Love and Taking Responsiblity: Why 'Say Anything' is brilliant By Michael Abler

Movie Love and Reality: Why ‘Say Anything’ is a great contemporary romance

Seeing how Valentine’s Day is only two days away, I thought it’d be noteworthy to talk about love in the movies, as well as reality. Both the concept of love and love stories have been around since the dawn of time. It’s impossible to determine the exact formula of loving another person, the idea of love is about compassion and taking responsibility for the other person. Normally Hollywood movies focus more on the clichés of falling in love and have overused too many lazy formulas. Sometimes it feels like the characters in these movies fall in love simply because it’s in the script, not ever in an interesting way that seems believable.

One such example of love blossoming out of convenience is in the 1986 movie ‘Top Gun’ where Kelly Mcgillis tells Tom Cruise that she’s bashing his flying because, and I quote, “I don’t want anyone to know that I’ve fallen for you,” (Top Gun, 1986) and it seems like a male fantasy. Like some guy got grilled by an instructor in real life and got a romantic apology. Despite there being some strong chemistry between Cruise and Mcgillis, the love story just seems a little forced and unwarranted.

Some movies do have clever ways of showing love between two Characters, one such example is the 1989 film, ‘Say Anything’ starring John Cusack and Ione Skye. Here, the characters fall in love in a more conventional sort of way, Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) is head over heels in love with Diane (Ione Skye) from the very beginning. On the other end of the spectrum, Diane doesn’t show that much interest in Lloyd to begin with but after some coaxing from him she accepts. She does more out of curiosity and a new experience than love at first, but as the first date wears on she starts to find him more and more charming. They go to a graduation party filled with rowdy teens and Lloyd ends of being key master of the party. Despite Lloyd being busy he always checks up on Diane periodically throughout the party, she even points this out in the film.

In this film our characters do have to face the responsibilities of growing up as well, the movie starts with their high school graduation which opens up a harrowing world of questions. Do want you go to college? Join the work force? What are your plans for the future? Etc. Diane is going away at the end of the Summer on a scholarship to England, Lloyd really has no plans for the future, outside of being an aspiring kickboxer and being Diane’s boyfriend. In many love stories between essentially high school students, the struggle of what’s next in your life isn’t addressed as much. Most love stories focus on the couple in question, learning to take responsibility for things outside of your love and/or social life don’t really come into play. Unless they’re people in the boy or girl’s social clique that constantly tells their friend that different people can never make it as a couple.

Lloyd also has his guidance counselor tell him that he hasn’t written in any future plans for the future because he’s not completely sure of what he wants exactly, but he does end up getting a job as a kickboxer instructor. Being in a relationship also means needing to find a way to support yourself and your lover, and Lloyd’s lack of a future in mind doesn’t bode well with Diane’s father. Being in love is fine, but if you can’t provide for you and your partner then you don’t really have a bright future ahead. You won’t be able to provide for your kid either if your girl becomes pregnant, which adds a whole new element the situation. This is a very common problem for anyone at Lloyd’s age, not knowing what they want out of life, or what to do. I’ve met several people in college that aren’t sure what they want either, so the fact that this movie is addressing this shows an original level of realism that most movies find too mundane to explain or show.

Aside from being a romantic dramedy, this movie also taps into the whole aspect of coming of age as well. In addition to the ‘planning for your future’ element, the movie is also about being an adult, throughout the movie Diane’s divorced dad Jim is being hounded by the IRS. Diane throughout the movie as a result from dating Lloyd gets more increasingly concerned about her dad. To the point where she breaks up with Lloyd under her dad’s pressure and her loyalty to him. The part where Diane fully matures and becomes a stronger woman is when she goes to the IRS and confronts them about auditing her Dad. After she finds out that the IRS suspects her Dad has been embezzling money from the retirement home he owns and where Diane works. Diane resolves to investigate the house and confirms her worst fears about what the investigators were talking about.

Seeing Diane taking charge of her own life and figuring out something for herself about someone she cares about shows a lot of courage. Many people, teens and young adults need to come into their own and show the willingness to grow up and come out of the shadow of their caretakers. Hopefully the reasons won’t be as painful as finding out your father’s a thief, but the point stands if you’re to grow up, you need to think for yourself and chart your own course. Letting someone else dominate your life will do more harm than good, and taking charge of your life can be hard, but it can also be rewarding.

Another important aspect that this movie covers is being supportive of those you care about and there are a few examples of the right and wrong way of doing it. Lloyd’s friend Cory had her boyfriend cheat on her and has left her severely scarred as a result, it’s clear Joe will only support a girl if it means sex is involved. Joe even tries to get back together with Cory asking to have sex with him since he’s dumping his college bound girlfriend. When Lloyd gets dumped by Diane, he goes to Joe and his gang to find comfort, all these guys prove is that being with a girl is all about ‘What’s in it for me?’ instead of being there to meet the person half way.

But when Diane runs to Lloyd after busting her Dad, he takes her back and helps sort out the complex and painful emotions of this. Lloyd even says he doesn’t care if Diane needs someone for help or just him personally. This kind of selfless act shows a very caring and sympathetic heart, more men need to be like Lloyd. Even though he’s slow on finding a plan for his future, he’s willing to go the extra mile to help those in need. He never thinks of any reward for himself, he just wants to be there for the girl he loves in any way that he can. He even visits Jim in prison to give him a letter and to tell him that he’s going to England with Diane. Lloyd is doing something that many guys are incapable of doing sometimes, and that’s being a man. Taking someone he used to love back and being there for the person emotionally and physically is all a part of the package. Which shows he’s maturing by having him also escort her to England and starting a new life. Willing to do whatever it takes to be the man Diane needs him to be and by taking charge of his own life in the process. ‘Say Anything’ is one of those movies where the focus is more on the development of these very realistic characters and showing how they mature throughout the process of the movie. Being mature and responsible isn’t just a way of growing up, it helps you become a more self-sufficient for yourself and those that you care about. This is the truest sign of all of one officially becoming an adult.