Review of Say Anything... (1989) by Mitch Z — 21 Jul 2010

Say Anything...:

The 80?s were great for teenagers. I should know. At the end of the decade I was the crazy age of?three.

Anyway, why was it a great time for teenagers? Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Matthew Broderick, The Donga. John Hughes. But there was another name floating around during that time. He was in Sixteen Candles, but unlike those he starred with his name didn?t become synonymous with the brilliance that was Hughes. He is arguably the most successful actor to appear in those late 80?s teen comedies, but yet John Cusack?s work in that period has been almost completely overshadowed. Watching Say Anything? I cannot understand why.

The premise of the film is rather simple. Lloyd Dobler (Cusack) is keen on the intelligent, beautiful, but socially inexperienced Diane Court (Ione Skye). They begin seeing each other, knowing that in a few months Diane will be moving to England to take up a fellowship at a prestigious university. But this isn?t the will they/won?t they we?ve grown accustomed to in these films. The whole film, in fact, is in contrast to what we?d expect. Diane has a strong relationship with her father, who is in trouble with the IRS. Lloyd?s parents are never around. Instead he lives with his recently separated sister and her son. It is a mature film, and handles its themes much more subtly than Sixteen Candles or Fast Times at Ridgemont High. It is charming, and neither the comedy nor the drama ever dominates. This is the strength of Cameron Crowe (see Jerry Maguire), but I don?t see it being done quite so well without Cusack. There is something endearing in the way he paces his lines. It is almost innocence, a literalness long forgotten by most kids before they enter high school, but Lloyd?s caring and humorous nature portray in him the depth these films are about. It is so fun to watch.

But that?s mostly forgotten now. Television and film viewers have seen references to the scene where Lloyd raises a boombox playing Peter Gabriel?s ?In Your Eyes? into the air for Diane to hear many, many times, but they don?t know where it?s from. Most of Cusack?s other films from that period, The Sure Thing and Better Off Dead? to name a couple, have entered obscurity even further than Say Anything? and I don?t know why. My parents introduced me to John Hughes. I introduced myself to John Cusack. If that is the case for most others too it is something that needs to be changed.