You know, for all the stick he gets, I actually adore Tom Cruise, and can always watch his movies. He's sometimes a little unintentionally funny, but that quite funny earnestness is also good to watch. I don't feel *embarrassed* watching him the way I do, eg, Richard Gere, who's a good actor. I haven't seen enough comedy Tom Cruise to know how well he does comedy, but what might be a terrible career move for him, but would be more likely to get him some critical acclaim is if he played a few real baddies. I know he's done it once or twice before, but I think he's old enough now for some charming and scary character roles. Again, Richard Gere did this and it revitalised his career (Internal Affairs).

Hard to say - Tom Cruise has never been one of my favorites, even before all the controversy about his personal life. He just never seems to disappear into a role. You're always watching TOM CRUISE.

I've only really liked him in two roles and they were as different as night and day: He was FANTASTIC in Magnolia, and really good in Tropic Thunder. One very dramatic, and one very funny. So who knows.

Haha! All those Other votes are from people who wish there was an option for "Neither. He should just retire completely". I agree with Whiplash, he's never been a favorite of mine.

If he never made a movie again, I wouldn't be fussed in the least.

I liked him as Jerry Maguire... so I guess Drama?

I wish he would just go away.

Can he just fade away into producing please.

His creepy factor will override any character he will ever play. In fact the only reason he didn't ruin Tropic Thunder was that character was unlikeable, egotistical and disgusting so it fit him

i thought that he was FANTASTIC in tropic thunder and i don't know if it was because we didn't expect it or what - but still he was great. i'll take him in just about any kind of movie to be honest.

I picked comedic just because I can't take him seriously anymore.

I loved Tropic Thunder so comedic gets my vote. I can't name any other movies of the top of my head that he did besides Mission Impossible (and I have not seen one of the three at all)

Even though I've never claimed him as a favorite actor, even before all the scientology/tomKat stuff, I still am amazed when I realize that I own so many of his films because they are favorites of mine. Far and Away, Jerry Maguire, Vanilla Sky, Interview with the Vampire, Minority Report, Rain Man. I think I love him best in Jerry Maguire which is a little of both drama/comedy.

I agree that Tom Cruise is usually just playing a version of himself in his movies. He doesn't have a lot of substance, range or emotional depth to his performances--everything is approached with that same Tom Cruise "intense stare" (which now, unfortunately, seems a little too much like crazy eyes).

I feel like there are so many really gifted but less-famous actors who maybe stick to smaller independent films who could act circles around Tom Cruise, which makes him kind of a bigger joke to me. No one these days is considering Tom for an Oscar-worthy roles. They just aren't. Of course some actors definitely belong where they are (like Denzel or Tom Hanks) but I have never been moved or impressed by Tom Cruise's acting talents. "Vanilla Sky" was a train wreck and I think "Jerry Maguire" was the most over-rated film of the decade (he wants to be with her because he doesn't want to be alone--great romantic ending! not!).

I have to agree with those who said they wouldn't miss him if never made another movie. I certainly can't imagine paying ten bucks to see him in one as the leading star now. Not in this economy! LOL.

Agree w/ ilanac13--LOVED him in TT, and maybe because it was so unexpected, so different from all those dramatic roles he's done. He redeemed himself a little with that.

i picked "other" because i think he is good at both. i loved him in drama "magnolia" and also in comedy "Jerry maguire" "tropic thunder". he is really underrated. and also he has a lot of haters because his controversial opinions. case in point the above user who is like a TomKat troll. i am LMAO at her desperation to post hateful things in every tom and katie thread.

Both actually. Tom is a little strange sometimes but I actually like him. He seems like a genuine guy and I agree with macneil that he is unintentionally funny. He went up in my book after TT, omg he was hilarious. I would love to see more of him in comedic roles.

he was hilarious in tropic thunder and he was great in the last samurai....so i think he should do both

I've never been a fan but ever since I watched War of Worlds I simply can't stand him anymore.

As much as I hate myself for it, I really like Tom's movies. I actually like him the most in his action roles like Mission Impossible and War of the Worlds. But He's funny and pretty good as a Hitler hating Nazi.

i would love to see him make more comedic cameos, but i'm not 100% sure he could pull off the lead in a pure comedy

He was hilarious in Tropic Thunder!!!

"I'm talkin' G5."

both!! the only movies i don't like with him are action/sci-fi, as those just arent my thing

both!! the only movies i don't like with him are action/sci-fi, as those just arent my thing
i picked other as in both, not neither!

oops

I voted other because this man can do it all. He's born to entertain.On the L.A.times poll he's the favorite by the people to win an Oscar.

He's good in both. He pretty much tackled everything and he's also a good action hero and a cool villain i.e Collateral and Interview with a Vampire.

What about indeed a scary flick or directing for him?

He is just outstanding. everything suits him. he can do justice to any role. i can watch him over n
over again

Tom Cruise never plays anyone other than Tom Cruise. I think the reason he has shown such a preference for action type films is that those roles do not involve any multi-layered characterizations or far-reaching range.

Now that he's gone off the deep end it will be even more difficult to disassociate him from the roles he is playing. It's "Crazy Tom Cruise" on screen and not the character in the story. The worse thing that can happen to a serious actor is when their celebrity self becomes bigger than the movie roles they play and that's happened to him.

He should disappear for a few years and then maybe try a comeback. A rom-com co-starring Cameron Diaz? That sounds like a place good actors go to die.

action! - he's so great in the MI series.

Wow...I say, both! He was hilarious in Tropic Thunder and fantastic in Valkyrie. I own both films on Blu-Ray, and I can guarantee that Tom is equally adept at BOTH genres. I hope he just keeps picking great roles, no matter what the genre!