Taglines: He’s onto a sure thing… but ends up on the funniest journey to romance you’ve ever seen.
The Sure Thing movie storyline. College freshman Walter (Gib) Gibson decides to go cross country to visit his friend in California during winter break. Awaiting there is a bikini-clad babe whom his friend assures him is a “sure thing”. Meanwhile, Allison, a cute (but somewhat retentive) girl at Gib’s college has also decided to head out to Cal. to see her boyfriend during break. Gib and Allison are thrust together on a road trip from hell, and somewhere along the way, they find each others company to be tolerable. Now, what will become of Gib’s “sure thing?”
The Sure Thing is a 1985 American romantic comedy film written by Steven L. Bloom and Jonathan Roberts and directed by Rob Reiner. The film stars John Cusack, Daphne Zuniga, and Viveca Lindfors; it introduces[2] Nicollette Sheridan in the title role. The film chronicles the cross-country journey of college students Walter Gibson (Cusack) and Alison Bradbury (Zuniga) as they make their way from New England to Los Angeles, each in an effort to meet their ideal match.
About the Story
High school senior Walter Gibson (John Cusack) and his best friend Lance (Anthony Edwards) are celebrating the fact they are moving on to college, but all Walter can do is lament the fact that he has lost his touch with women. Lance heads to UCLA while Walter moves on to college in New England.
The two keep in touch by writing letters, but Walter’s luck has not changed. His attempt to get close to Alison Bradbury (Daphne Zuniga) from his English class by tricking her into tutoring him only results in his angering and alienating her. Eventually he receives a phone call from Lance telling him to come to California for Christmas break because he has set him up with the beautiful girl (Nicollette Sheridan), assuring him she is a Sure Thing.
Walter finds a ride from a ride share board to make the trip. He meets Gary Cooper (Tim Robbins) and Mary Ann Webster (Lisa Jane Persky), the couple providing the ride: they are extroverted and upbeat to a fault. Things go from bad to worse when he realizes he will be sitting next to Alison as she heads to UCLA to visit her boyfriend Jason (Boyd Gaines).
The tension and bickering between Walter and Alison becomes too much for Cooper, and he abandons them on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere and Alison hitches a ride which turns out to be a big mistake, the guy stops at a deserted little pocket of the road and tries to rape her, but Walter comes to her rescue just in the nick of time.
As they hitch to California, they overcome issues with transportation, weather, lack of food, lack of money (caused by Alison leaving her wallet behind) and sleeping arrangements, while at the same time developing genuine feelings for one another. Upon arriving in California, Alison discovers the real reason Walter is making the trip is to meet his “Sure Thing” and angrily runs off.
The Sure Thing (1985)
Directed by: Rob Reiner
Starring: John Cusack, Daphne Zuniga, Anthony Edwards, Nicollette Sheridan, Boyd Gaines, Lisa Jane Persky, Viveca Lindfors, Marcia Christie, Sarah Buxton
Screenplay by: Steve Bloom, Jonathan Roberts
Production Design by: Lilly Kilvert
Cinematography by: Robert Elswit
Film Editing by: Robert Leightond
Costume Design by: Durinda Wood
Set Decoration by: Lisa Fischer
Music by: Tom Scott
Distributed by: Embassy Pictures
Release Date: March 1, 1985
Visits: 175
