If you watching closely the film draws parallels in characters quite a few times. That was just another parallel drawn.

Yes, when Tom Cruise said, "I admitted my mistake" like the kid did in the class, I thought until the end the kid was Tom Cruise, but the kid was reading the News Ticker on the TV about the initiated plan of Tom Cruise.
I guess the twist is the kid not being Tom Cruise like I thought.
I really like the film. The script is very good and the performances were all good. Not one was weak.

and then goes on to send redfords fav 2 students to die? that doesnt make sense either! but a twist like the OP said would be cool, if it worked

Not exactly Tom Cruises character. I believe it was supposed to be similar to his character. Perhaps the student will become a senator like Tom Cruise's character.

the guy talked Eeriely like tom cruise!
completely agreed! even the looks they found a better match than any other film who has "character X" and "younger character X" in the same film (they never really find someone believable for the younger part).

thats what i thought too but it wasnt it
the guy talked Eeriely like tom cruise!
if that would have been it would have been cooler film
WhySo..Serious? Let's put a smile on that face of yours!

well, no!
apart from it being insane, its clearly impossible due to real life facts, and the facts of the movie.
Meryl's character said that 40 yrs ago, Cruise's character was 6.
The boy in Redford's office talks to him about being in the Vietnam war40 years agoso if it was Cruise's character, Redford should have been fighting simultaneously.
Also, it's all set at the same time, near present day, so no, definitely not.

This message has been deleted.

wowjust wow. lay off the crack there buddy