Rain Man (1988) United Artists 📢 Director: Barry Levinson 💰 Producer: Mark Johnson 👫 Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Tom Cruise, Valeria Golino. 🏆 Awards ceremony: -61st Academy Awards: March 29, 1989. Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California. 🎭 Other films nominated for Best Picture this year: -The Accidental Tourist. -Dangerous Liaisons. -Mississippi Burning. -Working Girl. 📕 Plot summary: Charlie Babbitt (TOM CRUISE) is an arrogant and self-centered car dealer who discovers that his estranged father has died and snubbed him out of a $3 million inheritance. Instead, the fortune is awarded to Charlie's long-lost older brother Raymond (DUSTIN HOFFMAN) whom Charlie knew nothing about. Raymond turns out to be autistic and incapable of understanding the concept of money. Out of pure greed and a sense of entitlement, Charlie embarks upon a mission to claim what he believes he is owed from his father's will by 'kidnapping' Raymond and taking him on a 7-day road trip, which includes a stay over in Las Vegas. During the course of the trip Charlie learns that the term 'rain man' came from when Charlie was young and wasn't able to properly say his brother's name and thus called him Rain Man instead of Raymond. By the end of the week Charlie bonds with his brother and begins to care more about his sibling than he does the money he feels he was overlooked by their father. 💥 Standout scene(s): There are many stand-out scenes in the movie but the one that I remember the most is when Charlie teaches Raymond how to dance in their hotel suite. 🔑 Facts: -The 61st Academy Awards. -Nominated for 8 Academy Awards, it won 4: Best Picture, Director, Actor (Dustin Hoffman), Screenplay (original). -Third Best Picture appearance for Dustin Hoffman (Midnight Cowboy, Kramer vs Kramer). 🙂 Personal opinion: I'm going to say this right off the bat: Dustin Hoffman puts in the performance of a life time here, earning him a thoroughly deserved second Oscar win. Tom Cruise is an annoying prick who mellows as the film plays out but even so, the arrogance of his character is so annoying most of the time. This aside, we have a delightfully wonderful storyline here which isn't too long and never dull. The scene in the diner with the toothpicks, the scene at the airport, Hoffman freaking out in full spas mode in the bathroom, Charlie teaching Raymond how to dance, Susannah giving Raymond his first kiss, the blackjack game, Raymond mimicking the sex noises he hears coming from Charlie's bedroom... there are just so many great moments to choose from. Did it deserve the Oscar? ✅YES. Dustin Hoffman alone is the reason to want to see this one. 7/10

Review date: 15 April 2025