Okay, see, in a perfect world, I am Diane Lane's character, and that is my dog, and that there perfect man on the right is my boyfriend. Although I would definitely change the goofy pose, because I don't think I've ever rested my head on my hand quite as daintily as that, while shooting a sly smirk quite like that one at any guy I've dated. I just saw this movie finally, tonight, and I loved it. John Cusack is my favorite real/fictional man, ever. It did require great suspension of disbelief, because what would this man (not to mention anyone who looks like Diane Lane. Girl, please.) be doing on thewordthatrhymeswithbiznatch.com? It just wouldn't happen. If he were single, and he may well be, there would be a line to his door. He would in no way have to resort to posting that lone picture of himself on that random trip to the Grand Canyon on some lameass website, claiming he's an "outdoorsy type". Seriously, every man on that site is photographed in front of some massive rock outcropping, which is a total lie, because if they were all outside hiking on the weekend as they say they are, beer sales would plummet, and Electronics Boutique would have to shut its doors.
The man who played Lloyd Dobler would not have to play like that.
And please don't remind me that I don't know this man, and have no idea of his true character. Please allow me to cling feebly to one of my few remaining bedrocks. Thanks.
It is quite simply all Lloyd Dobler's fault. I've seen "Say Anything" more times than I can count, and when it came out in 1989, it changed the lives of thousands of young girls and grown women. Lloyd is the common denominator - no matter where I've gone in life, several times a year I meet a woman who volunteers the information that he was the quintessential "perfect guy", captured on film. And most of the time, when they mention the movie, they say something like, "Yeah, when he's outside her room with the radio, and "In Your Eyes" is playing. Wow..." And then they say, "He kinda ruined me for other guys." There's even a band in the DC area called The Lloyd Dobler Effect. I've still yet to hear their music, but the name is genius.
I own this shot in a huge poster and still have it in my room, and I don't care if people think it's childish. And not only did he play the perfect teenaged guy, sixteen years later he's playing the guy that many jaded, thirtysomething women would love to run into at the dog park. "Say Anything" was a far, far superior film to "Must Love Dogs", but he plays a neurotic, intelligent, affectionate adult man in much the same key as he played a neurotic, intelligent, affectionate teenager. It's comforting, and was the perfect escape for a Sunday night. I think I'll watch "High Fidelity" tomorrow. Or, I could just go to Chicago where he lives and roam around for a while, and see if fate intervenes - find out if it's all a sham, if Lloyd Dobler, cinematic creation, was truly as good as it got. I love Chicago. It wouldn't be so painful. For this man, I'd just wear extra scarves when it's 20 below 0.
It appears that reality has been a little taxing lately. It's fun to dream a little.
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