I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You

Jerry Maguire (1996)

Rating: R

Runtime: 138 minutes

Box Office (in today’s dollars): 232 million (approximately)

Characters: Jerry Maguire, Dorothy Boyd, Rod Tidwell, Ray Boyd, Laurel Boyd, Marcee Tidwell, Teepee Tidwell, Tyson Tidwell, Avery Bishop, Frank Cushman, Matt Cushman, Bob Sugar, Chad

Favorite Quote: “Show me the money.”

Favorite Scene: The “Secret Garden” montage

Favorite Character: Dorothy Boyd

Other need-to-see nineties movies directed by Cameron Crowe: none

There are lots of nineties pop-culture references (Hootie and the Blowfish, Clarence Thomas, and Tom Cruise’s sweet Charles Barkley vs. Shawn Kemp t-shirt) and lots of popular nineties catch phrases (we will get to those). So where do I start?? Sure, Tom Cruise was/is the most popular actor of his time, and Cuba Gooding Jr. won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar; but to me, this is Renee’s movie. In the words of Jerry Maguire describing Dorothy Boyd before their date: “That’s not a dress. That’s an Audrey Hepburn movie.” Everyone loved Jerry, rooted for Rod Tidwell, thought Ray Boyd was cute, and hated Bob Sugar. Right from the beginning I knew that Dorothy would be my favorite character from the film.

I would have to do some research, but this movie has to be the movie with the most “top quotes from a movie” ever. In 1996-97 you couldn’t go anywhere without hearing someone say “You complete me”, “You had me at hello”, or “Shoplift the pootie”. But my favorite is “Show me the money”. Deciding on favorite scene was a little more difficult. I can’t be driving in my car and hear Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’” without turning it up and singing it badly just like Jerry. But the scene that does it for me is the “Secret Garden” montage where Jerry and Dorothy are going out on their first date. Side note: “Secret Garden” is a terrible song if you listen to it closely. “She’ll let you in her mouth if the words you say are right.” Ewwww ...

When this movie was released on VHS, it became the highest selling non-Disney tape of all time. I remember reading an article about people going to any thrift store/yard sale or any place that was selling used VHS tapes, and there was always at least one copy of Jerry Maguire. It makes sense. This movie had something for everyone. Romance and sports. Language and nudity. And Jonathan “do you know the human head weighs eight pounds” Lipnicki.

Next movie to review: Scream