On this day, December 16, 1988, Rain Man premiered in theaters, starring Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise. Directed by Barry Levinson, the film follows the touching journey of a self-centered car dealer, Charlie Babbitt (Cruise), and his estranged autistic savant brother, Raymond (Hoffman).
The film became a massive critical and commercial success, winning four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Barry Levinson, Best Actor for Dustin Hoffman, and Best Original Screenplay for Ronald Bass and Barry Morrow. Hoffman’s portrayal of Raymond remains one of the most iconic performances in cinema history, despite his own doubts during filming—he reportedly wanted off the set because he thought he was doing a horrible job!
The film became a massive critical and commercial success, winning four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Barry Levinson, Best Actor for Dustin Hoffman, and Best Original Screenplay for Ronald Bass and Barry Morrow. Hoffman’s portrayal of Raymond remains one of the most iconic performances in cinema history, despite his own doubts during filming—he reportedly wanted off the set because he thought he was doing a horrible job!