The Sure Thing

If you are of a certain age/generation (mostly likely Generation X-which I am a member of) than you’re probably a John Cusack fan. This fandom is mostly due to 3 films- The Sure Thing (1985), Better Off Dead (1985), & Say Anything...(1989). I would like to take a closer look at each film.                                                First up-The Sure Thing-I love this film. I can’t understand why this isn’t a better known. It has everything a beloved/classic film is supposed to have-a good story, great characters, good direction(courtesy of Rob Reiner who was in the beginning stages of series of very good movies he would direct that would culminate in a Few Good Men) , comedy, & romance. I have made it my mission to make this film better known. The plot (courtesy of Jeremy Rasmussen via IMDB) is College freshman Walter (Gib) Gibson decides to go cross country to visit his friend in California during winter break. Awaiting there is a bikini-clad babe whom his friend assures him is a "sure thing". Meanwhile, Allison, a cute (but somewhat anal retentive) girl at Gib's college has also decided to head out to Cal. to see her boyfriend during break. Gib and Allison had a bad encounter, but now Gib and Allison are thrust together on a road trip from hell, and somewhere along the way, they find each other's company to be tolerable. Now, what will become of Gib's "sure thing?" Sounds like a teen 80’s sex comedy except there’s no female nudity (more on that later) & the closest to sex the two main characters get is sharing a bed while traveling & waking up one morning cuddling. But just because there’s no sex shown doesn’t mean that sex isn’t on the mind of most characters mind. That’s the topic most talked about in the film. In fact when we see/meet Walter (Gib) Gibson he’s trying to pick up a girl. Through he is unsuccessful its one of the most creative attempts you’ll ever hear. I couldn’t do it justice by describing it, so here’s is the encounter-

  Gib: Consider outer space. You know, from the time of the first NASA mission, it was clear that outer space has a clear effect on the human psyche. Why, during the first Gemini mission, thought was actually given to sending up a man and a woman... together.

Julie: [interested] Really?

Gib: A cosmic 'Adam and Eve,' if you will. Bound together by fate, situated on the most powerful rocket yet known to man. It's giant thrusters blasting them into the dark void, as they hurtle towards their final destination: the gushing wellspring of life itself.  How would you like to have a sexual encounter so intense it could conceivably change your political views?

After that failed attempt we meet another important character in the film Gib’s best friend & as it is shown in the plot description the character who sets the plot into motion-Lance (played by Anthony Edwards with hair & no glasses!) You can totally (how 80’s is that!) understand why these two are friends. They complement each other beautifully. Gib as you can tell from the pick-up attempt is of intellectual bent, Lance isn’t, he puts more valve on having fun, is confident, likeable, & a very good friend because he gets Gib, doesn’t try to change him & wants to help him.  Its a shame these two have never worked together again they have wonderful chemistry.  But just because Gib is an intellectual doesn’t mean he is up for some fun, far from it.  He drinks (this movie is where I learned about shot-gunning a beer), loves his junk food, really wants to be with the ladies, & helps his roommate pen a letter to the editor of Penthouse magazine.  The letter is featured in one of the funniest scenes in the movie. The scene is Gib is woken up by his roommate-Jimbo (played by Joshua Cadman in a fun performance) in just enough time to get to his 9 o’clock English class. Gib has been working on essay. In his haste to get to class he grabs his roommate’s letter instead. This is reveled when the Professor reads the letter aloud to the class! Ah Professor Taub, as played Viveca Lindfors (in a beautiful performance) is everything you would want in a college professor. Full of life, immensely likable, really desirous to help her students, every scene she’s in is a joy to watch. This is a character that exists. Never does it seem like she’s acting. Screen acting at its finest.  Which brings us to Daphne Zuniga as Allison Bradbury, pretty but so button up I don’t see why anyone would like her. She’s someone you put up & you’d feel bad for not liking because she’s not trying to be unlikeable its just her demeanor make her so. Everything she does is planned out & noted in her day planner which she always carries with her. The day planner is source a humor & key plot device. After Gib has convinced her to help tutor him in English (a great scene that features a great comic monologue by Cusack & sees him jump into a pool fully clothed to sell the point) she looks in her day planner to find the time. After reading out the day’s activities she tells Gib 8 o’clock. Because she has such things as the time she’s gonna take her shower & the time she’s gonna call her boyfriend written in her day planner, Gib replies “Sorry that’s the time I re-arrange my sock drawer.” Allison takes offense to this, but Gib agrees to the time. They meet at the library on a Friday night but Gib is wound up & using an access panel climbs up to the roof. Allison follows & they have a really bad encounter. It starts off well, they gaze at the stars & Gib demonstrates his knowledge of astronomy.  Allison is impressed & lets her guard down. But because Gib is so lonely, they’re in a romantic setting, Gib misinterprets this & attempts to pick up Allison by using some lines his roommate gave him. Gib then really compounds this mistake & tries to kiss Allison. She understandable believes that this was Gib’s intent all along, so she pushes him down. Thinking that she has hurt him, Allison than ask Gibb if he is hurt, he replies-“No.” She then kicks him before leaving. They then find themselves find themselves on the road trip to California (Gib to meet his sure thing & Allison to see her boyfriend) where they are forced to hitch-hike (obviously nothing that would be in a movie nowadays) as result of another vehicle they encounter. One of the guys in a truck moons them. Gib thinks its hysterical & starts laughing. Allison thinks its stupid. Gib gets onto her about being repressed so she responds by flashing the guys her boobs. The couple that is driving them is ticketed by a cop & in his anger the boyfriend kicks them. They get to California but because they have gotten to know each other during the course of their travels they like each other. Gib meets his sure thing & the last we see of them they are kissing. Gib’s encounter with his sure thing is reveled in an essay in their English class. The essay revels they didn’t sleep together. The whole class is surprised & Allison then revels she broke up with her boyfriend. Gib & Allison then have a proper kiss under the stars which is the film’s last scene. I hope my love for this film inspires whoever read this to see this film. I’m pretty confident if they do they will like it.