The Sure Thing

Director Rob Reiner's The Sure Thing is essentially It Happened One Night for the 1980s, but its lack of surprise in no way impedes its entertainment value. John Cusack plays a self-involved college freshman who makes plans to head to California, there to touch base (and a few other things) with "sure thing" Nicolette Sheridan. Likewise planning a westward journey is coed Daphne Zuniga, a "control freak" who has a wealthy, stuffy fiance over there. Cusack and Zuniga despise one another on sight—so naturally, they are compelled to travel to California together. The fact that everyone in the audience knows precisely how this one will end up is inconsequential: Cusack and Zuniga deliver such engaging performances that we're pulling for them to wise up and discover one another from the very first scene. One of the best bits: the mismatched couple being bombarded with an ear-piercing rendition of "The Age of Aquarius" by their dippy travelling companions. — Hal Erickson