Watch Say Anything... For Free

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

To me, this movie is perfection.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Before I get to my review, I'd like to respond to the wet-blanket elitist, who wanted to diagram this film like a term paper. 'Say Anything' is a teen film from the '80s. It was made about young people in the 1980s, for young people in the 1980s and deals with the issues of young people in the 1980s. If this means the film is 'dated' then every movie that has ever been made is 'dated'. To some extent, all movies are time-capsules of the period in which they were created. It isn't 'Hamlet' or 'Othello' nor is trying to be and if you are going to view a movie aimed at young people, you shouldn't be surprised by what you get. Primarily, that it will depict the world as it appears and is understood to be, by adolescents and that the storyline will revolve around the things that are important to them. These may seem naive, trivial or idealistic by adult standards but this is not the adult world. That being said, 'Say Anything' does not connect with me, personally. It is a well written, well acted and well directed film in it's own right. My issue is with the version of the world and characters it depicts. You see, I was a teenager in the late '80s and in lived in that world. In fact, remember when the movie came out. I watched it in the theater and had the same problem with it then as I do now. That being, it doesn't get it right.The '80s I knew was a combination of 'The Breakfast Club', 'Sixteen Candles' and 'Some Kind of Wonderful'. Those were the people who inhabited the high school I attended and that was the culture I saw and lived in. Cameron Crowe's version, while interesting, misses the mark by this much.I have a theory for this however, and that is Crowe was not a teenager in the '80s. The movies he made about his own adolescence and undercover work at a local high school, 'Almost Famous' and 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High' capture their time and people wonderfully. And they should because he was there. But he wasn't there in the '80s and so he's having to guess.Does it matter? Probably not. 'Grease' isn't an accurate representation of the 1950s and 'That 70s Show' is not an accurate representation of the 1970s. This is a film that is beloved by legions of people and the fact that it doesn't connect with me doesn't diminish it's quality or validity. It just means that I saw things differently than the filmmaker. For those of you who were not there and plan to view 'Say Anything' for the first time though, I would suggest you watch 'Some Kind of Wonderful' afterwards as a comparison. You may find it interesting.

After watching a cheesy 80's movie in the beginning of my day, I felt no longer the urge to try and watch another one; I would compensate with just watching "The Breakfast Club" a multitude of times. But looking through my TV guide, I put this movie on and I was quickly hooked. No matter who you ask, it is hard not to fall for humorous and kick-boxing Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack). The best part I think, of all of these 80's movies is that the characters, whether they are cringe-worthy/cheesy or not, all fall for one another--no Twitter, Tinder, etc. Watch this movie, because I promise you will fall in love with it as much as I have.

Just before graduation, Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) is convinced that he had a date with the valedictorian with a brain "trapped in the body of a game-show hostess" because they shared a table together while eating at the mall one day. After bantering back and forth with his best friends Cory (Lili Taylor) and D.C. (Amy Brooks) about the un-attainability of Diane Court's (Ione Skye) social position in relation to Lloyd's, he decides to go for it and call her. Perhaps no one is more surprised than Lloyd when Diane Court not only calls him back but agrees to go on a date with him. Diane accompanies Lloyd to an annual graduation party held at the home of a former student of the high school. Diane, who has largely been hidden away from her classmates studying and enjoying none of the social aspects of high school. Her classmates are glad to finally meet and get to know Diane in an informal setting, and Diane is pleased to finally feel as though she has friends in her life other than her hands-on father, James Court (John Mahoney). After much deliberation and internal conflict after being accepted to a fellowship program in England, Diane decides to keep seeing Lloyd, on a strictly platonic basis. Lloyd takes this understanding because to him, any time with Diane Court is better than time apart from Diane Court. Lloyd decides to make his summer ambition to spend as much time with Diane as possible before she leaves. Disappointed that his daughter has settled on a lesser-than-she "distraction", James quickly begins to care less about how Diane chooses to spend her time, as his own problems arise. Ultimately a decision must be made between the life Diane has always imagined, or has been imagined for her, and the one that is unfolding."I don't want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don't want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don't want to do that." Lloyd may not know what he wants to do, but he knows what he doesn't want to do, and that may be more important. Lloyd Dobler is my favorite character, perhaps in cinema history. He's got a lot going for him, Lloyd is protective of his friends, he's introspective, independent, undaunted by going against social norms, he's willing and able to teach, as well as learn, and he's adaptable. Lloyd is also fully equipped with a myriad of characteristics that can't be taught. Lloyd is existential, and is constantly thinking about the world, Lloyd listens to people; he actually listens to people with the intent to hear what they are saying and respond/react to it. Lloyd is a person that genuinely wants those around him to be happy. He cares so deeply for his friends that he only wants the best for him. Maybe the best of Lloyd's innumerable endearing qualities is that he knows how to comfort people on an individual level. Who doesn't long for someone in their life that knows them so well, they know exactly how to make them feel better when they are down. That's Lloyd Dobler, and we should all be so fortunate to have someone like that in our lives. Maybe I just like this film so much because it came at the exact right moment that I needed it, or because I associate it with the best year of my life; either way, I am thankful for Say Anything... and of course, kickboxing, it really was the sport of the future.

Awh, this film is cute, you know. I wouldn't say it's amazing but for what it is, it's entertaining, I cared about the characters and I got frustrated when the plot didn't go the way I wanted it to. I wanna give this a rewatch now I know the plot so I can appreciate the other things which I don't think I did enough of i.e. music, side characters, acting etc. I was just in the mood to watch an old-school romance and that's what I got. The boombox scene (which is all I knew about this movie) wasn't as WHOAH as I expected but maybe that's what's so great about it, is that it wasn't a big overblown plot point but it still has a place in lots of audiences hearts. I think this could be a regular go-to film for me. John Cusack is a little cutie and his hopeless romantic character is a believable and real performance. As is Diane Court who's family struggles bring an unexpected struggle to the couple. The ending is so heart-warming and leaves you wanting a little bit more but that's what you want from a film. You're put in the characters shoes. You're happy and got what you want with the couple but you have no idea what's round the corner, just hope and love.