Rain Man (1988)

Genre

Drama

Director

Barry Levinson

Country

USA

Cast

Dustin Hoffman, Tom Cruise, Valeria Golino, Gerald R. Molen, Jack Murdock, Michael D. Roberts, Ralph Seymour, Lucinda Jenney, Bonnie Hunt, Beth Grant, Ray Baker, Barry Levinson

Plot

As his father dies, self-centered Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise) learns that a $3 million estate is going to his savant brother Raymond (Dustin Hoffman) that Charlie didn't know he had.

Opinion

Rain Man is a fascinating, moving, and powerful road movie, that focuses more on the relationship, constantly growing, between two brother who were completely strangers until a week before, than on the trip itself. 

Barry Levinson's direction is impressive, and his choice to shelve dialogue to leave more room to the expressiveness of the two actors turned out to be spot on. In fact, often, body language, silences and glances exchanged between Cruise and Hoffman steal the scene and those are the most moving and emotional moments of the film.

I am not sure about the Best Picture Award but the cinematography by John Seale and the musical score by Hans Zimmer are fantastic. 

Dustin Hoffman give a fantastic portrayal of an autistic man, living in his own world, and unable to comprehend the real one. Tom Cruise is fantastic, his character transformation is very believable, and his attitude changes so gradually you barely notice. Hoffman and Cruise are excellent together and the chemistry between the two of them is touching.

Quotes

Charlie: Listen... Ray, I don't know if I'm gonna have a chance to talk to you again. Because you see, these... Dr. Bruner really likes you a lot, and he's probably gonna take you back. You know?

Raymond: Yeah.

Charlie: What I said about being on the road with you I meant. Connecting. I like having you for my brother.

Raymond: I'm an excellent driver.

Charlie: Yes, you are. I like having you for my big brother.

Raymond: C-H-A-R-L-I-E. C-H-A-R-L-I-E. Main man.