I was watching Say Anything again last night - you remember the one - Ione Skye's brainiac falls for John Cusack's slacker, but her fraudster dad John Mahoney stands in their way. It is such a good film, as you might expect from Cameron Crowe* (his debut as writer-director). Instead of heading down all the predictable paths of cliche, great acting, a sharp script and actual believable characterisation (Mahoney, for example, is far from the monster you might imagine) make it a surprising and genuinely touching story. It's one of the only teen movies I've ever seen where I utterly buy into the love story and imagine it enduring past the closing credits and right on into old age. And - praise the Lord! - the beautiful but ultra-square Ione is never made to endure a makeover in order to prove that she is deserving of love. No why-Miss-Skye-you're-beautiful moments in this film. She gets to be herself from start to dreadfully-hatted finish. Warms the cockles of your heart.In fact, watching Say Anything I started to wonder if it might be the best teen movie ever made. It certainly has the best sex scene of any film ever: you only see the aftermath as they hold each other on the back seat of the car, but John Cusack is so emotional he can't stop trembling (and at that point I started to cry a little.) It also has best romantic moment: Cusack outside Skye's house holding up a ghetto blaster playing the song they were listening to the first time the slept together: Peter Gabriel's 'In Your Eyes' (had to head straight upstairs after the film and download it.) And the supporting cast are phenomenal: Lily Taylor, Eric Stoltz, Joan Cusack (as John's sister), all putting in top-of-the-range turns.
All very convincing arguments. But then again, what about Ferris Bueller's Day Off? The Breakfast Club? Clueless? Grease?
Over to you: what is the greatest teen movie ever made?
*He is not foolproof. Jerry Maguire might be the film I hate most in the world. Certainly my flatmate had to put me to bed with a cup of tea afterwards, I was so incensed by the vile, reactionary sexism of it. See also: Forrest Gump.
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29 comments:
Ooh. Someone else who hated Jerry Maguire for the exact same reason I did. I thought it was just me. Hoorah!
I'd certainly back all the options for teen movies presented so far, although I'd add in Pretty in Pink for Jon Cryer (pre 2.5 men). But I'd back either Clueless or Ferris Bueller for top spot.
I absolutely love The Breakfast Club, but I think the reason has a lot to do with a particular time in my life rather than any particular merits of the film.
Say Anything is corking - I see it as the capstone of Mr Cusack's career in better-than-they-ought-to-be teen movies: The Sure Thing, Better Off Dead, and One Crazy Summer are all a lot of fun, and streets ahead of most other films of that type, even if the 80s garb and music dates terribly... though that's part of the charm, I'd say.
J
Sorry, Breakfast Club lost me forever when freaky Ally Sheedy got made over by queen bee Molly Ringwald so she could start something up with jerky jock Emilio Estevez. Some guy from Quebec asked me sardonically: "What's the matter; does it offend your feminist sensibilities?" (Add a Gallic shrug.) No! It was the final cliché in a film chockful of stereotypes. (A problem I always had with John Hughes flicks.)
This doesn't count as a film but my favourite show about teens was the sadly curtailed My So-Called Life. The kids weren't caricatures; neither were the parents or teachers. It was funny. It was heart-breaking. It was clever. It was cancelled. Fortunately, it found a new life as a bit of a cult classic, and I proudly own the DVD box set.
And Forrest Gump! Argh! I nearly broke my television set when it won the Academy Award!
Unfortunately haven't seen Say Anything, but if it's got John *and* Joan Cusack in it, I'm convinced. I'll go with Rob's vote for Clueless or Ferris Bueller, although another one may occur to me after I hit Publish Your Comment.
persephone, do not get Marie started on My So-Called Life. Every week at university there was a massive build up to the episode as she would make the trip down to the TV room to watch it!
Haven't seen this either, Marie, but you've made me feel I must! I never saw The Breakfast Club which came out when I was a student and I hated the Brat Pack at the time, so didn't go on principle.
I love Clueless (I tried very very hard to buy the film tie in when I was at Scholastic and wasn't allowed to because our clubs and fairs people thought it would offend teachers). I also like FB's Day Off, so yes, they'd feature.
My favourite teen coming off age movie is She's All That, though it does have the annoying makeover thing. But it also has a FABULOUS dance scene too Soul Funk Brother which Spouse and I watch endlessly.And it is deeply satisfying seeing the Queen of the Prom coming unstuck.
Also, Bring It On.
Said I'd think of another one.
My So Called Life DVD is in my collection as well.
Loved Pretty In Pink. Still do. Duckie Dale was my hero.
Ferris is wonderful but I tend to class that as a comedy rather than a teen movie.
I also have a soft spot for a couple of not-very-good movies that I watched at just the right time in my life for them to be fondly remembered.
Tuff Turf is dreadful but is led by James Spader and Robert Downey Jr in early roles for them and they are great.
Reckless stars Daryl Hannah and Aidan Quinn and is a bt daft but has its moments.
The winner though has to be Some Kind Of Wonderful because a) Mary Stuart Masterson is gorgeous b) Eric Stoltz is my kind of hero and c) it tells the same story as Pretty In Pink but the right couple pair up at the end.
There you go.
Oh and a special mention for Better Off Dead with John Cusack.
And finally, for a teen movie that I was far too old to enjoy but loved nonetheless see Cruel Intentions.
I will go now.
I loved Heathers, with Christian Slater. Very funny and very dark, especially the bleach drinking scene which has always haunted me!
Heathers, darn it, yes. How could I have forgotten Heathers.
Rob, it's not an uncommon reaction. I can't stand Jerry Maguire either, although I hate Forrest Gump even more.
I'll sound so stupid for asking, but...what don't you like about Forrest Gump? I caught it on Film4 a few months ago and was completely hooked.
Gah, I feel so opposite to everyone, view-wise. Cameron Crowe re-wrote and directed Vanilla Sky, which everyone seems to hate, yet I've loved it for years.
And, again with the opposition, don't get me started on the dirge of a film that is Grease. Dear Lord, I hate it so. Bastard Danny and the way Sandy has to change herself in order to appeal to the prick. GAGH.
...ahem. Yes.
But the bit that everyone forgets is that Daddy changes himself to appeal to Sandy as well, turning up at the end dressed as a jock. Turns out they were right for each other exactly the way they were.
Some brilliant suggestions there, particularly My So Called Life (Claire - you remembered that! I think I used to watch it in Anne's room in fact.) And Heathers was my favourite for years.
And 'The Sure Thing'! John Cusack has been in some amazing movies over the years. I totally heart him. And have never even heard of "Better Off Dead'...
"Rob, it's not an uncommon reaction. I can't stand Jerry Maguire either,"
Ah. Hating Jerry Maguire isn't uncommon. After all, it's got Tom Cruise in it. It's hating Jerry Maguire for being a sexist lump of rubbish in which Renee Z gives up her job, etc to be Tom's handmaiden that is far less common.
...and then he treats her worse than shit on his shoe, and SHE apologises to HIM for trying to entrap him into a relationship when she is a single mom etc. And when he FINALLY apologises to her for having been an arsehole ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE FILM, she says "You had me at hello". Yes, no matter how badly you treat me, I will come back to you, there is no need for you to offer me anything at all. VOMIT.
And as for Forrest Gump, any film which has as a central message that no women should be messing around with the civil rights movement unless she wants to die of AIDS, instead she should choose marriage to someone who is mentally retarded, well.........
Even worse, I think, is the insidious message that if a man you love doesn't love you back (or well. Or enough), just love him more. Take it. The reason he doesn't love you is because you're not loving him enough. It's your fault. Try harder and maybe you'll get just an ounce of human kindness out of him. That'll be your reward.
It's like battered person syndrome turned into a rom com.
I'd also add that The Lost Boys is great (a teen movie, but were you going for teen relationship movie?), St Elmo's Fire has many a fine moment (most of them Rob Lowe's) and 10 Things I Hate About You has both Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger and he's allowed to be Australian and Shakespearean at the same time.
You know, I specifically got out of bed this morning to say that I'm not sure he does apologise to her at the end, I think he just asks her to get back together with him. You're right, the only way that film could be more vile is if he was slapping her around physically as well as emotionally. Can we form a league against Jerry Maguire?
And I totally love Ten Things I Hate About You. And Cruel Intentions, Scott.
Can anyone think of any great British teen movies?
Gregory's Girl.
And I also loved Heathers. Not quite a teen film but brilliant John Cusack film also is Grosse Pointe Blank, where he plays an assassin at his old school reunion. Hilarious.
Gregory's girl: good call!
Re Grosse Point Blank, that's a whole other genre: the middle aged teen movie. See also 'Old School' and, in a slightly different way, 'School of Rock'.
I liked Jerry Maguire a lot, but then I'm an alpha male. But I also, in a less alpha way, absolutely loved, at the time I saw it, which was the right time, and it's hard to believe I would love it so much tomorrow, Pump Up the Volume. I also loved Bring it On, though I was grown up when I saw it. None of these is Clueless, which is the answer to the question. (Forrest Gump: excruciating.)
It's got to be Heathers, surely.
We all thought Christian Slater was going to be a superstar. Ah, how wrong we were.
I'm joining the anti-FG and JMcG brigade. I hated the trailers so much to each that I couldnt bring myself to watch the films at all. I have been unfortunate to catch clips several times and nothing every convinces me I have missed something worthwhile in either - in fact given the discussion here I feel rather vindicated in my avoidance!
(Though Rosby I'm with you on Vailla Sky which despite everything I thought far more enjoyable if not as shocking or smart as the Spanish original)
On teen movies - and sorry I am late to this party - but yay for Heathers and Pretty in Pink, definitely for The Sure Thing. I've seen far too many films with James Spader and John Cusak for the very simple teenagers mentality reasoning that I fancied them. This has pretty much held true to present which probably says a lot about my innate teenagerness!
At school, we all loved "Pump up the Volume" with Christian Slater, but it's a bit rubbish when you watch it when you're a bit older!
The soundtrack is great whatever age you are though.
I also LOVED heathers.
Heathers heathers heathers. I like the faked jock gay suicide pact. And Winona is just all sorts of awesome in her pre-shoplifting days. Not that I have anything against shoplifting per se. Or maybe I do. (Hole. Digging. Stop.)
Also, can I have Election or is that not quite the same genre?
Wow, I've never seen Say Anything and yet it sounds like my perfect film! The Breakfast Club doesn't do a whole lot for me (oh woe is me, my parents are crap)... 10 Things I Hate About You is pretty awesome in terms of teen films, I'd say.
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