Days of Thunder (1990) review

Chevy dealer Tim Daland (Randy Quaid) convinces Cole "Not Dick" Trickle (Tom Cruise) - a "hot shot" with "raw talent" - and wizened codger Harry (Robert Duvall) to try to get along to win the NASCAR Cup Series ... and along the way Cole develops a tense rivalry with fellow driver Rowdy (Michael Rooker) and a relationship with his neurosurgeon Dr. Lewicki (Nicole Kidman).  Producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer try to replicate the setup the very successful Top Gun had, except there's not a whiff of originality - aside from the cameras whipping around the race tracks (or doing extreme close-ups of Cruise), the off-track drama has less energy as it goes through the all-too familiar "dramatic" motions (macho infighting, Cole getting into an argument with Lewicki over being reckless, etc.).  It may be clunky, but you can never say Cruise didn't take it as seriously as he could (to quote Alec Baldwin, he's "old school").