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Days of Thunder (1990)

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76 comments in total

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20 out of 27 people found the following comment useful :-
Say what you will, but this is a great movie for guys., 2 November 1999

Author: MrKearns-2

Regardless of your opinion of NASCAR racing, this is an incredibly fun movie for guys.

Is it creative? No. It's pretty obvious that it's the same thing as Top Gun. The only difference is maturity. Over the years, Tom Cruise had developed into a fine actor, and when coupled with Robert Duvall (in a spectacular performance) and a surprising Randy Quaid, Days of Thunder becomes a film which gets pretty much any guy involved in it.

I personally hate NASCAR, but still I find this film absolutely riveting, and every time I watch it, I suddenly have a desire to go race my car down the highway. In fact, the biggest argument against this movie is that it does get to the testosterone.

The music for Days of Thunder sets it up perfectly. Hans Zimmer does an effective job with his second Cruise film in two years (Rain Man was the other), and The Spencer Davis Group's Gimme Some Lovin' makes some plotless racing scenes worth watching.

The script, penned by Bob Towne, is far more clever than the average action movie and actually creates some serious character depth for Cole and Rowdy, although Cary Elwes' character seems excessively evil.

But, all in all, this is an action movie that works for Cruise fans, even if they don't like action movies. 8.5 out of 10 (On a pure enjoyment basis).

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14 out of 24 people found the following comment useful :-
Days of Thunder is the movie that really got me into racing, if you like Top Gun, you definitely should love Days of Thunder., 22 January 1999

Author: Chris from Stonewall, Mississippi

Days of Thunder is definitely my favorite movie of all time. I'm a huge racing fan and I was very happy when I first heard of this movie back in 1990. I even went to Hardees and got all the little toy cars. It's jammed with action and if you like Top Gun, there is no way you can't like this film. I'm looking to begin racing myself pretty soon and this is what really started it all for me.

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3 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
I feel the need, the need for Speed, 12 February 2007

Author: LuboLarsson from Scotland

The producers, director and star of Top Gun get together again for this above average racing drama. Its nowhere near as good as Top Gun of course but its no disaster. Tom Cruise is good as the daftly named racing driver Cole Trickle and the ever reliable Robert Duvall offers classy support. Michael Rooker is excellent as Toms rival and Randy Quaid shows a more serious side to those who only know him from the Vacation movies. Surprisingly the usually good Nicole Kidman is rather bland as the love interest although to be fair she's not given a heck of a lot to work with. The music is of course all important in a movie like this and it has a pretty good soundtrack including Maria McKee's Number One hit Show Me Heaven, but again Top Gun had a much better soundtrack with Hans Zimmmer no match for Harold Faltermeyer. Tony Scott directs with his usual style, if you have seen Top Gun or Beverly Hills Cop 2 you'll no what to expect, very flashy and VERY LOUD. With a slightly less predictable story this could have been a lot better but as it is its a pretty enjoyable way to pass a couple of hours.

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9 out of 15 people found the following comment useful :-
Cruise goes with what works, 7 September 1998

Author: Bryan Jeffries from Delhi, NY, SA

This movie is basically paying homage to Top Gun. The same team that made that movie a success got together to create another pumped up movie.

Cruise plays Cole Trickle, a very cocky and smooth indy car driver that lost his ride and decided to head to NASCAR with team owner Tim Daland,(Randy Quaid), and be coached by legendary crew chief Harry Hogge (Robert Duvall). During the Daytona 500 Cole and nemesis Rowdy Burns are involved in a nasty wreck that hospitalizes both of them and threaten to end their careers. They become friends but Cole realizes his mortality and must overcome it if he is to ever race effectively again.

This has better romantic chemistry than Top Gun. Due in part to the fact that Cruise and Kidman really were attracted to each other and we know the rest is history. The action scenes are great and filmed superbly. It's also a very loud movie. It received an Oscar nomination for best sound. It's just another mindless action movie to help relieve boredom. 7 out of 10.

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2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
rubbin' son, is racing......., 23 February 2008

Author: coreyno1 from United Kingdom

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Cole Trickle enters the high-pressure world of Nascar racing.

He's a hot driver with a hot temper, and this attitude gets him into trouble not only with other drivers, but members of his own team as well.

deemed as a flop on it's initial release, days of thunder had the wrong marketing ploy, as many deemed it as 'top gun with wheels'. Cruise more or less plays the same character in this as the other film mentioned, but this this has a lot more characters in the movie, and it's great to see someone like Duvall bringing Cruise down a peg or two in certain scenes.

the trouble with the film is that at times it seems too rushed, like it was edited very quickly for the summer release.

one of Cruises few flops, it's not a bad film by any means, but with such high profile producers and Stars, i expected more and didn't get it.

the music as expected from the producers is good and makes the film more interesting, and in some senses, its a vanity project for producer Simpson, but unfortunately, the majority of his part was left on the cutting room floor.

at least Kidman has big hair...

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2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
On the racetrack, he has all the right moves., 5 March 2007

Author: Michael O'Keefe from Muskogee OK

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

A very good Tom Cruise action flick; and talk about action...he has the right moves on and off the track. Cruise plays Cole Trickle, an arrogant hotshot with minimum experience driving a stock car, but an uncanny ability to hold his own on the track. He impresses a two-faced Randy Quaid enough to get a car and veteran driver Robert Duvall to build it. Trickle enters a rivalry with the top driver(Michael Rooker), but tragedy introduces him to self-discovery and a beautiful neurosurgeon(Nicole Kidman). Trickle takes on the toughest odds and becomes an even better driver. Also in the cast: Cary Elwes, Fred Dalton Thompson and John C. Reilly. The racing scenes will bring back that feeling evoked by TOP GUN. A hard thumping soundtrack features the likes of: Joan Jett, Elton John, Chicago, Tina Turner and Maria McKee. And yes, it is hard not to notice the Cruise/Kidman chemistry.

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2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
By all standards I shouldn't enjoy this movie....., 23 January 2007

Author: xwhenseasonschangex from Oakland, California; USA

First of all this movie has Tom Cruise in it, which to be honest is the reason that I hesitated for so long to see it. Secondly It's about NASCAR for Christ's sake! The problem is, I did enjoy it. I believe its for the reasons that I mentioned that I actually did enjoy it. An escapist sort of entertainment that puts you in a place that you would really never even consider going. I was forced to rent this recently by a friend and after sitting about 15 minutes in to it I just let go and let the colors and sounds wash over me. This movie is the visual equivalent of a music video with dialog. Every scene is short and to the point, and if its forward momentum you are looking for in your movies then you've come to the right place. The entire duration of the movies length I kept thinking that I wish there were more movies made that took you to another world the way this one does. Tony Scott you've done it again sir, Congratulations!

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2 out of 2 people found the following comment useful :-
Feels like a Sunday afternoon, 25 January 2002
Author: obidiah182 from Fayetteville, AR

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

-SMALL SPOILERS-

I was a NASCAR fan before this movie came out, and I still am. This is an enjoyable movie that (somewhat) accurately portrays the on-track action I watch on Sundays. To be honest, I didn't care that much about who was in it or the plot that it had, I was in it for the racing from the beginning. The actors and writing hold it together and, from a fan's perspective, the racing is great, although the cars are incredibly tough and drive all over the walls and each other, something you can't do in a real race. Still, the racing stays true to life and, with one exception, the cars remain on the ground. They don't seem to be on the moon or some other zero-gravity environment like in DRIVEN. If you're a fan of NASCAR, you'll love this movie.

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3 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
Duvall excellent otherwise Top Gun with cars (and Nicole), 12 October 2007

Author: mwardf (mwardf@ntlworld.com) from Bedford England

In the Top Gun genre although without the homo eroticism. But a great performance from Duvall who lights up the screen every time he is on - which is often. Nicole Kidman lights up the screen as well and not just for her acting! Cruise is OK as the foil to Duvall's Harry. Tony Scott's direction is standard for a Bruckenheimer film and deserves applause.

The plot is entirely predictable and there is little tension. Like Top Gun the bits in between the action are too long and the sub plot of the injured driver coming to terms with his forced retirement is tedious and contributes little. BUT see this if only for Duvall's flawless performance.

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1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
Great NASCAR movie, a must see for NASCAR fans, 27 March 2008

Author: DaleSrGoodwrench3 from United States

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

This movie seems a bit cheesy and cliché at first glance and it somewhat is, but I still loved it. Tom Cruise basically re-acted Maverick from Top Gun (which is one of my all-time favorites. It's as if he changed his name from Pete Mitchell to Cole trickle, took off the flight suit and put on a NASCAR fire suit and there you have it. The story itself is cheesy, but that's why I liked it. A hotshot rookie NASCAR driver works his way up, gets in a big wreck, falls in love with a doctor, goes on to win the Daytona 500 after overcoming his trauma from the wreck. This wasn't some shakespearean intellectual masterpiece, which is why most people bash it. The Racing scenes are awesome and if you love car-action movies, you will watch these scenes over and over. The only thing is the excessive amount of bumping and rubbing. It added some degree of excitement, but was unrealistic for NASCAR. The only reason this gets a 9/10 is because the film and sound quality is not that good, compared to other movies at the time. The film seems a bit grainy to me, like it could have been shot in the 1970's. Overall, great movie, watch if your a fan of NASCAR, car action, or Tom Cruise. Im just waiting for a "digitally remastered" DVD.

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