Given the all but unimpeachable legacy of “Say Anything,” its 98% Tomatometer rating is not at all surprising. That impressive number indeed ranks the film atop the list of those John and Joan Cusack have appeared in together. If you’ve seen the Cusacks playing onscreen siblings Lloyd and Constance Dobler in the film, you know it arguably features the pair at the top of their youthful games, with their screen chemistry making it all too believable that their characters are actually bickering, but loving siblings.
Tomatometer ratings aside, a case could easily be made that “High Fidelity” is the better of the two films, with John’s turn as music-obsessed record store owner Rob Gordon easily ranking among the best of his storied screen career. The same could be said for Joan’s work as Liz, a mutual friend of Rob and his ex-girlfriend, Laura (Iben Hjejle). And as glorious as it was to see the Cusacks trade blows and hugs in “Say Anything,” watching them square off amid Rob’s and Laura’s seriously messy breakup is nothing short of transfixing. Some might even say their seething tête-à-tête after Liz learns of Rob’s many shortcomings as a boyfriend makes for some of the best drama and comedy in the entire film.
Of course, ranking this film or that as the best of the Cusack’s onscreen collabs essentially comes down less to fact than it does personal tastes. But in any case, Cusack fans will no doubt chalk up a win for having watched them all.
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