by Nathan Braised
“Rain Man” is a 1988 film starring Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise. Hoffman’s performance in this movie is credited as the best of his career, and that could not hold more validity. Cruise does a good job with the character, but you will probably hate how he acts throughout most of the film.
Charlie Babbitt, played by Tom Cruise, works as a collectibles dealer in Los Angeles and is in the middle of a huge deal importing four Lamborghini’s. The deal gets put on hold when Charlie learns that his father has died and must travel to Cincinnati to collect his inheritance.
He and his father never got along, so he is only left a classic car and his father’s famed rose bushes. Charlie sees this as one last jab from beyond the grave, especially since the $3 million estate gets left to some unnamed person.
He finds out that the money was sent to a local mental institution, where his long lost brother Raymond has been since Charlie was a baby. Raymond has severe autism and savant syndrome, which makes him hyper-fixated on certain things and gives him an incredible memory.
Hoffman’s portrayal of Raymond is by far the best acting I have ever seen, and it’s no surprise it won him a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for the role.
Charlie breaks Raymond out of the institution, but gets in trouble with Raymond’s caretaker, Dr. Bruner. Bruner promises Charlie half of the money given from his father, and Charlie’s only chance to obtain it is to get custody of Raymond.
Charlie must get back to Los Angeles, but Raymond has a panic attack in the terminal over a deathly fear of flying, so the duo must drive the entire way back.
There’s a lot of hijinks as Charlie learns how to deal with Raymond’s condition, but he gets better at understanding Raymond’s needs.
Charlie also discovers that his childhood imaginary friend, the “Rain Man” was just babble for “Raymond,” and that Raymond was this figure that would calm Charlie down when he was a child.
After learning of Raymond’s incredible math skills, he figures out that Raymond is a natural at counting cards, and the duo head to Vegas to win big at the blackjack tables. The Lamborghini deal that was in progress at the beginning of the film has completely fallen through, leaving Charlie with a mountain of debt.
The pair win $86,000, covering that debt, but the pit boss discovers their scheme and asks them to leave. If you recall “Rounders,” “The Hangover” and “21,” it’s safe to say they got off pretty easy.
Bruner cuts them off in Los Angeles and plans to give Charlie $250,000 to take Raymond back to Cincinnati.
Charlie says he cares more for Raymond than he does the money, but must make the decision of whether to continue caring for his brother and earn the money, or send him back to the institution and lose out on $1.5 million.
The ending was the only part I really didn’t like. Apart from the lackluster wrap-up, “Rain Man” is beyond incredible all the way through.
A ton of quotable lines, a great dynamic between comedy and solemnity, and Hoffman’s performance make it such a great viewing experience. I encourage everyone to give it a watch at some point in time, as it is one of the best ‘80s films by a landslide.
Rate 10/10
