The Sure Thing
The Sure Thing
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.
Jacob O’Neal reviewedJuly 20, 2025
I grew up in the 80’s, a time when Rob Reiner made the best films and every kid had at least one John Cusack movie that defined them. For some it’s Say Anything. For others it’s Better Off Dead or One Crazy Summer. For a rare few, it may even be Hot Pursuit, the only other movie from the director of Tron. For many it’s Rob Reiner’s road trip romantic comedy The Sure Thing. After All In The Family, Reiner was keen to step behind the camera and prove himself as a filmmaker, much like his father before him. He made a little movie called This Is Spinal Tap that got him more work. For his sophomore effort, Reiner chose The Sure Thing. It’s the sensitive story of a young college freshman who hasn’t had much luck with the ladies getting a call from his buddy in college in California. He’s told to get out there over the holiday because he’s got a sure thing for Cusack. And thus the road trip begins. He’s traveling with the lovely Daphne Zuniga (Spaceballs, Melrose Place) as they encounter obstacles on their road trip and find love.
This movie is not perfect. Far from it. But it is a lot of fun. It has a genuine heart. The humor still hits in many scenes. The cast and directing are fantastic. This really set the stage for both Cusack and Reiner to become stars in their respective fields. Not to mention the other stars that show up in the film before they were famous, like Tim Robbins, Anthony Edwards and Nicolette Sheridan. Give the movie a watch. If nothing else, it should put a smile on your face.