THE SURE THING

US, 1985, 90 minutes, Colour.
John Cusack, Daphne Zuniga, Boyd Gaines, Tim Robbins, Anthony Edwards, Lisa Jane Persky, Viveca Lindfors, Nicolette Sheridan.
Directed by Rob Reiner.

The Sure Thing is a pleasing romantic comedy about college students in America in the '80s. It is something of a teenager's 10. The sure thing is the fantasy sex figure for the male - who turns out to be far less than a 10.

The film was directed by comedian Rob Reiner (All in the Family) who began a directing career with the hilarious satire on English rock groups, This Is Spinal Tap. Here he directs a comedy that is in contrast with the crude and raucous trend in college films of the early '80s (Porky's and its sequels and imitations). An unknown cast of youngsters does very well and earns audience sympathy. Reiner's skill at comedy means that there are many laughs. A pleasing return to American traditional romances with the dash of the screwball comedy (like It Happened one Night).

1. A youth romance film of the '80s? The focus on college students, dreams and fantasies, reality? Reaction to the crude genre of the period?

2. Americana, high school and colleges, mores? The contrast with the North East and California? Stereotypes and realism? Situations, locations? The background of contemporary songs?

3. The traditions of romance, shyness, teenagers? The road movies and screwball comedy? Pleasingly updated to the '80s?

4. The skill of the director and the screenwriters in eliciting laughs, giving us sympathetic characters, satirising others? Their touch for Americana? The blend of sentiment and toughness? An emphasis on pleasantness, niceness, goodness?

5. The title and the opening image? The descriptions of the girl as the sure thing - male fantasy, self-assertion, chauvinism? The fantasy sequences where Gib imagined his relationship with the sure thing? What happened in fact? Alison's reaction? The contrast with the sure thing and the real thing?

6. Lance and his talk, self-centredness, lack of morals, attitude towards women? Choosing California? Lifestyle, letters, postcards? The set-up for Gib? Arranging the party and Gib's rejection? The party sequences, the pools etc. the familiar stereotypes from the teenage comedy films?

7. Gib and his quiet nature, reserve, looking at the stars (and his reminiscences with Alison about his loneliness)? His serious talk, being on the outer? Yet being on the sexual prowl? Right In classes? His choices? His room-mate and the girlfriend and his eating in the corridor? Lance? The encounter with Alison? The swimming pool and her ignoring him? The date and the discussions? His making a pass at her on the roof? Discovering her in the car to California? Junk food, fights, commenting on her repression, his reaction to her leaning out the window and the police ticket? Being put out by the drivers? On the road? Anger, talk? Jumping on the utility and saving her from being molested? The motel, her response to Jason., his drinking, the buddies and singing in the bar? Being caught in the rain? The more mellow relationship, the credit card, buying the rose, the dinner? Their being picked up by the truck - and his philosophy of the sure thing? The party, Alison's jealousy? His encounter with the glamorous
girl, her being subservient to him - without a thought in her head? The cut in editing and the return to the classroom -and his essay and declaration of love for Alison?

8. Alison and her seriousness, Dr. Taub and her comments, the essay, her diary and appointments, her reaction to Gib, ignoring him, the swimming, the Friday night, the pass on the roof? Her exasperation in the car, her removing her clothes and leaning out of the car? Out on the road? Antagonism, eating his junk food? The molester and her being rescued? The phone calls to Jason? Her change of feelings towards Gib? The platonic relationship? The overhearing of the theory of the sure thing? Her disappointment? Meeting Jason, seeing him with new eyes, his prim manner? Her wanting to go to the party, jealousy of Gib? The classroom - and the happy ending?

9. Jason and the prim student, his repressed attitudes, his snobbery, relating to Alison, breaking off the relationship?

10. The sure thing - attractive, presented as the sex symbol, her behaviour in Gib's fantasies, in real life, dominated by Lance, trying to please Gib?

11. The couple in the car, their good humour, songs? Their putting the couple out? The molester and his loneliness spiel? The lorry driver and his hurrying them to California?

12. Dr. Taub and her comments on essays? The absence of representatives of the adult world in the film?

13. The '80s, permissive styles, reaction against permissiveness? Sure things and real things?