I still maintain that the best Tom Cruise performance ever is his Lestat in Interview with a Vampire, as it’s the only time he disappears into the character. Heck, he elevates that movie into “pretty decent” territory.
IMO Tom Cruise excells in villanous/asshole roles. Collateral and Tropic Thunder Thunder are proof of that. I’d love to see him play bad guys more often.
Oh yeah, I keep forgetting him in Tropic Thunder - the guy really does villain/dickbag roles so well.