Ah, Tom Cruise. But in Rain Man, Dustin Hoffman turns out to be the surprise package. Ole, ole movie (it was released in 1988, like 23 years before), but is, according to me, evergreen. Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise) faces debt problems, and his business is suffering. He is literally in the throes of despair, when he gets to know that his estranged father has passed away. He, with his girlfriend Susanna, goes to his hometown, to claim his legacy, when he learns that his father has left his entire fortune of $3 million to his estranged brother Dustin. But hey, Dustin turns out to be an autistic savant, a condition that many are not aware of. Though he has problems exhibiting his emotions and communicating, he is a genius at solving math problems and has an amazing memory. Initially Charlie despises his brother, contemptuously thinking him a burden, and struggles with him and his odd habits and rituals, just for the sake of tricking him out of the fortune. The turning point is when Charlie discovers that Dustin is Rain Man, whom he long brushed off as an imaginary friend, who sang to him every night. In fact, when Charlie was two, Rain Man was sent to Wallbrook, fearing that he might hurt the child. That brings about a change of heart in Charlie, and from then on, the film explores the relationship between the two brothers.
The performances are simply awe-inspiring, especially that of Dustin Hoffman. Tom Cruise is commendable, and plays his part to perfection. Some of the scenes strike a chord, such as the one when Charlie runs hot water, and Dustin turns violent, fearing that it might 'hurt the baby', and the one in which Charlie teaches Dustin how to dance. This one should definitely score on your must watch list. Awesomeness.
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