Film: Say Anything

Directed and Written by Cameron Crowe

Starred: John Cusack, Ione Skye, and John Mahoney



This movie is quite simply, one of the truest depictions of love. From its early idealistic imagery of a relationship of a father and daughter to its depressing melancholic painting of a too true to fail relationship, it captures the depths of emotions in all facets of humanity. Cusack plays a lovable average man (as he does in so many of his films) that shoots for a goddess, Ione Skye. Their relationship is consummated by a night of lovemaking at beach while the song "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel dominates the mood. This song dominates another important scene as Cusack plays it loud outside of her window after he is rejected by her and her father. However, as always, love cannot be undermined by the workings of a hypocritical lying father, and the two soon rejoin after she learns the truth about her father. Say Anything is not only the title of the film, it is the basis of the two relationships.

However, it also goes beyond just that simple emotion. Cusack's character finds love with someone who seems so above him, this helps to remind us that love isn't constrained to those who are alike, but sometimes those differences between us inspire love as well. It is important when viewing the film to take notice of a particular dinner scene in which Ione Skye's childhood flight on an airplane is told. It is an interesting comparison to the last scene of the movie. Say Anything. At some point, the flight has to go forward, and there is no turning around. Say Anything. Trust has to be established to move further into relationships. Say Anything. From this movie's own tagline, "To know Lloyd Dabler is to love him." To watch Say Anything is to love it. It's perfect blend of humor, loss, betrayal, and love constitute a work of popular art at its finest.