Virginia and I continued on a torrid pace of movie-watching, this time watching Jerry Maguire with friends on New Year’s Night. One couple had never seen it. I hadn’t seen it in more than a decade, maybe closer to two. Anyway, I reacted to it a little differently than I did back in 1996. Some thoughts — and, spoiler alert, I’m giving it all away. The movie is 26 gosh-darn years old …
1. Let’s start with the biggest one. Jerry never changes. The movie’s big emotional payoff comes at the, after this NFL agent’s only player/client provides a miraculous performance that forces the ownership’s hand and results in a new, big, deserved contract. Jerry comes home from a road trip he didn’t need to make, and then gets credit for returning. He interrupts the divorced women’s support group held at the home Renee Zellweger shares with her sister to let her know “you complete me.” But this isn’t very good proof of Jerry’s growth.
- Dorothy gave him the line
- He had nowhere else to go, and
- Jerry never acknowledged, thanked or appeared to learn anything from the people around him.
At best, Jerry is a glib cad with a killer smile, well versed in a caffeinated, bro version of commitment. He’ll kill for you, but will he listen to you? Even when he has nothing else to do but listen?
