"You're such a great person, Lloyd. I'm a good person, but you are a great person."
My writer-blogger-dog-lover-buddy Joe has completed his 100 Top Television Shows list on his blog, and just embarked on what I'm sure will be an equally well-rounded and pithy list of Fifty Top Movies.
Joe started the countdown with my favorite movie, Say Anything...(1989), which I've easily seen more than 100 times. His comments made me think about what I personally love about the flick, and its protagonist in particular: the inimitable Lloyd Dobler.
When I was first introduced to Lloyd, I fell in love with the character because he was more real than any other eighties-movie leading man had ever been before. He was well-liked but quirky, wading in the shallow end of geekdom. He drove a blue Chevy Malibu instead of a red convertible.
He enjoyed Bavarian Dutch-style pretzels.
Plus, like every other girl about my age, the fact that Lloyd Dobler serenaded Diane Court outside her bedroom window with a boombox did nothing to curb the infatuation, nor did the fact that he was played by John Cusack. In my highschool yearbook, I wrote 'find Lloyd Dobler and write about it' next to 'Future Plans.'
That said, boiling Say Anything down to Lloyd alone is like saying The Sound of Music is a musical about Austrian kids.
"Lloyd lives on because he’s framed not by a typical guy-meets-girl teen movie," writes Joe, "but by something more honest, in which essentially decent people reveal shades of grey — as they do in the harsh sunlight of the world outside the movie theater."
Say Anything also avoids the run-of-the-mill teen angst by throwing a dad with a penchant for money laundering into the mix and Lloyd's best friend's (Lily Taylor) history of suicide attempts. All in all, though, I think the reason I love the flick as much as I do is because it's ridiculously well-written. Forget the strong leads, the well-developed side roles, and the realistic dialogue for a minute. In addition, Say Anything moves from scene to scene seamlessly, and not one shot goes by without a memorable line, a look, or a feeling. It's like getting a glimpse into other people's lives for one moment in time, and seeing everything that comes with that: from learning to drive a standard to breaking someone's heart.
It also has one of the best compilation soundtracks, in my opinion, of any modern film - beyond the signature track In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel, Depeche Mode's Stripped also makes an appearance, along with Fishbone's Skankin' to the Beat and Red Hot Chili Peppers' Show Me Your Soul. Like every Cameron Crowe movie, there's the obligatory Nancy Wilson track as well, but I'll forgive Cameron Crowe a lot, because he's Cameron Crowe.
As I commented on Joe's Movie List earlier, Say Anything is also damn quotable. Here are some of my favorites; feel free to add in the comments and please, give Joe's blog a look for some quality media and entertainment analysis. And stories about agility dogs.
"When I think about the future, the truth is, I am really scared."
"One question: Are you here because you need someone, or because you need me? Forget it, I don't care."
"I don't know. I think I'm happy."
"I am looking for a dare to be great situation."
"I don't want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don't want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don't want to do that."
"The world is full of guys. Be a man. Don't be a guy."
"Bitches, man."
"If you start out depressed everything's kind of a pleasant surprise."
"You must chill. You must chill."
"Hey, world. Check me out."
Oh! I share your enthusiasm! That is such a fantastic movie! And I love
that, even now, I can go back and watch it and it doesn't feel silly or
dated in a way that makes it absurd. It is a classic.
