Cruisette

If you could be a character from a book or film, who would you be? Why?

I’m being a bit of a Tom Cruise here, and before I start let me say that I love the guy. I don’t judge his private life as I don’t judge via media accounts. He’s a talented and versatile actor, and by all accounts a very kind person.

However, we both have things in common: not tall (especially me); not big and powerful (especially me); and we dare to dream. He dared to dream enough to play Jack Reacher of the Lee Child books; 6’ plus-plus and built like a brick outhouse. Go figure the outrage.

What I love about the character of Reacher (just Reacher if you haven’t read the books), is that he knows where he stands when it matters. He has decided on what is acceptable – not hurting and killing people, and what is not acceptable – hurting and killing people.

More than that he investigates, then he makes his decisions based on what he sees and hears. No leaping in and then “Sorry, I thought you were someone else.”

For a big, strong, powerful, man, his favourite co-pilot in all areas of danger, the person he trusts the most, is a woman called Neagley. Tough as they come, and also very decent.

It’s a powerful message in the Lee Child books that powerful men respect women.

I love the character of Neagley though, Reacher would get his butt handed to him if he tried to do the gentlemanly thing with her.

“Please dear let me hit them for you?”

“You can do that dear as soon as I’ve killed them!”

I am against violence in truth, but in fairness it’s only a movie, even the dead get up and have a coffee during the break. I’m also old enough to know that you can’t kill people in real life just because you’ve played a game or watched a film.

Horns of a dilemma

I love Reacher’s clarity, investigative mind, and decency. So I want to be him as a her. On the other hand you have the phenomenal female force of nature who can more than hold her own against 6 foot plus about 2 miles of muscled powerhouse.

On reflection, I think Neagley. To me she represents the fact that no one has to think in terms of limits. We can all be what we want to be.

Even me, and Tom Cruise. No matter what anyone said about height, he was Reacher. I can’t take that from him.

Plus the success Lee Child has had since was no doubt at least helped by Tom’s fandom and desire to put the character right up there on the big screen. He did good, we got Alan Ritchson, who has the stature, the size, and the acting ability to embody Reacher. What’s not to love. Thanks Tom.

This is Alan Ritchson, powerful when sitting down doing nothing, being himself. Isn’t that the dream though, commanding and not a weapon in sight. That’s a real strength you can respect.

This blog is really about finding things to love not criticise isn’t it?

Let’s be nice to each other

We all deserve that

Deb xx