The Sure Thing

1985
PG-13
1h 35m

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

23K

YOUR RATING

John Cusack, Nicollette Sheridan, and Daphne Zuniga in The Sure Thing (1985)

Walter Gibson is a university freshman going through a dry spell. His old buddy arranges a "sure thing" for him in California. Gibson and his classmate Allison then take a long road trip out to Cali, and both foil each other's plans.

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Teen Comedy Comedy Drama Romance

Walter Gibson is a university freshman going through a dry spell. His old buddy arranges a "sure thing" for him in California. Gibson and his classmate Allison then take a long road trip out... Read allWalter Gibson is a university freshman going through a dry spell. His old buddy arranges a "sure thing" for him in California. Gibson and his classmate Allison then take a long road trip out to Cali, and both foil each other's plans.Walter Gibson is a university freshman going through a dry spell. His old buddy arranges a "sure thing" for him in California. Gibson and his classmate Allison then take a long road trip out to Cali, and both foil each other's plans.

Director
- Rob Reiner
Writers
- Steve Bloom
- Jonathan Roberts
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

23K

YOUR RATING

Director
- Rob Reiner
Writers
- Steve Bloom
- Jonathan Roberts
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
Actress Daphne Zuniga once said: "It's hard to admit, but I really was a lot like this character."

Goofs
When Gib teaches Alison to shotgun a beer, his pants become soaked with beer, but when he leaves the room they are completely dry.

Quotes
Professor Taub: [reading Gib's Paper] 'It could be tonight,' he though as he stood in the corner, pretending to have a good time. He would meet her tonight. All his young life, he had dreamed of a girl like this. 5'6, silky hair, trim, nubile body. Nubile, by the way, is spelled with a "u".
[Continuing]
Professor Taub: Trim, nubile body that really knew how to move. And soft, deeply tanned skin. Now as for personality traits, she needed only one. She had to love sex and all the time. To arrive at this moment, he had traveled vast distances enduring many hardships. Abject poverty, starvation, show tunes, you name it. From across the room, he saw her. She was perfect. He knew almost nothing about her and she didn't know much more about him. It was exactly how it was supposed to be. He brought her to his room. The lights were soft, the moment was right. Then she leaned over and whispered in his ear, 'Do you love me?' Thoughts raced through his mind. Did she really want him? What had he done to deserve this bounty? Does God exist? Who invented liquid soap and why? 'Do you love me?' Staring into her eyes he knew that she really needed to hear it but for the first time in his life, he knew these were no longer just words and if he said it, it would be a lie. 'Do you love me?' she whispered. 'Do you love me?' It would not be tonight. The answer was no.

Alternate versions
This film has an alternate version. The first scene of the alternate version starts with the scene right before Lance's dialogue "Private Gibson" to Gibson (John Cusack) where Gibson is sitting alone. This version doesn't have scenes with Gibson's dialogue to two women. This version delete the scene where Gibson's roommate is making love to his girlfriend. This version also doesn't have the scene where John Cusack kisses the girl in Lance's room close to the end of the film.

Connections
Featured in At the Movies: The Beach Boys: An American Band/Maria's Lover/The Purple Rose of Cairo/The Sure Thing (1985)

Soundtracks
Infatuation
(Main Title Song)
Written by Rod Stewart (as R. Stewart), Duane Hitchings (as D. Hitchings) and Roland Robinson (as R. Robinson)
Performed by Rod Stewart
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Records, Inc.
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products
Published by Rod Stewart/Hitchings Music/Rowland Robinson Music

User reviews85

Review

Featured review

10/10

An underrated delight

Check Rob Reiner's bio in virtually any film resource and they don't even mention this movie. Why this is so is beyond me. This is one of the overlooked gems of the 80s. I would rank it as one of Reiner's three genuine classics, along with THE PRINCESS BRIDE and THIS IS SPINAL TAP. Neither Cusack nor Zuniga could have been any better, and yet Reiner shows his directorial skill by including a cast of supporting characters that's as quirky and memorable as the leads. If you're looking for a teen romance road comedy (that isn't a gross-out soft-core flick in disguise), check this one out!