my top 100.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Platoon: Academy Award for BEST picture.

Karma Police: meh, overrated.

Do you own a comic book store in Springfield by chance?

Also BEST picture Academy Award winners: Chicago, Crash, The Shape of Water, Titanic, The English Patient, Shakespeare in Love. If you are hinting that I don't put much stock into what movies win best picture for deciding if a movie is good or not, you are correct.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Platoon: Academy Award for BEST picture.

Karma Police: meh, overrated.

Do you own a comic book store in Springfield by chance?

I liked Platoon. Hated Charlie Sheen in it... Which diminished my overall take on the movie. Id imagine it's still a lock in my top 100.

My comment about it was that I thought it was uneven and I don't like many of Stone's movies. It didn't make the top 100, but probably would have been in the next wave. That was the one movie GM seemed to really take issue with not being on our collective list, so much so at least I can't be trusted to speak about movies again.

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

hey now, Titanic was pretty good

 

[BLOCKED_PUNT]

but Parasite, Anora and Everything Everywhere all at once also won so it's not like they have the best track record. Mighta voted without watching.

Platoon was good though

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Platoon: Academy Award for BEST picture.

Karma Police: meh, overrated.

Do you own a comic book store in Springfield by chance?

Also BEST picture Academy Award winners: Chicago, Crash, The Shape of Water, Titanic, The English Patient, Shakespeare in Love. If you are hinting that I don't put much stock into what movies win best picture for deciding if a movie is good or not, you are correct.

To me, winning a best picture Academy Award holds about the same amount of esteem as a player making the Pro Bowl. That is, not much.

 

[General Malaise]

Platoon: Academy Award for BEST picture.

Karma Police: meh, overrated.

Do you own a comic book store in Springfield by chance?

Also BEST picture Academy Award winners: Chicago, Crash, The Shape of Water, Titanic, The English Patient, Shakespeare in Love. If you are hinting that I don't put much stock into what movies win best picture for deciding if a movie is good or not, you are correct.

As I said several hours ago now, your opinion on what constitutes a "good movie" is negated by opinions like this. At least for me. That's why I said several hours ago now that your opinions on movies is like asking a vegan for opinions on steakhouses. We just aren't ever going to see eye to eye if you think Platoon isn't a good movie and I'm emboldened by that belief after our exchange on Jerry Maguire. We just see things very differently and that's okay because I'm right and you're not.


Siskel and Ebert gave Jerry Maguire 2 thumbs up. Siskel an enthusiastic thumbs up. More ammo for GM!!!!!

WINNING!!!!!!

 

[General Malaise]

Platoon: Academy Award for BEST picture.

Karma Police: meh, overrated.

Do you own a comic book store in Springfield by chance?

Also BEST picture Academy Award winners: Chicago, Crash, The Shape of Water, Titanic, The English Patient, Shakespeare in Love. If you are hinting that I don't put much stock into what movies win best picture for deciding if a movie is good or not, you are correct.

To me, winning a best picture Academy Award holds about the same amount of esteem as a player making the Pro Bowl. That is, not much.

So good movies then.....like the pro bowl, not always the best players, but still good. Thank you for making my point for me.

 

[General Malaise]

Platoon: Academy Award for BEST picture.

Karma Police: meh, overrated.

Do you own a comic book store in Springfield by chance?

I liked Platoon. Hated Charlie Sheen in it... Which diminished my overall take on the movie. Id imagine it's still a lock in my top 100.

My comment about it was that I thought it was uneven and I don't like many of Stone's movies. It didn't make the top 100, but probably would have been in the next wave. That was the one movie GM seemed to really take issue with not being on our collective list, so much so at least I can't be trusted to speak about movies again.

I don't think I can trust you with anything to be honest. And it irks me that you're using my favorite song from my favorite band as your username. Gawd!!!!!111

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Platoon: Academy Award for BEST picture.

Karma Police: meh, overrated.

Do you own a comic book store in Springfield by chance?

Also BEST picture Academy Award winners: Chicago, Crash, The Shape of Water, Titanic, The English Patient, Shakespeare in Love. If you are hinting that I don't put much stock into what movies win best picture for deciding if a movie is good or not, you are correct.

To me, winning a best picture Academy Award holds about the same amount of esteem as a player making the Pro Bowl. That is, not much.

So good movies then.....like the pro bowl, not always the best players, but still good. Thank you for making my point for me.

I'm not even sure what the point is any more. I'm just stirring the pot.

 

[timschochet]

45. Apollo 13 (1995)

Directed by: Ron Howard

Starring: Tom Hanks, Gary Sinese, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Ed Harris

Synopsis: The Apollo 13 flight to the Moon malfunctions and its crew fights to survive.

We’ve never lost an American in space; we’re sure as hell not gonna lose one on my watch. Failure is not an option. - Ed Harris as Gene Krantz.

A highly suspenseful film which I associate very much with the later film The Martian. That movie was of course science fiction and this one is based on a true story, but both films are basically about experts confronted with sudden emergencies in real time and solving them through scientific means and innovation. That’s what make them both so enjoyable- along with the fine performances of course.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Platoon: Academy Award for BEST picture.

Karma Police: meh, overrated.

Do you own a comic book store in Springfield by chance?

There’s a whole “the Oscars got it wrong” thread. Maybe he meant to post it there?