I’m gonna skip the usual preamble: “Say Anything…” is the best post-high school/pre-college movie, hands down.
I am not a romantic by any means; I’m probably the most realistic, just-this-side-of-cynical college student I know. But I still love this movie, even with its highly improbable romance and grand gestures. Yes, a boy in a trench coat playing a boom box loudly under your window is creepy in real life, but it is awesome in movie-land. Even I think it is sweet.
“Say Anything…” is perfect for any viewer, but holds special resonance for those fresh out of high school and uncertain about what lies ahead. When Diane Court admits that she is “really scared” of the future in her valedictorian speech, I’m sure that all of you who have just graduated know exactly what she is going through. And when Lloyd Dobler makes his famous vow to never sell, buy or process anything, I think that his character is a stand- in for every student who is trying to figure out who he wants to be and who he never wants to be. The end of adolescence is when we are (supposed to be) trying to figure out who we are, after all. The two lead characters in this movie are perfect representations of what real students go through when they are in the limbo between high school and the next phase in life.
Oh, and the scene where Lili Taylor self-pityingly plays a song called “Joe Lies” on her guitar will go down as one of the funniest/most pathetic scenes in movie history. It will speak to anyone who has gone through a break-up after high school because his or her significant other is going down a different path. Alternatively, it will speak to anyone who likes to laugh.
This film has comedy, romance and kickboxing. It literally can be entertaining for anyone. So, if you are a recent high school grad, someone who has nostalgia for that post-graduation summer, or someone who just appreciates a good movie, you need to watch “Say Anything…” Right now.
— Rachel Montpelier
> If you are in the “I don’t want to sell, buy or process anything” decision-making phase of your career options, visit NextStepU.com/Careers to help you along your path to a major that will suit you and your skills.
