The Sure Thing (1985)

Directed by Rob Reiner. Starring John Cusack, Daphne Zuniga, Anthony Edwards, Viveca Lindfors, Boyd Gaines, Nicollette Sheridan, Lisa Jane Persky, Tim Robbins. [PG-13]

This romantic comedy, a riff on It Happened One Night for the collegiate set, is the most frequently overlooked entry in Rob Reiner’s early directing-career glory (seven straight good movies in a nine-year span), but it shouldn’t be. Freshman Cusack is promised a dishy blonde “sure thing” is waiting for him on the West Coast over holiday break, so he travels cross-country by ride-share and ends up in the backseat with a bookish but beautiful classmate (Zuniga) who harbors disgust for him after he previously tried (and failed) to make a move on her. They end up stranded, hitching a ride, getting into a few mild misadventures, falling in love (although neither one is brave enough to admit it), and so on. Yes, it’s very predictable, and it’s the kind of movie that’s impossible to talk about without using the word “cute”, but the road-trip formula works, the leads are appealing, the jokes are gently juvenile but amusing, and the happy ending is bound to leave you actually feeling happy. Also features a nice two-scene role for veteran actress Viveca Lindfors as the kids’ English professor. Executive produced by Henry Winkler. First film role for Nicollette Sheridan as the titular “sure thing”.

77/100