Mere weeks before I was set to graduate from high school in 1989 Cameron Crowe made his directorial debut with the teen dramedy “Say Anything…”. At the time teen flicks were a dime-a-dozen and they often fell into many of the same categories. You had the genuinely funny comedies, the schmaltzy fluff, the all-out raunchy ones, etc. Many of them relied on the same tropes, the same character types, the same jokes, and the same basic storylines.

But “Say Anything…” felt different. A big reason is because Crowe gave us authentic and relatable characters rather than annoyingly shallow caricatures. He clearly cared for them which carried over to his audience. Also, he didn’t rely solely on the popular teen movie or rom-com formulas of the time. There are a few familiar beats, but Crowe’s interests lie beyond them. It wasn’t enough to earn huge numbers at the box office, but the movie has stood the test of time.

Crowe’s script is laced with good humor which is well delivered and almost always comes at just the right time. Yes, there’s a sweet romance and plenty of teen-oriented drama at the story’s center. But it’s the well developed and emotionally layered characters that keep us invested. Crowe makes them easy to connect with and even easier to root for.

The story begins on graduation day at a small Seattle, Washington high school. John Cusack plays Lloyd Dobler, an average everyday student with no clear vision for what he wants to do with his life. He’s a straightforward guy who has a thing for Diane Court (Ione Skye), the class valedictorian. On paper they’re far from a perfect match, which Lloyd’s best friend Corey (Lili Taylor) is happy to point out.

Both Lloyd and Diane have their own struggles which Crowe takes time to explore. Aside from his uncertainty about his future, Lloyd’s parents are overseas, leaving him to live with his sister and nephew. Their absence creates a void for the rudderless Lloyd. Meanwhile Diana is the smartest girl in school which has distanced her from her entire class. She doesn’t have any close friends and her lone confidant is her caring father Jim (John Mahoney).

As you can guess, Lloyd and Diane eventually connect. Their feelings towards each other are genuine yet their personal problems complicate things in a variety of ways. Interestingly, the story features a lot of talk about honesty. Lloyd is honest and sincere which plays a big part in his connection with Diane. Meanwhile her relationship with her father is built entirely on honesty and trust. And just like in real life, when trust is broken it can often carry heavy consequences.

Cusack shines as Lloyd, relaying ample amounts of teen enthusiasm and nervous energy while bringing an innocence and vulnerability to his character. Skye gives an overall good performance despite going a little too big at times which can make her stand out for the wrong reasons. Mahoney is especially good as Diane’s father, dodging many of the conventional ‘movie dad’ traps and playing a bigger role in the film’s second half.

“Say Anything…” is now 36-years-old but it still maintains a freshness within a genre that has often felt tired and stale. It’s a film that examines teens through a fair-minded lens, seeing them as regular people with real-world feelings and their own complexities. Cameron Crowe’s screenplay still hits its marks and his direction is sharp. And while it still feels very much like a 1980’s movie, it has a grounded human quality that never ages out.

VERDICT – 4 STARS