I can't believe I hadn't seen this movie before! An 80's teen-romantic-comedy starring John Cusack, it really couldn't be much more up my alley. My only excuse is that I confused the film with Hot Pursuit, another 80's Cusack romantic-comedy where he travels long distances for the love of a girl. I've seen Hot Pursuit a few times, it's an okay film, nothing too memorable about it.

I was at my wife's mother's house and she had The Sure Thing up on her shelf, I took it down, read the back and noticed that Rob Reiner directed it. I was sure I'd seen all his films, especially his 80's ones, when he was at the top of his game, but the plot sounded just different enough from Hot Pursuit that I realized I hadn't. I immediately had to remedy that problem.

Cusack plays Gib, a freshman at an Ivy League school, with hopes to become a great writer. He's a real smart ass, who doesn't take his classes seriously. His carelessness annoys Alison (Daphne Zuniga) a straight-laced-lass is on the path to be a lawyer. Gib's friend Lance, played by a still full-head-of-haired Anthony Edwards, chose the party route and is living it up at a sunny California school. He sends Gib a letter promising him a "Sure Thing" in a sexy blond, if he heads out there for Christmas break.

This being a movie, Gib and Alison soon end up in the same car pool ride across the States. In a small funny role Tim Robbins plays the owner of the car, who soon kicks the couple out for ruining his trip. Gib and Alison are forced to hitch-hike the rest of the way. Along the way they move from loathing to acceptance, to an unspoken love, with the film ending in typical romantic-comedy fashion; lies, betrayal and finally ultimate love.

The Sure Thing is not a classic by any means. I might have had some more affection for it if I'd seen it in my youth; but seeing it now, it offered nothing special. Cusack does his usual smart-ass-but-likable thing, he makes the film worth watching. But I probably won't bother with it again unless I run across it on cable.