SAY ANYTHING

US, 1989, 96 minutes, Colour.
John Cusack, Ione Skye, Joan Cusack, John Mahoney, Lili Taylor, Bebe Neuwirth, Eric Stoltz, Loren Dean, Jason Gould.
Directed by Cameron Crowe.

Say Anything is a very attractive film, hard not to like. It was written and directed by Cameron Crowe (who wrote the sharp satire Fast Times at Ridgemont High).

The material is familiar, school graduation, the summer holidays, the young man infatuated with the rich intelligent girl, her relationship with her father. However, the writing and the acting transforms this film into something more worthwhile. John Cusack has a doleful face but is quite lively in the central role (The Sure Thing, Better off Dead, Eight Men Out). Ione Skye, daughter of singer Donovan, is attractive as the heroine. John Mahoney is excellent as her father (the judge in Suspect, mother's boyfriend in Moonstruck). John Cusack's sister Joan (Working Girl, Broadcast News) appears as his sister.

The setting is Seattle. There is nothing really startling about the contents of the film - however, the characters are sufficiently engaging to involve audience attention. The film has something worthwhile to say about relationships.

1. The appeal of the film, its audience? Youth? Parents? Careers, relation~ ships, family?

2. Seattle locations: the city, lifestyle, school, homes? Authentic? The score and the range of songs?

3. The title, the references to Lloyd and Diane, Diane and her father able to say anything to each other? Lies?

4. Themes of youth, graduation, speeches, summer holidays, parties, questions about the future?

5. Lloyd in himself, awkward, relying on Cory and D.C. for advice? Infatuation with Diane? Her distance? The graduation, her speech? Ringing her up, getting her father, her calling back, the awkwardness of his patter, her acceptance, his arrival and reassuring the father, at the party, his distance, the keymaster? The bond between the two, giving her a lift home, caring about the glass on the ground, that she not walk on it?

6. Diane and her father, love, her having chosen to live with her father (and the brief sequence with her mother and boyfriend and her appeal for help for the father)? Rehearsing the speech, the delivery of the speech, the joke falling flat? The gift of the car, the gift of the ring, getting the scholarship? Her father going to see her at work, his enthusiasm? The bond between the two, able to say anything, good friends? Phoning Lloyd, deciding to go to the party? Her reputation as being prissy? Her dress, manner, getting to know people at the party, signing the year book, going home, giving the lift to the young man, getting to know Lloyd?

7. Lloyd at his sister's, his nephew, the kickboxing, exuberance, the date, going to Diane's for dinner, the talk with the friends, the career possibilities? His envying the communication between father and daughter? His own parents and their army life and absence? Going out with Diane, at the old people's home and his dread, the author, showing them Cocoon, helping her to drive the car, sharing, friends? Falling in love, just friends, sex in the back of the car? The effect on each? His telling Cory? Writing the tender letter?

8. Diane, friendship, going out, the old people, talking, sharing, the car driving love, sex and her initiative? Coming home, being honest with her father and explaining everything? The letter? The pressure on her for decision for her future, in the car, breaking up with Lloyd and the effect on him?

9. The portrait of Diane's father, his love, communication, at home, at dinner, talking and saying anything, truth and lack of truth? Her breaking away, his concern, hearing about her relationship with Lloyd? His advice? The investigation, in the bath and tense, the truth of his being guilty?

10. Tax investigation, his work at the old people's home, his initial anger, Diane going to find out, the evidence, confronting her father with the truth, his swearing - and lying, going to jail?

11. Lloyd and the impact of breaking up, the phone call, outside Diane's house with the music, the kick-boxing with the children, being locked out when she came? The truth, the reconciliation, her wanting him as Lloyd? Going to see the father in jail, communicating, the two of them with the father?

12. Their future, going to London, the importance of his being with her, the possibilities - and the nice ending with the 'No Smoking' light going out?

13. The satirical touches in the dialogue, youth, the partygoers, Cory and her 65 songs about Joe, Joe and his crassness? The four boys on the Saturday night without the girls and Lloyd's reaction? The elderly?

14. A nice exploration of love, youth, relationships, sexuality and responsibilities, confusions, parents?