Movie #8 Say Anything...

WARNING : CHICK FLICK CONTENT READ WITH CAUTION!!!!!

Say Anything...(1989)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098258/

Before I get into this, there is something you should know. I cannot cry. It's not a macho thing, in fact I hear people say that it's a healthy thing to do every once in a while. I've both tried and not tried to cry on a number of occasions and nothing happens. I've broken bones and pulled muscles badly and still, no river of tears. So if a chick flick can ever get anything out of me, it is the ultimate movie.

I haven't seen a lot of these types of movies. The ones that I have had to sit through are usually boring and predictable but if a movies story is good enough and the acting is up to par, I'll watch it. Open-mindedness up in here.

Ok, Say Anything. I finally found out where the boombox scene came from and that it was John Cusack. I've only seen him in Con Air, 1408, Identity and Being John Malkovich which are all way different than this. He plays a guy named Lloyd Dobbler and lets just stop right there. Who wants to date a Lloyd Dobbler? Dobby has a gigantic crush on the class valedictorian, this chick named Diane. Again, could be a hotter name (no offense Diane's). They graduate and she says a boring speech I think (I got distracted during this scene) and everyone goes home. Dobby calls up Diane and asks her out to a party, she says yes but after looking up his pictures, isn't really stoked.

Let me describe Dobby to you. He is sports 80's clothes, wears full karate pads when hitting a punching bag and has a nephew with a mullet. When they get to the party, everyone is wondering how he scored a girl like her. At the party, they really don't spend much time together which was weird. A bit of a side note, it might have been the clothes but it seems like girls in party scenes have gotten hotter since the 80s. These are the things that I notice. They leave the party way past dawn (when she was supposed to be home) and one of the corniest things in the whole movie happens. They are in a parking lot and there is a broken bottle on the ground. He says hey don't step on that (tiny) bottle. She acts like that was the nicest thing that anyone has ever done for her. I don't get it. She does also say that she went with him to the party because he made her laugh (oh ya). He takes her home and they look like they've had a good enough time. A solid first date hug takes place I think and she goes to her house and talks to her dad who is rocking the 80s dad robe because she can “say anything” to him.

That night Diane invites Dobby over for dinner with her family. I don't know what he was saying because I got distracted again but it looked like he was blowing it. Dobby is very much business all the time. Out of nowhere the IRS comes a knocking to audit her dad. He isn't pleased and tells them to beat it. It looks like they both blew the dinner. Diane is leaving to go on a fellowship in England in a while (she has to put a ring in a volcano, boom) so she doesn't want to get attached to Dobby who she would have to leave behind. I think. He says no sweat and teaches her how to drive a stick. Then they start making out like the whole slow down talk never happened. It quickly jumps them making out under a tree and later in the rain. Next jump is to his car by the ocean which they just banged in. It all happened so fast! She again goes home and tells her dad what the dealio is. He isn't liking Dobby a whole lot, he only cares about Diane's future and thinks Dobby could be getting in the way. He tells her that she should break it off. They get in a little fight, both end up crying and leave. At this point my producer said “this would break your heart if you were 14 years old”. You be the judge.

Dobby starts acting a little nuts now. Like driving around and recording himself on a giant cassette recorder crazy. He thinks, hey maybe I'll just be like all the other guys and go party. He meets Jeremy Piven and a few others at a gas station but it wasn't for him. He totally wigs out. Diane's dad goes out to buy her some luggage for London (that should be the name of a song) and all of his credit cards get denied as he was trying to put the moves on the cashier. I was glad because I didn't really like that guy. Dobby bails on his angry stage and is now trying to win Diane back. The Boombox thing happens. At this point Diane is almost the main character, Dobby isn't getting much screen time.

SPOILING A CHICK FLICK IF POSSIBLE

She finds the money her dad has stolen. He says it's all for her but that money is dirty and she is way to good to accept that. This pushes her away from her dad and back to Dobby. They bang again. Dobby goes to visit Diane's dad in prison and tell him that they are going to England together. They get on the plane, she is scared, the fasten seat belts sign goes off and the movie just ends.

ENOUGH HAS BEEN SPOILED

Favorite Scene : Really only one I can think of. Cusack is sparring and Diane walks in distracting him. He takes a kick to the face. Only laugh.

Best Quotes : Not putting anything corny

“She's written 65 songs...65. They're all about you. They're all about pain.”

“My assault on the world begins now” is ok

“If you start out depressed everything's kind of a pleasant surprise”

Rating : 6 caramel squares. Movie was ok. There was a happy ending which I like. It didn't seem like they spent a lot of time together. Maybe it's just me.

Female Lead Rating : 7. First scene in the graduation gown I wasn't feeling her. Hair was gigantic and her mouth looked gigantic. She was looking mighty fine in that white dress at the party though. In the end, 80s hair and some of her 80s clothes worked against her (no offense 80s chicks, it was a different time). Plus I think she was supposed to be a little nerdy and I didn't pick up on that at all. And I guess she had a good heart.  She is Ann's mom on arrested development which is also a cool fact.

Alternate Ending : Diane takes all the money her dad stole and buys Dobby his own Dojo. Mullet nephew loves it. Diane becomes an accountant. They still do dirty stuff in the rain. Wow is this ending is worse than the real one.

What I would do if I was the main character : Instead of playing whatever he did on the boombox, I would've hit her with some Lou Bega. She would've ran down and jumped into the car. I just saved 30 minutes of movies. Also I would've gotten a little more excited (showed off) when introducing Cocoon to the old folks.

What happens in the sequel : The plane gets grounded because the stewardess thinks there is something suspicious hidden under her hat. She gets thrown in jail with her dad. Dobby plays Jailhouse rock to her every night. She loses her scholarship. But love prevails.

I made it