The Sure Thing (1985)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Rob Reiner

Writers:

Steve Bloom (writer)
Jonathan Roberts (writer)

Release Date:

1 March 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

He's onto a sure thing . . . but ends up on the funniest journey to romance you've ever seen.

Plot:

A college student plans a cross-country trip to get laid, but ends up traveling with a young woman. They hate each other, so naturally...

Plot Keywords:

College | Cross Country | Road Trip | California | Road

Cast

John Cusack	...	Walter (Gib) Gibson
Daphne Zuniga	...	Alison Bradbury
Anthony Edwards	...	Lance
Boyd Gaines	...	Jason
Tim Robbins	...	Gary Cooper
Lisa Jane Persky	...	Mary Ann Webster
Viveca Lindfors	...	Professor Taub
Nicollette Sheridan	...	The Sure Thing
Marcia Christie	...	Julie
Robert Anthony Marcucci	...	Bobby
Sarah Buxton	...	Sharon
Lorrie Lightle	...	Lucy
Joshua Cadman	...	Jimbo
Krystal Richards	...	Girl in Photo
John Putch	...	Mastin

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:M | Finland:S | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA

Company:

Embassy Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

A poster for director Rob Reiner's previous film, This Is Spinal Tap (1984), hangs on the closet in Gib's dorm room.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Gib takes a bite out of pink Sno-Ball snack cake while riding in the car. The film is supposed to be set during the Christmas Break. In the mid 1980's, pink Sno-Balls were only available during Valentine's Day.

Quotes:

Alison: You'll never believe what I wanted to be when I was six.
Gib: A classics professor?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Psych: Earth, Wind and... Wait for It (#3.12)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

PARTY ALL NIGHT

The Sure Thing is as close to a sure thing as you can get

John Cusack has easily been one of the most under appreciated actors in American Cinema. Yet, ask any person to make a list of the best actors in the past twenty or so years, and his name is seldom if ever mentioned. I have yet to see him give what one what could call a really bad performance in any film he has starred in, no matter how dull or lame the material was. That being said, The Sure Thing is neither of those things, but one of the most delightful romantic comedy road pictures ever conceived.

Like most American males in High School, Walter "Gib" Gibson (John Cusack) rates his success in High School by how many girls he's had sex with and how many times. Alas, after a productive sophomore and junior year, his senior year in High School has been quite barren. In his freshman year of college, things are downright bleak. He is unable to connect with the life style of the East Coast College Girls. It seems as if everybody except Gib, including Gib's chunky roommate, is having sex with someone. To the rescue comes Gib's best friend Lantz (Anthony Edwards), who sends him a picture of a girl in a skimpy bikini (Nicolette Sheridan) and tells him she's a sure thing, if Gib can find his way out to the West Coast by Christmas. Not one to be deterred, Gib catches a shared ride with another couple (Tim Robbins and Lisa Jane Persky, both hilarious in supporting roles), and one other girl, Alison Bradbury (Daphne Zuniga), the only girl in college Gib has managed to totally alienate. Alison, as it happens is also on her way out west to be with her fiance, Jason (Boyd Gaines). To say Gib and Alison are not the best of friends is an understatement. They are complete opposites in every possible way, Gib being outgoing, daring, willing to take a chance, while Allison is totally conservative, plans everything she does in life, so much so that she keeps track of it in her Daily Schedule. How and if these two opposites are ever to come together is done in such a funny, at times hilarious, charming and touching way, you can't help but also fall in love this film.

Only his second time to direct a feature film, Rob Reiner keeps thing on track throughout. In between the many comical episodes that happens on this trip west, Reiner is smart enough to give us subtle touches that makes everything believable. As Gib begins to fall for Alison, we see him picking up some of her characteristics, and as Alison becomes attracted to Gib, she does likewise. Yet, most of the credit has to go with the cast, especially Cusack and Zuniga. They make us care about their characters so much, that we don't root for one over the other, we root for the both of them. If you are looking for a fun, charming, endearing, delightful, funny, uproarious romantic comedy, then The Sure Thing is as close to a sure thing as you can get.