I originally viewed the film Jerry Maguire in the theatres with my mom and sister. I was only eleven and I really did not care what the film was about. All I remember was the famous line “Show me the Money!” and the critical acclaim the film was praised for. When I am asked to define love and, or what makes it possible within this film, I became puzzled. Perhaps the possibility of love within the film goes further than man and woman.
For example, the love for friends, for our jobs, for sports, for money, for our children, and for our parents, these are all possibilities of love topics to be analyzed within this film. The film begins with Jerry writing a statement on how his company can connect better with its clients. The statement was to cut back on some clients to become closer to a smaller amount, thus enabling them to care and love for their clients better. He gets fired shortly after and then bigger conflicts and competition arise. He learns who his real friends are. The woman he originally is engaged to loses all interest in him when he becomes a softer and a more caring individual. During his bachelor party, several women made comments on Jerry’s love life. Comments like Jerry needing to have a woman by his side and that he couldn’t be alone. When he tells his fiancé that it is over she overpowers him by making him weaker. She does a TKO on Jerry; however, this just furthers the fact that the two of them were not truly in love. Dorothy Boyd works for Jerry and agrees to work for him after he is fired. She told Jerry prior to him being fired that she was captivated by his statement and truly loved his ideas. He begins to see her more importantly, and her son, and begins to love them. All this love is being thrown around, but not necessarily stated.
Rod Tidwell is Jerry’s one and only client besides Frank Cushman who lets his daddy make all his decisions as far as game playing. Rod gives Jerry inspiration and the two of them really connect and pull themselves out of the shadows. Frank’s daddy and family can be described, in my opinion, as rednecks or trailer trash. They string Jerry along making him believe that they were going to sign with him, but instead they sign with Jerry’s new enemy and former employer Bob Sugar. Frank’s daddy didn’t like the idea of Jerry working with Rod because the color of his skin. That’s not love, just pure hate.
Both Rod and Frank share love for the game of football; however, Rod is looking for endorsements, Not just any endorsement, but the big ones; Nike, Reebok, Coca-cola, etc. He is subject to endorse blow up mattresses of some sort and goes on and on about being neglected by Jerry’s people. In other words, he is not getting any love. Nearing the end of the film Rod is injured during a touchdown he makes and Jerry runs to the field from the skybox. He calls Rod’s wife and talks her through the hard time. If this isn’t love than I don’t know where else to find it within this film. Jerry began as a self-centered businessman making big dollars and ignoring the people that were truly important. A simple change of heart is what made love possible in the film Jerry Maguire.
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