Review of Say Anything... (1989) by Reece L — 17 Jun 2014

One of the more infamous romantic comedies for its time, and a launching point for John Cusack, Say Anything is, in many respects, a quintessential Generation X and yet a film that only sporadically departs from a traditional framework, relying more on its style than any sort of profound theme.

In the film, we see Diane Court, a lauded high-school valedictorian with an extremely involved father, on the verge of departing to England for college, meeting the affable, aimless, and yet relentlessly charming Lloyd Dobler, graduating with her as well. This sets a familiar premise, with an unlikely pair that soon finds itself with an inexplicable connection. A fall-out soon occurs, followed by an earnest reconciliation. The arc of the story is cliché, with no real unpredictable moments. If Say Anything does anything unique, it's in the execution, with a fantastic performance from John Cusack, and also in its characterization of the relationship between Father and daughter, a refreshingly positive take.

That the film has garnered recognition is certainly most attributed to the performance by Cusack, and the (cliché), yet effective romantic beats in the film ,making for some truly memorable scenes. There's some issues to be had, however, Ione Skye's performance was never particularly compelling, and her character never all that believable, too neat and one-dimensional. The beginning is also a bit clunky, with the film starting to find its stride about mid-way through. Overall, it's a film of charm and a breezy sort of air about itself, but one that too often reinforces the romantic clichés of the time, with its lasting messages failing to totally resonate on an organic level.

3/5 Stars.