SAY ANYTHING

Movies cement mystical moments in our brains forever. We all know this to be true, and the surprise of it all is that each and every memory is different for each of us. Since I am older, I have far too many stashed, stacked, and stored away in the crevices of my mind.

I can recall a pivotal scene in less than a heartbeat when remembering GONE WITH THE WIND. I see myself saying out loud, “I will think about it tomorrow. Tomorrow is another day.” These words have gotten me through many devastating, horrendous late nights when I could not close my eyes and sleep. I remember my husband touching my hand for the first time and poof…I am in the exact moment when Tom Hanks reached out for Meg Ryan’s hand at the top of the Empire State Building in SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE. The exact words “It was magic” come to mind. When I see a small boy running as fast as he can, I am pulled back to the final scene in CAMELOT, when King Arthur shouts to a young lad to spread the word about Camelot and instructs him to “Run, boy, run!” Of course, the final notes of the music are swelling while the curtain closes. Oh, my life revolves around one standout second after another, from one movie or play to the next. There are those who would say I am a little on the dramatic side. That’s okay. I can handle it. I know I am, but I would use the word passionate instead. Suits me better.

This is why I was thrilled beyond reason when it happened to my son, Aaron. I can only share this story from my perspective as I witnessed it. It is for Aaron to say more or say nothing. All I know is that my son started wearing a tan-colored trench coat over a nondescript T-shirt. He also used to walk around with a rather large boom box. And on several occasions, I spotted him wearing the trench coat, holding the boom box over his head while it blared the pop tune IN YOUR EYES, sung by Peter Gabriel. There he would stand, defiant and quiet, until the music was over. Oh, I can still see him… so young and hopeful. It filled my soul knowing that just a split second from a film could and would influence him forever. It made the artistic side of my being burst with joy.

When Aaron watched and took in John Cusack’s iconic, powerful stance, it changed him forever. Lloyd Dobler became a treasured part of who Aaron was and is at his core. Whether he admits it or not, he is a romantic. He is sentimental, and when he loves, he feels with his whole heart. It is awesome for him to feel so much, yet at times be reticent to admit it. Sometimes it is just easier to let the quirky 1989 rom-com SAY ANYTHING speak for you. I listened to Aaron back in the ’80s. I saw him clearly and will always be proud of the Dobler he has become today.

SAY ANYTHING was never nominated for, nor did it win, any Oscars or BAFTAs. It cleared a hefty worldwide profit of over $20 million. This is not a huge amount by today’s standards, but it did succeed in being recognized as one of the critically acclaimed, definitive movies for Gen Xers. It changed the way rom-coms were created. It took over the John Hughes perspective of sharing love stories. The difference was that now both the rom and the com were equally distributed to make this genre stand out even more. It was Cameron Crowe’s (ALMOST FAMOUS, JERRY MAGUIRE, VANILLA SKY) directorial debut, and he set in motion John Cusack’s legendary career (GROSSE POINTE BLANK, HIGH FIDELITY).

Cusack was really into kickboxing at the time of filming. It made it easy for him to do all his own stunts, and one of his matches actually did land him a broken nose. Those frames were kept in the final cut. The scene where he held up the boom box was filmed in a park across the street from a 7-Eleven in North Hollywood. IN YOUR EYES was not the original song choice; it was dubbed in after filming ended. The character Lloyd Dobler was fashioned after a neighbor of Crowe’s who was also a kickboxer and would exclaim to everyone that kickboxing was the sport of the future, just as Dobler declared. I don’t think he got any credit for contributing that line.

Cusack and Ione Skye (Diane) had great chemistry together on camera. Their characters were so totally opposite in nature, it was a wonder they ever clicked. I guess being chivalrous was the key, especially when Dobler pointed out glass on the sidewalk while they took a walk together. Their easy banter and longing looks at each other made SAY ANYTHING hotter and sexier than the script intended. Lloyd and Diane were both flawed and hurt by how they were raised, yet they showed their best qualities to each other most of the time, with the exception of their brief breakup and that damn, thoughtless pen given as a going-away gift. But I blame all of that on Diane’s dad, played brilliantly by John Mahoney (FRASIER, MOONSTRUCK). His character was subtle and showcased all the parental sins a parent could bring into the light, especially in the ’80s. Together, this young couple and Dad gave new meaning to a power-struggle triangle.

There was also a fabulous ensemble surrounding the wannabe couple. Lili Taylor, Pamela Adlon, Jason Gould, and Jeremy Piven were all hysterically stereotyped, yet brilliantly placed throughout this summer of love before heading off to college. They added the shading and arguments of authenticity necessary to constantly bring up the yin and the yang of a relationship no one believed could last. It should also be noted that James L. Brooks (TERMS OF ENDEARMENT, BROADCAST NEWS, AS GOOD AS IT GETS) was one of the major executive producers. He had great influence over the direction of SAY ANYTHING, and some critics believe a little TERMS OF ENDEARMENT influence shows, especially in Diane’s tight bond with her father.

I had three favorite moments that lingered in my brain long after the credits rolled.

1. The graduation valedictorian speech. There are no words that can express how much I cringed while listening.
2. Lili Taylor’s guitar playing and singing. Double cringe.
3. The ding. Wait for it and black out. Perfection.

SAY ANYTHING is a pivotal piece of celluloid. Within 100 minutes, lives were influenced and changed forever. This film is more than a sweet, exceptional, nostalgic classic. It allowed audiences to view teens through a fair-minded lens. It enabled adults to catch the whole picture of what goes on in a young person’s mind when puberty hits. It didn’t sugarcoat anything. It didn’t leave audiences with a happily-ever-after, and that is a clever twist. For most of us, a simple ding will suffice. For my son, it might be necessary to toss in a boom box and a trench coat. In any case, happy birthday, Aaron. Ding…

SAY ANYTHING is available to rent.