This file was generated 2002-06-09 04:23 GMT. This movie's information hasn't changed since 2001-08-23.
Despite charismatic leads, The Sure Thing is just a tad too predictable. With a title like "The Sure Thing", the thing of which I was most sure was that the sure thing wouldn't happen. The eventual pairing of Gib and Alison, and even most of the details along the way, are telegraphed too far ahead. I was thoroughly unsurprised when long-distance boyfriend Jason turned out to be a bore, but I was disappointed that there was no effort to make him an interesting bore, so that there would be real competition for Alison's affections. The plot isn't interested in being as interesting as the dialogue, and it wheezes through clichés of the road movie genre.
I realized that I'd never seen a pre-1994 John Cusack movie. I've seen Being John Malkovich, Grosse Pointe Blank, Bullets Over Broadway, and Road to Wellville, but none of the classics that made him a name. Now at least I've made it back to 1985. Cusack is almost certainly the highlight of the movie, with a face that makes him look innocent no matter how rowdy the character. When he goes for dramatics, as when playing a crazed murderer, we can see that he's got range, but the rest of the time, he's just plain likable.
"Seinfeld" fans will probably recognize the truck driver, Larry Hankin, as the guy who was cast to play Kramer in the series within the series. His character is so memorable that I'm surprised he only appeared in one episode.