Monday, March 10, 2008

Maybe Add This to Your Queue

This weekend I watched Martian Child. I'd expected it to be pretty cheesy (and it kinda was), but it has something not enough films can boast...it has John Cusack.

Cusack has made a career playing men women love. Chuck Klosterman pretty much hits the nail on the head with his essay on Cusack (and his Say Anything character Lloyd Dobler) in his book Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs (which you can read here. The internet is so awesome). Basically, Klosterman argues he will never make a woman happy because all women (especially those born between 1965 and 1978 (which includes yours truly)) are in love with John Cusack/Lloyd Dobler. I wish I could refute his claim, but it's totally true. I first saw Say Anything when I was 13 or so and have been looking for Lloyd Dobler ever since. Does this make me crazy and screwed up? Sure, but am I alone in this? Absolutely not.

After he (and Cameron Crowe) created the perfect man, Cusack went on to make High Fidelity and solidify his place as the greatest man ever. Now, when he makes a movie like Martian Child (about a widower who adopts a little boy who believes he's from Mars), I watch and love it far more than I should because I'm still in love with Lloyd Dobler (and will, obviously, be single for the rest of my life). Check it out, ladies, and see if John has the same power over you...

9 comments:

doorknob_dan said...

"Better Off Dead" was my inspiration as a youth. I never could snort jello through a straw though (but that wasn't Cusak that did it anyways.)

Red said...

Oh man. Better Off Dead is classic...second only to One Crazy Summer in the cannon of great JC movies from the 80's.

So, you're still looking for a cute French girl then?

Falwless said...

Interesting that you should mention this, as I happened to watch it about a week ago. It was unique. The one critique I would give is that they could have convinced the audience a bit more of the connection between father and adopted son. It was sorta hard for me to understand/buy into the strong bond dad had for his weirdo kid. That said, I didn't dislike it...

doorknob_dan said...

Well, maybe French girls I suppose. But really I'd settle for broken-english-as-a-first-language at this point. Wait, I'd PREFER that!

Red said...

Fal: That is an excellent point. I think they wanted you to assume because he was so lonely after his wife died, it took no time at all for him to fall madly in love with the kid. And I don't know if I would have really liked it at all if it weren't for JC.

D: I have a mail order bride catalog here if you'd like to take a look ;)

doorknob_dan said...

Is it the spring edition? I already have the winter one.

Scott Booker said...

Is it just me...or do any other guys out there think that movies make it hard for us guys to live up to expectations? LOL

Now...I am going to grab my trench coat and boom box and go stand beneath my sweeties window!

BeckEye said...

I do love John Cusack. He has "something." Still, I have NEVER seen "Say Anything." For some reason, it doesn't appeal to me.

Red said...

Wha?!?! You gotta see it. So great