Classic on DVD-'Say Anything'

'Say Anything' (PG-13) (89) ****

Writer and Director: Cameron Crowe
Starring: John Cusack, Ione Skye, John Mahoney, Eric Stoltz, Lilli Taylor

We all need and should have someone like Lloyd Dobler in our lives. Maybe you have had someone like that and if you have you are really lucky. Lloyd Dobler is one of the most classic characters ever written for the screen and he is flawlessly played by John Cusack. Cameron Crowe is one of my favorite writers and here he has written a funny and touching classic that is one of the best movies ever about high school. It is also great because it is about life, love and family and has a mature and multi layered story. Lloyd is attracted to Class Valedictorian Diane Court and many in his class thinks she is out of his league. Lloyd pursues her and asks her out and she accepts mostly because as Cusack plays him he is charming and decent and wins her over. A true love relationship blossoms and this is one of the sweetest and warmest relationships ever on screen. Lloyd is such a wonderful character and we root for him and Diane to make it. Cusack is so charming and winning in this role, Ione Skye as Diane is beautiful and also decent and there is great comic support by Lilli Taylor in a wonderful subplot. This movie is known for it's classic boom box scene as Lloyd tries to win back Diane to Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" and what could have been corny is played brilliantly and touchingly. There is also a great performance by John Mahoney as Diane's father and a subplot about the father surprised me. I had never seen such a compelling adult story in a teenage movie before. The father and daughter story is also very sweet, touching and heartbreaking. This is a feel good movie that will reaffirm the power and beauty of love that everyone knows can exist. It is a movie about life and all the growing pains and the story is universal and suitable for any audience. This is one of my all time favorite movies and it has not aged one bit. "Say Anything" is available in a special 20Th anniversary DVD and it is a must own! Also check out Crowe's other classics "Jerry Maguire" and one of the best movies of the decade " Almost Famous".