Hollywood staplesTom CruiseandCameron Diazcombined their cinematic superpowers to headline the 2010 satirical action comedyKnight and Day,a fun and breezy film that follows a classic car restorer as she finds her life turned upside-down after meeting a handsome stranger on a plane, who turns out to be a covert operative that ison the run from the CIA. Naturally, the mismatched duo must work together to get out of the nightmare situation alive, with (limited) hilarity ensuing.
Knight and Dayfeatured the additional talents of stars like Peter Sarsgaard, Paul Dano, andViola Davisand became a knockout at the box office, grossing $262 million worldwide. It earned mixed reviews for its exciting action sequences, contrasting with its formulaic and uninspired screenplay. The flick debuted in theaters right as Davis was truly beginning her Hollywood takeover, though her skills were woefully underutilized in the movie. Let’s take a look back atKnight and Day.
Knight and Day
Cruise & Diaz Join Forces for Breezy Action Comedy
After previously starring opposite one another in the 2001psychological thrillerVanilla Sky, Hollywood heavy hitters Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz reunited on screen nearly a decade later for the action comedy extravaganzaKnight and Day.The playful film centers on June Havens, a classic car restorer from Boston who crosses paths with an eccentric stranger named Roy Miller while at the airport, only to later make the shocking discovery that he is actually a rogue secret agent on the run from the CIA.
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June quickly finds herself swept up in a dangerous globetrotting adventure as she becomes Roy’s reluctant accomplice, with the pair setting out to not only clear his name but also rescue Simon Feck (Paul Dano), the kidnapped inventor of a perpetual energy battery Roy was framed to have stolen. With corrupt government officials, arms dealers, and dangerous criminals hot on their heels, Roy and June must learn to trust one another as they are relentlessly pursued by their many adversaries, from Spain to Austria and everywhere in between.
Davis' Talent Was Wasted in ‘Knight and Day’
EGOT winner Viola Davisis undeniably one of the entertainment industry’s most remarkable talents, andinKnight and Day, the decorated actress appeared as CIA Director of counterespionage Isabel George, who makes it her mission to track down Cruise’s Roy along with the corrupt agent John Fitzgerald (Peter Sarsgaard). The supporting role added a much-needed dramatic weight to the breezy film, with Davis commanding every scene she was in as she remained cool, calm, and collected while giving orders and pursuing the wily Roy.
Though she, without a doubt, made the most of her limited screen time inKnight and Day,director James Mangold failed to truly tap into Davis' stellar acting prowess, and she deserved a far meatier role. At the time the action comedy was released, Davis was on the cusp of her Hollywood takeover.The following year, she would go on to star in the acclaimed period dramaThe Help, earning an Academy nominationfor her performance as housemaid Aibileen Clark and cementing her status as one of the cinema’s finest leading ladies.
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Davis was not given a lot to work with inKnight and Day,and her hard-nosed character, Isabel George, was far too one-dimensional, though her contributions to the film and commanding presence did elevate the formulaic flick. The Cruise and Diaz spectacle became a massive hit at the box office and proved that no matter how big or small the role, Davis would undeniably do her thing and prove time and time again why she’s one of Hollywood’s most sought-after performers.
Much like her earlier supporting parts in movies likeLaw Abiding CitizenandEat Pray Love,Knight and Daysimply served as a precursor for what was to come for Davis, as the powerhouse actress would subsequently go on to headline lauded hits includingFences, Widows,andMa Rainey’s Black Bottom,while also starring as Annalise Keating for six seasons in the legalthrillerHow to Get Away with Murder.If you want to see Cruise and Diaz get swept up in hilarious hijinks while traveling the world and also witness Davis more than hold her own opposite the pair,Knight and Dayis definitely worth revisiting for curious fans.
How To Watch ‘Knight and Day’
Fans of easy-viewing action comedies, an amusingly affable Tom Cruise, and, of course, the one and only Viola Davis can rent/buyKnight and DayonPrime Video, Apple TV+, and Fandango.
