SAY ANYTHING celebrates 31 years since it was originally released on April 14th, 1989 and it remains the greatest movie of all time…for me. Since I first saw it in 1997, it has shaped my life, friendships, career, humor, and musical taste.
Here’s my top ten list of the lessons learned in this classic film via quotes:
Your parents are flawed human beings that are just trying to make good choices but can and will mess up. “Just knowing a person like that exists, knowing that for a minute that she felt that and wrote ‘I still can’t help loving you. That’s gotta be a good thing, right?
The act of falling in and out of love…and back in again. “Nobody thinks that it will work, do they?” “No. You just described every great success story.”
The fear of closing the door on your youth and moving out into the “real world.” “I’ve glimpsed our future, and all I can say is…’ Go Back’…but when I think about the future, the truth is, I am really…scared”
What it means to be a gentleman. “The world is full of guys. Be a man. Don’t be a guy.”
The value of being in a good mood. “Why can’t you be in a good mood? How hard is it to decide to be in a good mood and be in a good mood once in a while?”
Not knowing what your future career is, but being okay with that. “How many of them really know what they want, though? I mean, a lot of them think they have to know, right? But inside they don’t really know, so…I don’t know, but I know that I don’t know.”
How to pitch yourself to the father of the woman of your dreams. “What I really want to do with my life – what I want to do for a living – is I want to be with your daughter. I’m good at it.”
How to draw the line at seven unreturned phone calls. “I draw the line at seven unreturned phone calls.”
Never give a pen to someone in a break-up. “I gave her my heart and she gave me a pen.”
Eat healthily. “There’s no food in your food.”
Since you cannot be in a public parking lot and kick glass out of the way for your significant other, be more like Lloyd Dobler in this time of social distancing and play “In Your Eyes” on a boombox (hopefully Sonos) from 6+ feet away. Oh, and if your name is Joe…stop lying.
It is available to stream on Hulu.
