Search - The Sure Thing (Special Edition) on DVD

One of my favorite romantic comedies from the eighties

Robert Moore | Chicago, IL USA | 10/29/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"THE SURE THING was a great film when it came out, and unlike many romantic comedies of the eighties, this one has held up marvelously. The story is incredibly simple and one of the oldest in Hollywood: a road picture. Traditionally, road pictures use traveling as a metaphor for growth and development, whether growth for good or for ill. Luckily in this picture, it is for good. Both John Cusack and Daphne Zuniga's characters grow and develop during the course of the film, breaking through their own superficial beliefs about what they want in love and their perceptions about the other. It is important to realize that this really isn't a teenage sex comedy. A lot of teen films slap on some stuff about true love, but in fact attempt to titillate through the heart of the film. There are titillation scenes in THE SURE THING featuring Nicolette Sheridan, but these are almost parodies of themselves. In fact, the fantasies are more projections of Cusack's illusions about love.This was the movie that introduced both John Cusack and Daphne Zuniga as leading performers. John has gone on to bigger and better things, while Daphne's career has been a bit of a disappointment to me. I adored her in this movie, and would have liked to see her in more comedies. But the two of them made a magnificent couple in this film, and they did a perfect job of embodying their characters. She is perfect as the overorganized, completely A.R. stuffed skirt, while he is the epitome of the mildly nerdy guy who isn't exactly a ladykiller. In fact, part of the key to Cusack's success is that he is sort of an Everyman: he isn't at all unattractive, but he isn't Tom Cruise. He doesn't make women swoon. But he possesses vulnerability, some charm, and intelligence.This movie still charms and delights pretty much as it did when it first came out. The music has dated a bit, and some of the hairstyles of the women are a bit painful to behold (though not Daphne's), but in most ways it continues to feel refreshingly current. Look for Tim Robbins and Anthony Edwards in small but key roles."

Classic Cusack, man.

highfidelity@atarikid.com | Evanston, Illinois, USA | 08/20/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"First, to who said it wasn't as good as Say Anything - the two movies are too different to even be compared. The characters and basis of both movies are too different to be compared. If you want to compare The Sure Thing with any other movie, compare it to Hot Pursuit, as they have more in common than Say Anything and The Sure Thing. (And it's my ultimate belief that, while Hot Pursuit is a good movie, it's just not as good as The Sure Thing.)Now, to the important matters at hand...This is my numero uno favorite movie of all time on my top 5 list. This is a movie that you can watch over and over again and it never gets old. The whole movie is hilarious, and it makes me want to go on a cross country road trip. Tim Robbins' cameo as a goody-goody is hilarious and Anthony Edwards as Cusack's high school friend going to college on the west coast (the guy who sets Cusack up with a "Sure Thing", the entire reason for the road trip) is also a definate plus.This movie is filled with hilarity, great quotations, and funny one liners. A must see not only for fans of John Cusack, but everyone."