SAY ANYTHING
(PG-13)
MOVIE: ** (out of 5)
BLU-RAY EXPERIENCE: **** (out of 5)
BY KEVIN CARR
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
“Say Anything” is Cameron Crowe’s directorial debut about a high school independent named Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) who has his sights set on dating valedictorian Diane Court (Ione Skye). She doesn’t know he exists, but after some very persistent courting, Lloyd strikes up a relationship with her. However, with her college future likely taking her away from town, Diane’s father is suspicious of Lloyd’s intentions.
WHAT I LIKED
Even though I went to high school in the 1980s and was the perfect age to see a film like “Say Anything…,” I managed to miss this one. So it was nice to finally get a chance to sit down and watch it with my own high school experiences twenty years in my rear view mirror.
The cast is great in this movie, and they are who helped make this a classic. This is an iconic role for John Cusack and easily one of the movies that made him such a respectable actor today. He strikes a perfect balance between the rebellious teen and the nice guy. And Ione Skye gives us a different version of the pretty girl who is somewhat unattainable.
This movie gives a realistic view of high school love without over-glorifying it or making it too crazy. It touches at the heart of the experience as the John Hughes canon did while keeping itself as a drama rather than a comedy.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
With this amount of praise said, I can’t say I was a huge fan of the movie. Perhaps if I had gotten off my butt in 1989 and actually saw the film I could say I was. However, as a cynical adult with my motivations more in line with Diane’s dad than with Lloyd Dobler, I didn’t get wrapped up in the romantic nature of this romance.
Maybe it’s because I saw Lloyd as a borderline stalker. Maybe it’s because Diane was too aloof to really take seriously as a person you could have a deep relationship with. Maybe it was the ridiculous hat that Jeremy Piven wore in the movie. In any case, I can see why people love this movie, but I really didn’t.
BLU-RAY FEATURES
The Blu-ray comes with a commentary by Cameron Crowe, John Cusack and Ione Skye. There’s also a retrospective featurette, “An Iconic Film Revisited: Say Anything… 20 Years Later,” to look at the movie’s impact on American pop culture.
With the amount of material that hit the cutting room floor, you could make a whole new movie. There’s five alternate scenes, ten deleted scenes and fifteen extended scenes.
Additional new featurettes include an interview with Cameron Crowe, a VH1-style interview montage with media figures explaining why “I Love Say Anything…” and a trivia track that can play through the movie. A vintage featurette, trailers, TV spots and photo gallery round out the mix.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Anyone who has pined for the love of another in high school.