Say Anything… (1989)
90%RT Audience Score: 85%
Awards & Nominations: 1 win & 3 nominations
One of the definitive Generation X movies, Say Anything… is equally funny and heartfelt — and it established John Cusack as an icon for left-of-center types everywhere.
Say Anything is the ultimate teenage love story that will make you want to hold a boombox over your head and serenade your crush. With a masterfully written script and characters that feel real, this movie is a refreshing break from the cliches and stereotypes that litter most adolescent romances. John Cusack’s effervescent sincerity and Cameron Crowe’s graduation-speech homilies will have you laughing, crying, and falling in love all over again. It’s no wonder this movie is an icon and made Cusack such a respectable actor today. So grab some popcorn, turn up the volume, and get ready to say anything to the one you love.
Production Company(ies)
First Thought Films,
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Seattle, Washington, USA
MPAA / Certificate
PG-13
Year of Release
1989
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Stereo
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 40m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 14, 1989 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 5, 2002
Genre(s)
Romance
Keyword(s)
starring John Cusack, Ione Skye, John Mahoney, Lili Taylor, Amy Brooks, Pamela Adlon, Eric Stoltz, Jeremy Piven, Lois Chiles, Bebe Neuwirth, Joan Cusack, Chynna Phillips, Loren Dean, Jason Gould, Philip Baker Hall, Cameron Crowe, Polly Platt, written by Cameron Crowe, directed by Cameron Crowe, romance, PG-13, box office gross, $20.0M, reviewed by Ryan Fujitani, Kirk Honeycutt, Bill Weber, Variety Staff, Mark Salisbury, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Mike Massie, Rachel Wagner, David Baron, Josh Larsen, Felix Vasquez Jr., Kevin Carr, 80s movie, high school, first love, John Cusack icon, left-of-center types, unattainable beauty, straight-A student, possessive father, power of love, eternal optimist, critically acclaimed, heartfelt, definitive Generation X movie, sound mix, surround, Dolby SR, Dolby A, Dolby Stereo, aspect ratio, flat (1.85:1), distributor, 20th Century Fox, streaming release date, Mar 5, 2002, theatrical release date, Apr 14, 1989 Wide
Worldwide gross: $21,515,196
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $52,427,627
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,303
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 5,717,298
US/Canada gross: $20,781,385
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $50,639,497
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,065
US/Canada opening weekend: $4,058,496
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $9,889,629
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 960
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Ione Skye – Diane Court
John Mahoney – James Court
Lili Taylor – Corey Flood
Amy Brooks – D.C.
Pamela Adlon – Rebecca
Director(s)
Cameron Crowe
Writer(s)
Cameron Crowe
Producer(s)
Polly Platt
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
1 win & 3 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (47) | Top Critics (11) | Fresh (46) | Rotten (1)
Test
December 17, 2021
Ryan Fujitani
Ryan’s Test Source
TOP CRITIC
Say Anything is an easy film to like.
April 14, 2017
Kirk Honeycutt
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
Say Anything was a singularly three-dimensional teen romance after a decade of broad gags and breakfast-club stereotypes in John Hughesland.
November 19, 2009 | Rating: 3.5/4
Bill Weber
Slant Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Cusack and Skye’s relationship develops nicely and believably, but Crowe has not written an entirely convincing character for the latter to play.
July 17, 2007
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Rewarding if slightly off-beat, and genuinely funny.
July 17, 2007 | Rating: 4/5
Mark Salisbury
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
At last, a teenage love story with real characters instead of cliches, poses, and attitudes.
July 17, 2007
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Even though there are some unexpected leaps in the plot, the emotional genuineness wins out.
September 7, 2020 | Rating: 8/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
A nuanced and masterfully written script
June 25, 2019 | Rating: 9/10
Rachel Wagner
Rachel’s Reviews (YouTube)
What makes Crowe’s film worth seeing…is the writer’s care in developing characters and situations of infinitely greater credibility than those which litter 99 percent of today’s adolescent screen romances.
May 30, 2019 | Rating: 3/4
David Baron
Times-Picayune
Cameron Crowe’s graduation-speech homilies are given an effervescent sincerity by John Cusack.
June 3, 2015 | Rating: 3.5/4
Josh Larsen
LarsenOnFilm
Cameron Crowe creates a beautiful film filled with uncertainties and paints romance as horrifying, but an experience that’s also very much worth it.
February 15, 2014
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed
This is an iconic role for John Cusack and easily one of the movies that made him such a respectable actor today.
June 27, 2011 | Rating: 2/5
Kevin Carr
7M Pictures…
Plot
High school senior Lloyd Dobler wants nothing more than to go out with beautiful and intelligent Diane Court. Lloyd attempts to win her heart over the objections of her over-protective father before Diane leaves for a scholarship in England.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny or odd comments were found on Fresh Kernels about the film Say Anything…
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