Jerry Maguire is a sports agent who, in a late-night flash of inspiration – the kind you regret the next morning – told his bosses that their company needed to change its focus from profits to personal service. He was immediately canned.
I know how hard this movie tried to win me over, and I really did want to like it enough to recommend it. But in spite of our efforts, I just couldn’t buy into the redemption of Jerry Maguire. The question that haunts the movie is “can Jerry can succeed in love and business with his newfound philosophy?” We hope the answer will be yes. Jerry is likeable, as are his client, his girlfriend, and his philosophy. The answer, ultimately, is yes, but not until the very end of the movie. When his redemption finally comes, it is because of someone else’s luck, and not because of any of the countless reasons presented in the rest of the movie.
The movie would have been much better, much more rewarding, if Jerry could have learned along the way, growing and evolving as a character. Instead, most of the movie presents Jerry ignoring reasons for him to change, followed by a short burst of inspiration, redemption, and rejoicing.