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The Sure Thing (Special Edition)

The Sure Thing (Special Edition)

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Classic Romantic Comedy Road Trip Flick(my favorite genre)
Review: I'm looking for my own copy of this movie because it is one of my all-time favorites...comfort food for my soul. I can be totally down in the dumps and all I need is to see this movie. It never fails to lift my spirits and make me laugh, no matter how many times I've seen it. I can recite every word of the script by now. I'm tired of renting it, though--now I want to own it! Cusack is brilliant. It was the first time I ever saw him, and I've been a devoted fan ever since. Rob Reiner and everyone in the cast did such a great job--I love all the scenes with Tim Robbins. I was in college when this came out and just to demonstrate its timeless appeal--I can show it to current college-aged people and they love it too! About the only thing that dates the movie besides a few 80s expressions like "excellent" is Anthony Edwards' exhilaration about using a cordless phone by the pool! The humor, heart and romance of this movie continue to be au courant, due to great writing, acting and direction.

My favorite (and oft-quoted line): "Spontaneity has its time and its place!"

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Oh man...
Review: This is one of my favorites of all time. It's got it all: excellent performances by Cusack and Zuniga, brilliant cameos from Anthony Edwards (when he had hair!) and an up-and-coming Tim Robbins, countless memorable scenes and quotable lines... I promise, if you even say "Get out of my LIFE!" people will know exactly what movie you're referring to. And the scene with Alison and her boyfriend playing gin rummy is just classic. This is a crucial film to see if you are even remotely a fan of Cusack or of 80s teen flicks. And it beats every other road trip movie I've seen by a mile (particularly various 90s mistakes like Overnight Delivery and Forces of Nature -boo hiss).
"Hi, I'm Gary Cooper, but not the Gary Cooper that's dead."

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great movie, great DVD - lots-o-features!
Review:
This movie is a cult-classic in my (wife's) family, so we've all seen it a dozen times or more. Sure, people will dismiss this movie as a teen, lightweight, romantic comedy. Maybe it is, but it's also hillarious and well acted and packed with lines that you'll find yourself quoting throughout life ("we speak each others unspoken language, - fluently"). Personally, I think this is John Cusak's best acting role ever. Even the smaller parts (such as Tim Robbins' are hillarious).

Additionally, this DVD has great features. For example you can watch in either widescreen or normal mode. You also have the option of turning on the director's (Rob Reiner) commentary so you can listen to him speak over the movie giving his comments on the actors, scenes, etc. There's also a trivia feature that will play the movie while popping up little triva-blurbs on each screen. There are also "featurettes" that discuss the casting, wardrobe, etc.

Some DVD's are simply the VHS movie put on a different media, but this one is packed with great features - plus it's a great movie!


Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Funny!
Review: While this isn't as good as SAY ANYTHING..., John Cusack's later movie, it is still very good and very funny. John Cusack is better in his earlier romantic comedies like this one, SAY ANYTHING...(a classic and my favorite movie) or the hilariously offbeat BETTER OFF DEAD than he is today (with the exception of HIGH FIDELITY, I didn't like AMERICA'S SWEETHEARTS at all). He is very funny throughout the whole movie, but my favorite scene of his is in the pool scene when he's imagining his future ("When I get out of jail, I'm 36 years old.") if his love interest doesn't help him pass English. The love interest, Daphne Zuniga, is also very funny (especially when she tries to prove to J.C. in the car that she's not stuck-up-if you've seen the movie, you know which scene I mean). Overall, very funny. Like all romantic comedies, it is predictable, but the comedy, good acting and chemistry make this movie not MONEY FOR NOTHING.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A Sure Winner
Review: The Sure Thing is director Rob Reiner's second film and his first conventional movie after the mockumentary format of This Is Spinal Tap. The film has the classic teenage plot of boy meets girl, girl at first hates boy and then in the end they end up together. But instead of being just another cliché, The Sure Thing features such likable and winning performances by the two leads, John Cusack and Daphne Zuniga, that it becomes a memorable and lovable film. Mr. Cusack stars as Walter "Gib" Gibson who is in a slump when it comes to getting girls. Everyone around him at his New England campus seems to be scoring, except him. He meets a pretty girl, Alison (Ms. Zuniga) in his English class and tries to hook up with her. Alison is a straitlaced girl, who schedules everything she does to the second, while Gib is a spontaneous guy who lives life minute to minute. Alison agrees to tutor Gib in English and he tries to seduce her, but he fails miserably and she ends up hating him. His best friend from high school, Lance (Anthony Edwards) is out at college in California where he has set up a date for Gib who is a "sure thing". All Gib has to do is get to California by 12/22 and he's in. The problem is he has no money to fly, so he finds a ride with a couple who are driving out to Los Angeles. As fate would have it, Alison is also in the car as she is heading out to see her boyfriend in LA. The couple Gary Cooper and Mary Ann Webster are upbeat squares who sing showtunes on the trip. Gary is played by a young Tim Robbins in one of his first roles. Gib and Alison are constantly bickering at one another and eventually they are thrown out of the car and forced to hitch. Along the way, Alison starts to see the real charm in Gib and starts to fall for him. Eventually they reach LA and go their separate ways. They both end up at the party where Gib meets his sure thing (Nicolette Sheridan). Jealousy ensues between the two and Gib eventually takes his sure thing up to Lance's bedroom. The movie flashes forward where Gib and Alison are back in English class and we learn that Gib didn't cash in on his sure thing and Alison and Gib end up sharing a kiss under the stars. Mr. Cusack got his first leading role after a series of bit parts and he shines in his opportunity. He shows that offbeat charm that would become his signature trait. Mr. Reiner perfectly captures life on the road in America and the film is a low-key success.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I Love you Daphne!
Review: What can I say about this movie other than I love it! John Cusack (Gib), and Daphne Zuniga (Allison) are perfectly cast in this movie and given their young age (John Cusack was only 17), makes their performance that much more impressive.
But what makes this movie so enjoyable and memorable is the feelings it provokes. Remember the rush of emotions when you first meet someone who makes your heart beat out of your chest and feel lightheaded? Acting like you really don't like someone when deep down inside you would give anything to be with them? Going to a party and flirting with other people hoping that they would see you and get jealous? That's what this movie does for me. It makes me realize just how much I miss the innocence, passion and emotion of those days.
The acting is wonderful and you really get drawn in to their plight as they make their way across the country to be with the one they "think" is their own "sure thing". The great thing about this movie is that every time it looks like they are finally going to get together, something pulls them apart.
While there are many funny lines and memorable scenes in this film, by far my favorite is at the end when Gib's essay is read aloud. Allison's facial expressions let you know just how painful it is for her to hear it. The final scene is wonderful. I tear-up whenever I see it, and I'm a guy.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: How the Teen King of the 80's Earned His Title!
Review: ...Ahh, 1985. Molly Ringwald is the Teen Queen of the 80's and John Cusack was the Teen King. The Sure Thing embraces John's usual craziness and opened the doors for more starring roles. This is one of my all-time favorite films. I have watched repeatedly since I was seven and I still love it. It's the perfect 80's film all in one. It's light, fun and touching. The Sure Thing has everything you'd need and more. The film comes equipped with hunky men, foxy ladies and enough funny one-liners to put the writers of " Becker " to shame. You get a fantastic road trip, top romance and the world of the 80's all in one DVD! And as always Cusack gets his woman. If you want to see how John Cusack made his most famous mark in Hollywood, this is the film for you. If you don't give a [darn] about all that, just watch it for kicks. You won't regret it.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Very funny
Review: I enjoyed this movie very much, John Cusack is always been known for playing a funny guy who tries to get the girl. Well its one of those movies. Its about to young students trying to get to Califorina and have a hard time getting there. The movie is funny, but it is your basic, boy meets girl kind of movie. It is still one of his lost classics and any fan should rightfully own.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Where Are The Special Features Advertised!
Review: I finally got around to wathing this DVD that I bought months ago. Good movie, but it doesn't hold up as well as I remember. What really bothers me is that no one seems to care or comment that the featurette special features aren't there or so well hidden that they are a frustration to find. Has anyone else come across this situation?

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The best John Cusack film
Review: If you're a true fan of this movie, or even just a fan of John Cusack, then this DVD is a "must own." The audio commentary by Rob Reiner is just right -- he explains lots of cool things, doesn't get preachy, and knows when to sit back and watch. For example, he confesses that he was too embarrassed to film the opening shot of Nicolette Sheridan oiling herself up, so he had his production assistant do it. There's also a Trivia Track feature which displays popups during the movie -- they're a little hard to read though. I wish it included the original theater trailer, but alas, it does not.

The movie is about two college students Walter "Gibb" Gibson (John Cusack) and Allison (Daphne Zuniga) and how they end up hitchhiking cross-country together. Allison is going to visit her boyfriend; Gibb's friend Lance (Anthony Edwards) has set up a "sure thing" for him. The Sure Thing is played by Nicolette Sheridan; her name is never mentioned. It's not the usual sappy version of "romantic comedy" -- it's actually funny and intelligent. It's not a dumb "Meet The Parents" style teen flick either -- there's no toilet humor or frontal nudity.

When I discovered that my wife (back then, girlfriend) and I both liked The Sure Thing, I knew we were meant to be together. Ten years later, we're still married and we still watch it every six months or so.


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