Review of Say Anything... (1989) by James S — 27 Sep 2009

Alternative 80's teen movie to the Breakfast Club type affairs, Say Anything features some stellar work by then young director Cameron Crowe.

It can't hope to live up to his masterpiece, Singles, but there is a lot of good stuff here. First off there's the absolutely kick ass soundtrack with the likes of Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Replacements and Mother Love Bone all featured. Plus there's the always reliable John Cusack in the lead as the slightly awkward teen who gets involved with straight A student Ione Skye much to the disgust and amusement of his peers and her over ambitious father, played by Fraser's dad.

The story is a bit drab and the characters sometime talk as if they are warming up to be vocab coaches on Dawson's Creek but they are all fairly easy to warm too and there is some great dialogue in there, even if it comes across a little forced on occasion.

Crowe is very good at writing characters but here they seem just not quite as polished as they did in Singles and that leaves you feeling close to them but at the same time slightly distant. All the cast give it their all though which helps.

Say Anything is a strange movie. It feels like it could have been one of the iconic 80s movies at one time but some how got forgotten about. It is still though a worthwhile watch and has some extremely good moments put forward by a director who was tuning up his skills for the greatness that was to come.