The Sure Thing

...not just for Gib and Alison, but definitely for this reviewer, who saw this movie for the first time in August 2004! The plot is simple enough, but Reiner's direction makes the movie a true gem; as do the efforts of Cusack and Zuniga--plus the supporting cast, which include a pre-'Goose' Anthony Andrews and a truly funny Tim Robbins (he's less funny nowadays, of course, but in '85 he exhibited definite comedic talent). I've decided that this one's right up there with my favorites. One of those movies, with endless quotable lines, that charms you out of your wits without even trying. Till Noever, Author: KEAEN, Edge Science Fiction and Fantasy Publishing, www.owlglass.com

"The Sure Thing" is another romantic film which follows the "opposites attract" formula ("It Happened One Night", "Keith", "Some Kind Of Wonderful", "Pretty In Pink", "The Sure Thing", "A Walk To Remember" etc etc) in which a sheltered but beautiful girl gradually falls in love with an underachieving, free-spirited boy. The director here is Rob Reiner, and his template is Frank Capra's "It Happened One Night", Reiner unashamedly homaging and then reworking whole chunks of Capra's film for young audience member. The film's "better to be in love than to be chasing sex" message is typical of these testosterone fuelled teen fantasy movies, but somehow it all manages to work, thanks largely to another super likable performance by a John Cusak and a couple sensitive moments between him and co star Daphne Zuniga. 8/10 – Three iconic scenes and a neat sequence with Tim Robbins lift this routine teen comedy above the pack. Worth one viewing.

Check Rob Reiner's bio in virtually any film resource and they don't even mention this movie. Why this is so is beyond me. This is one of the overlooked gems of the 80s. I would rank it as one of Reiner's three genuine classics, along with THE PRINCESS BRIDE and THIS IS SPINAL TAP. Neither Cusack nor Zuniga could have been any better, and yet Reiner shows his directorial skill by including a cast of supporting characters that's as quirky and memorable as the leads. If you're looking for a teen romance road comedy (that isn't a gross-out soft-core flick in disguise), check this one out!

There are a few 80's teen movies I enjoy, and some I enjoy very much. But this is my favorite one of all time. This movie introduced a new kind of guy to me; the really cool Everyman with an Alterna-geek bent, and I have loved John Cusack since. No matter how many times I see this movie, it's still fresh and hilarious, and John is in peak form as the Average College Guy, sprinting across the USA to get with the lovely blond fantasy girl. The plot is predictable, but this version of "boy-wants-dumb-chick-ends-up-with-smart-chick" is really witty and terrific. Daphne Zuniga is the perfect Straight (wo)Man to Gib's charming goofiness. Eventually she sees the fun in things, and he sees that not everything is a joke. Someone here said every character has quotable lines, and they are right. Consider outer space, grab a trough of spritzer and watch this movie.