Say Antyhing: '80s Classic celebrates 20th Birthday
MILES VILLALON
Issue date: 11/5/09 Section: Opinion
If anything can be said about the '80s, it created some of the most seminal teen dramas ever created.
John Hughes crafted the formula for the teen-angst film but "Say Anything" wasn't just another teen-angst film and 20 years later people are still talking about John Cusack as Lloyd Dobler holding that boom box spouting a Peter Gabriel classic.
When the movie was released, I was only 2. But 20 years later it's a movie I can watch over and over again. In the last two weeks I have watched it at least 12 times.
The story of eternal optimist and romantic Lloyd Dobler pining for Valedvictorian Diane Court remains timeless because it created the ideal image of young love.
What resonates with people are the ideals that the movie presented.
Like Chuck Klostermann stated in his book "Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs" women are not in love with Cusack, they are in love with Cusack as Lloyd Dobler because he represents every good quality that they want in a guy but don't get: he's nice, caring but can be shown to be brooding and confused.
What makes him manly is his willingness to show emotion and people relate to him because he gives the every-day guy hope for something better.
I also don't think there is anyone who has seen the movie and hasn't thought about doing the boombox thing or making love to Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes", or just spend all night with the one you love.
Say Anything, say nothing, Say happy birthday to Lloyd Dobler and them all.
John Hughes crafted the formula for the teen-angst film but "Say Anything" wasn't just another teen-angst film and 20 years later people are still talking about John Cusack as Lloyd Dobler holding that boom box spouting a Peter Gabriel classic.
When the movie was released, I was only 2. But 20 years later it's a movie I can watch over and over again. In the last two weeks I have watched it at least 12 times.
The story of eternal optimist and romantic Lloyd Dobler pining for Valedvictorian Diane Court remains timeless because it created the ideal image of young love.
What resonates with people are the ideals that the movie presented.
Like Chuck Klostermann stated in his book "Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs" women are not in love with Cusack, they are in love with Cusack as Lloyd Dobler because he represents every good quality that they want in a guy but don't get: he's nice, caring but can be shown to be brooding and confused.
What makes him manly is his willingness to show emotion and people relate to him because he gives the every-day guy hope for something better.
I also don't think there is anyone who has seen the movie and hasn't thought about doing the boombox thing or making love to Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes", or just spend all night with the one you love.
Say Anything, say nothing, Say happy birthday to Lloyd Dobler and them all.
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