When discussing Hollywood legends, few names shine as brightly as Tom Cruise. With a career that spans more than four decades, Cruise has become a symbol of high-energy action, gripping drama, and memorable characters. From fearless secret agents to intricate antiheroes, he has embraced roles that have shaped genres and enthralled audiences worldwide. Whether you’re a devoted fan or just beginning to explore his filmography, this compilation of the 10 best Tom Cruise movies serves as the ideal introduction to appreciate the breadth of his talent. Get ready — these films promise an experience you won’t want to overlook.
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1. Top Gun Maverick
- IMDb Rating- 8.2/10
- Rotten Tomato Rating- 96%
- Smartprix Rating-9/10
- Runtime- 2 hours 13 minutes
- Starring- Tom Cruise with Miles Teller, Val Kilmer & others
About the Movie- The plot of the movie is based on Maverick confronting his past while training a group of younger Top Gun graduates, including the son of his deceased best friend, for a dangerous mission. You can watch it on JioHotstar, Amazon Prime Video, and Zee5.
Tom Cruise has given one of his best performances in Top Gun: Maverick, blending nostalgia, action, and emotion. In the movie, it is shown as an instructor training a new generation of elite pilots for a dangerous mission. Cruise underwent months of flight training so they could use real fighter jets and portrayed a seasoned and rebellious leader to the T. The film earned 1.4 billion dollars globally and received six Oscar nominations as well.
2. Risky Business
- IMDb Rating-6.8/10
- Rotten Tomato Rating-93%
- Smartprix Rating-7/10
- Runtime- 1 hour 39 minutes
- Starring- Tom Cruise with Rebecca De Mornay, Joe Pantoliano & others
About the Movie- The movie revolves around a rich suburban teenager who decides to turn his family home into a brothel while his parents are away, as he wants to raise money in order to repair his father’s car, which he completely destroyed. You can watch it on Amazon Prime Video
The movie marked Tom Cruise’s breakthrough performance, transforming him from a rising actor into a full-fledged Hollywood star. The movie has various iconic moments like the dance scene, and Cruise’s performance is a combination of charm and naivety which hadn’t been seen before.
3. Collateral
- IMDb Rating-7.5/10
- Rotten Tomato Rating-86%
- Smartprix Rating-8/10
- Runtime-2 hours
- Starring- Tom Cruise with Jamie Foxx, Mark Ruffalo & others
About the Movie- The movie revolves around Max, a cab driver who is shocked after he learns that his passenger, Vincent, is an assassin who is on a deadly mission to kill people. However, he must stop Vincent before it is too late. You can watch it on Amazon Prime Video and JioHotstar.
The movie was a bold departure from Tom Cruise’s usual heroic roles, and it paid off brilliantly. He played the role of Vincent, an assassin who was a methodical hitman, and this was one of the rare times he played a villain. He appeared different with grey hair and subtle mannerisms, and got trained in weapons handling and close-quarter combat, which reflected in his performance.
4. American Made
- IMDb Rating-7.1/10
- Rotten Tomato Rating-85%
- Smartprix Rating-7.5/10
- Runtime- 1 hour 55 minutes
- Starring- Tom Cruise with Sarah Wright, Jayma Mays & others
About the Movie- The movie is based on Barry Seal, a commercial airline pilot who gets involved in drugs and arms trafficking while working for the CIA. Later, he turns into a government informant in order to escape his jail time. You can watch it on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and JioHotstar.
Tom Cruise plays a real-life pilot turned drug smuggler and CIA informant, and it is one of his most underrated and fascinating performances. He is a witty, fast-talking, and morally gray guy who’s neither good nor evil, and this makes his character interesting. The movie is a break from his usual clean-cut action hero characters and has undertones of dark comedy as well.
5. A Few Good Men
- IMDb Rating-7.7/10
- Rotten Tomato Rating-84%
- Smartprix Rating-8/10
- Runtime- 2 hours 18 minutes
- Starring-Tom Cruise with Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore & others
About the Movie- The plot of the movie revolves around Lt. Daniel Kaffee, a US military lawyer who defends two US marines charged with murdering a fellow marine at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba. The needle of suspicion, however, points to a colonel. You can watch it on JioHotstar, Amazon Prime Video, and Sony LIV.
Tom Cruise has given one of his most critically acclaimed performances in this legal drama, where he plays a young Navy JAG lawyer who’s known for plea bargains rather than courtroom battles. Cruise portrays Kaffee’s evolution beautifully and gives a top-notch performance in courtroom scenes. The film received 4 Oscar nominations, and Cruise’s chemistry with Moore was also appreciated.
6. Jerry McGuire
- IMDb Rating-7.3/10
- Rotten Tomato Rating-85%
- Smartprix Rating-8/10
- Runtime- 2 hours 19 minutes
- Starring-Tom Cruise with Renee Zellweger, Jonathan Lipnicki & others
About the Movie- The movie revolves around Jerry McGuire, a sports agent who gets fired from his job for exposing the alleged illegal practices in his profession. He then starts his own agency but manages to get only one client. You can watch it on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and SonyLIV.
Tom Cruise delivers one of his most layered, heartfelt, and iconic performances in this movie. It even earned him a Best Actor Oscar nomination, and the movie became a Pop culture touchstone thanks to its story and treatment. The character of Jerry is charismatic yet deeply flawed, and the movie traces his journey of becoming a better man. He has an electric rapport with Cuda Gooding Jr and Renee Zellweger, bringing warmth and tension to relationships.
7. The Firm
- IMDb Rating-6.9/10
- Rotten Tomato Rating-76%
- Smartprix Rating-7/10
- Runtime- 2 hours 34 minutes
- Starring-Tom Cruise with Gene Hackman, Karina Lombard & others
About the Movie- The story is about Mitch, a lawyer who is seduced by the perks that come with his job at a big law firm, and is trapped into staying quiet about their illegal financial dealings, including those of a Chicago mafia family. You can watch it on Amazon Prime Video.
Cruise delivers a sharp, suspenseful performance as a young lawyer trapped in a web of corruption, deceit, and danger. He plays Mitch as ambitious but not arrogant, and his fear feels palpable, but so does his determination. He is a different kind of hero who outthinks everyone, and there are no stunts in this movie, just dialogues that make him shine.
8. Far & Away
- IMDb Rating-6.6/10
- Rotten Tomato Rating-51%
- Smartprix Rating-6.7/10
- Runtime- 2 hours 20 minutes
- Starring-Tom Cruise with Nicole Kidman, Colm Meaney & others
About the Movie- The show revolves around Joseph Donelly, who visits Daniel Christie to avenge his father’s death. There, he meets and falls in love with Shannon, Daniel’s daughter, and asks her to leave her parents’ mundane lifestyle. You can watch it on Amazon Prime Video.
This romantic epic directed by Ron Howard showcases a different side of Cruise and not the usual slick, modern action hero that he has portrayed before. He took on a heavy Irish accent and had undeniable chemistry with Kidman as the two were dating in real life then. He prepared himself by learning bare-knuckle boxing scenes, riding horses, and chaotic land runs.
9. Mission Impossible: Fallout
- IMDb Rating-7.7/10
- Rotten Tomato Rating-98%
- Smartprix Rating-8.5/10
- Runtime- 2 hours 27 minutes
- Starring- Tom Cruise with Rebecca Ferguson, Simon Pegg & others
About the Movie- The movie follows a group of terrorists who plan to detonate three plutonium cores for a simultaneous nuclear attack on different cities. Ethan Hunt, along with his IMF team, sets out to stop the carnage. You can watch it on Amazon Prime Video, JioHotstar, and Zee5.
Tom Cruise delivered one of his most intense and accomplished action performances ever in this movie. He performed nearly every stunt himself, and the movie also brought a more vulnerable Ethan Hunt to the forefront. Tom Cruise balances Ethan’s superhuman drive with human fear, fatigue, and empathy.
10. Minority Report
- IMDb Rating-7.6/10
- Rotten Tomato Rating-89%
- Smartprix Rating-7.8/10
- Runtime- 2 hours 25 minutes
- Starring-Tom Cruise with Samantha Morton, Kathryn Morris & others
About the Movie- The plot revolves around John, who works with PreCrime police, which stop crimes before they take place with the help of three PreCogs who can foresee crimes. Events ensue when John finds himself framed for a future murder. You can watch it on Amazon Prime Video.
Tom Cruise in the movie is a masterclass in combining blockbuster action with cerebral science fiction. He balances grief, guilt, and desperation well, and being fully committed to action, he puts all his signature stamina and urgency into it. He brings credibility to the film’s philosophical themes with complete integrity.
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