Image by Alexander Antropov from Pixabay Another film from the book “1,001 Movies You Must See Before You Die” by Steven Jay Schneider that I wanted to like but ultimately did not is the 1989 coming-of-age movie Say Anything…
[NOTE: This blog will contain spoilers for “Say Anything…” You have been warned.] The History Coming off of his successes writing the screenplays for the 1982 coming-of-age film Fast Times at Ridgemont High and its 1984 spiritual sequel The Wild Life, Cameron Crowe (Jerry Maguire, Almost Famous) piqued the interest of producer and filmmaker James L. Brooks (Terms of Endearment, As Good as It Gets) who recognized Crowe’s original and interesting voice. With Brooks acting as producer, Crowe was able to make his directorial debut in 1989 based on his own screenplay. According to one of the stars of the film, Ione Skye (Wayne’s World, One Night Stand), Crowe wanted John Cusack (The Sure Thing, Being John Malkovich, 1408) for the male lead of the movie. Cusack was initially resistant due to his desire to move on from teen roles, but Crowe was able to convince him by offering Cusack the opportunity to write some of his own dialogue. Regarding the famous “boombox scene,” several other artists were considered from Elvis Costello to Fishbone. But Crowe ended up choosing Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes” after watching a rough cut of the scene. Due to its modernization of the serenade and its emotional significance to the story, Crowe and Brooks believed that the scene had the potential to be the film’s hallmark. However, it was difficult to film because Cusack argued that his character was “too passive.” Still, the scene has cemented itself in the cultural zeitgeist and has been referenced in television shows like The Simpsons and Glee. Released on April 14, 1989, Say Anything… grossed a modest 21.5 million dollars on a sixteen-million-dollar budget and was almost universally well-received by critics. While many critics viewed it as an effective and smart romantic comedy, some called it “half-baked” and “myopic.” Still, it has been ranked by Entertainment Weekly as the best modern romance in movies and one of the best high-school movies ever made. The Cons To be clear, I LOVE so many coming-of-age movies. I love some of the older ones, like John Hughes’s Pretty in Pink and Robert De Niro’s A Bronx Tale, and so many of the newer ones, like Kelly Fremon Craig’s The Edge of Seventeen and Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade. I like the more comedic teen movies, like Chris Columbus’s Adventures in Babysitting, as well as the more dramatic ones, like Barry Jenkins’s Moonlight. I even really liked Fast Times at Ridgemont High which Cameron Crowe wrote himself. There is something that all those movies have in common: likeable characters with interesting stories about growing up. But Say Anything… (in my humble opinion) does not have that. From start to finish, I found myself never being truly invested in Lloyd and Diane’s relationship because I did not really care about either one of them. Specifically, I wished that Crowe would have let Cusack be less “passive” in his performance because he feels like a wet paper towel compared to some of his other performances (I really liked him in 1408). Not only was Cusack’s acting uninteresting, but his character is simply unrelatable and unlikeable to me and thus I never felt on his side in trying to win over Diane. I’m sure other people feel differently, but that’s just my genuine impression. And that boombox scene! All I knew from this movie was the boombox scene, so I was waiting for it and anticipating it and looking forward to learn what all the hype was about. And I learned…nothing. That scene fell so flat for me that nothing in the rest of the film’s runtime would redeem it after that. The Pros Honestly, there’s very little I can say in support of this movie. While I appreciate seeing an early John Cusack performance, I can only say so because it reminds me of how much better he is later on in his career. And I liked Peter Gabriel’s song, so I’m happy the film made that song culturally relevant… That’s all I’ve got. So, what are my final impressions of Say Anything…? When I look at Crowe’s other directorial features, like Jerry Maguire and Almost Famous, it just pales in comparison. I wish I cared as much about it as so many people do. But it just didn’t win me over that way…or at all, for that matter. What do you think about Say Anything…? Do you think I am being too harsh on it? What opinions of mine do you find absolutely ridiculous? Let me know in the comments below. Until next time, this has been… Yours Truly, Amateur Analyst
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Austin McManusI have no academic or professional background in film production or criticism; I simply love watching and talking about movies. Archives
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