The first title won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture in 1988, and the second won the Best Picture award at the Academy Awards. This all happened in that same year, just six months apart. How could such a whirlwind at the box office occur? What set these two movies so far apart? Let’s find out!
When it comes to who’s behind the camera in these two films, there’s not much disparity in their filmmaking merits. With an ongoing forty-year filmography that includes Good Morning Vietnam and Toys, director Barry Levinson’s handling of Rain Man’s slow and emotional tone is unmatched. On the other hand, Cocktail was headed by Roger Donaldson – who many consider to be a leading figure in bringing New Zealand-based cinema to the masses (recipient of numerous awards from that country). He was also the director behind Species (1995) and The Recruit (2003).
Cruise Stifled the Story of Cocktail?
The track records for Levinson and Donaldson speak for themselves. With that in mind, was the actor himself the cause for the bizarre inconsistency between movies? Does the blame lie with Cruise himself?
‘Cocktail’ and ‘Rain Man’ Come From Similar Beginnings
Admittedly, the film does not appear to make much effort story-wise to break out of a hollow love story with a flashy gimmick. The two-dimensional characterizations mired the movie even more. Critics quickly saw the empty themes and shallow romance and wanted nothing to do with it. As a result, it won Worst Picture and Worst Screenplay from the Golden Raspberry Awards. That said, just like how Cocktail is based on dramatic real-life experiences (screenwriter Heywood Gould’s bartending days), the main aspect of Rain Man is inspired by actual people’s lives as well.
Writer Barry Morrow drafted Dustin Hoffman’s Raymond Babbitt off of two intellectually disabled individuals, Kim Peek and Bill Sackter. On the other hand, except for a revised ending, there is no dramatic behind-the-scenes tale of overarching studio interference. But that’s not the only factor that separates Rain Man from Cocktail. The film dedicates time to developing the brotherly bond between Charlie and the troubled Raymond – the consistent dynamic between Cruise and Hoffman.
‘Rain Man’ Has A More Powerful Message
Would Cocktail have had a better shot if studio executives hadn’t overreached? Possibly. Still, the way it stands, Tom Cruise was right when he said that Cocktail “was not a crowning jewel” during a 1992 interview with Rolling Stone. Nevertheless, if you want to compare these two movies, they’re both available to stream on Prime Video, YouTube, and Apple TV.