Cusack at his Best

Rating: 9/10 (3 April 2000)

I had been anticipating the release of this movie for some time and I was not disappointed. Although I have never read the Nick Hornby novel, I was really impressed with this movie. I have been a Cusack fan for a very long time and this was one of his best performances ever. I loved the way his character 'Rob Gordon' was talking to the camera and letting the movie-goer journey through his emotional state. He is one of the few actors in Hollywood who could have pulled it off. His facial expressions and emotions were very real and by the end of the movie you really got a sense of the characters persona. The supporting cast did a marvelous job, especially Jack Black and Tim Robbins. This movie bought back so many fond memories of those John Cusack 80's classics. It was like watching Lloyd Dobler (Say Anything), Lane Meyer (Better Off Dead) and Walter Gibson (The Sure Thing) grow up and tackle "grown up" problems. The setting was great, Cusack was born and raised in Chicago and he knew exactly where to film it. The Soundtrack is also amazing and Cusack personally picked out many of the tracks for the movie. He also co-wrote the screenplay. I hope that this film finally gets Cusack the recognition he so richly deserves. Unlike other 80's teen actors who have faded to obscurity, Cusack will be around for a long time. In my opinion he is the greatest actor of his generation. My Rating: 9/10