Review - Days of Thunder (1990)

        Hey guys, Chuck here. And, I am saddened to say that yesterday, Hollywood legend Robert Duvall passed away at the age of 94. So, to commemorate his memory, I decided to take a look at one of his movies that I haven't discussed yet: 1990's Days of Thunder. Directed by Top Gun director Tony Scott and produced by Top Gun producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, Days of Thunder stars Tom Cruise, Robert Duvall, Michael Rooker, Nicole Kidman, John C. Reilly, Cary Elwes, and Randy Quaid. 

       The movie introduces us to Harry Hogge, a former crew chief and car.builder who left NASCAR after the driver of one of his cars died in a fatal race accident. However, Harry is approached by Chevrolet dealership tycoon Tim Daland to build another car for a new racer he's recruited named Cole Trickle. And, while Harry is a bit uncertain, Cole manages to set a fast time in a private test, securing Cole a spot driving for Harry, who builds him the car. 

       Over the course of his first few races, Cole finds difficulty with various car issues, including transmission and tires, as well as a back and forth rivalry with another driver and sitting champion Rowdy Burns. One evening, Cole confesses to Harry that while he can drive the car, he has difficulty understanding the base terminology used in NASCAR. So, Harry agrees to better train Cole to be a better NASCAR driver. And, with Harry's help, Cole starts winning races, up until both he and Rowdy wind up in a near-fatal crash. And, while Cole is able to recover with help from a neurosurgeon named Dr. Claire Lewicki, with whom he develops a romantic relationship, both he and Rowdy are warned by NASCAR president Big John that their behavior on the track will bo longer he tolerated. So, the two rivals become friends over dinner and have a fun race on the beach using rental cars.  

       However, Daland fills Cole's vacant spot with a new rookie racer named Russ Wheeler, later expanding his race team to include both Cole and Russ, which starts when Cole returns to the track. Unfortunately, Cole finds himself in a new rivalry with Russ, and the two end up in a fight that leads Daland to fire both Cole and Harry. Some days later, and Rowdy reveals to Cole that he needs to undergo surgery to fix a blood vessel in his brain, and he wants Cole to race his car at Daytona so that his sponsors will finance the year. Cole meets with Harry, who reveals that he's been more protective of Cole after what happened to the last racer that drove for him. But, Harry joins Cole, and the two head to race in Rowdy's car at Daytona. 

        And, despite some animosity with Daland, who is highly protective of his new prize driver Russ, Harry is able to get a new engine from Daland to replace the engine in Rowdy's car. For what reason? Harry found metal in the oil of the car, which is a sign of engine failure. Cole does fairly well in the race, but has a series of back and forth moments with Russ. However, thanks to the combined efforts of both Harry's and Daland's pit crews, Cole is able to stay in the race and pull of a win in the final lap, earning him his first victory at Daytona. Cole then meets with Harry, and the two go to celebrate in Victory Lane. 

       Upon release, Days of Thunder was the subject of mixed responses from critics and viewers, with many comparing it unfavorably to Top Gun. However, in the years since the unfortunate passing of director Tony Scott, the film has been reevaluated and is now seen as a sports movie classic. But, what is my take on the movie? 

       Well, I genuinely enjoyed Days of Thunder when I watched it a few years back. I thought the racing scenes were a genuine adrenaline rush from start to finish, and the more quiet moments between characters were genuinely well written. The rivalry turned friendship between Tom Cruise as Cole and Michael Rooker as Rowdy was easily the best written of the entire movie, and both Cruise and Rooker made it work with terrific acting. Robert Duvall as Harry was absolutely fantastic as the crew chief/reluctant mentor to Cole, and Nicole Kidman as Claire has fantastic romantic chemistry with Cruise's Cole. The only one I didn't really care for was Randy Quaid as Daland, as he came off as too stiff in some moments and too much like a  corporate d-bag in others. However, for what few scenes he had, Cary Elwes as Russ Wheeler did a good job. 

       Overall, Days of Thunder is a fantastic movie that I definitely recommend. And, while my favorite Tom Cruise character will always be Ethan Hunt from Mission: Impossible, I would argue that his performance as Cole in this movie is among my favorite Tom Cruise performances. So, if you get a chance, definitely check this movie out. 

       Alright guys, this is Chuck signing off, and I'll see you in the next review.