RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
RT's Blu-ray HQ
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / The Sure Thing
The Sure Thing

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
Bookmark and Share

The Sure Thing (1985)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
88 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:26

Fresh:23

Rotten:3

Average Rating:6.8/10

Runtime: 1 hr 35 mins

Genre: Comedies

Synopsis: When free-spirited but juvenile Walter "Gib" Gibson (John Cusack) meets studious, uptight Alison Bradbury (Daphne Zuniga) at an unnamed Ivy League college, sparks fly; unfortunately, they are... When free-spirited but juvenile Walter "Gib" Gibson (John Cusack) meets studious, uptight Alison Bradbury (Daphne Zuniga) at an unnamed Ivy League college, sparks fly; unfortunately, they are mostly of the disastrous variety as all of Gib's attempts at courtship fall painfully apart. Inevitably, the duo is tossed together when they both answer the same ad for a ride to California. While Alison is traveling to reunite with her tidy law school boyfriend, Gib is on the road to meet a beautiful girl his best friend promises him is "a sure thing." Before too long, Gib and Alison's bickering inflames the driver, who promptly deposits the two with their suitcases on the side of a lonely highway thousands of miles from their destination. As the misadventures pile up, the initially contentious pair begin to take a liking to one another--but do these two dare fall in love? Rob Reiner's initial attempt at romantic comedy pays subtle homage, with gentle lyricism, to the classic screwballs of early Hollywood. The film is buoyed by the stellar performances of the two leads, Cusack (in one of his first significant roles) and Zuniga, who are reminiscent of the great studio pairings of the past. [More]

Starring: John Cusack, Daphne Zuniga, Anthony Edwards, Viveca Lindfors

Starring: John Cusack, Daphne Zuniga, Anthony Edwards, Viveca Lindfors, Nicollette Sheridan, Tim Robbins, Lisa Jane Persky

Director: Rob Reiner

Director: Rob Reiner

[See More Credits]

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Nov 24, 1998

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for The Sure Thing

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

Sweet and wonderful.

Full Review Source: Combustible Celluloid | comment Comment
05/26/06
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Jeffrey M. Anderson
Combustible Celluloid

This is a likeable film that follows all of the necessary steps to engage an audience. It may not be a sure thing, but it's at least a pretty good bet.

Full Review Source: ReelViews | comment Comment
06/09/09
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A sweet film with many laugh-out-loud moments, this is what teen comedies were like before apple pies entered the equation.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
05/24/03
Laura Bushell
Laura Bushell
Channel 4 Film

Stars John Cusack and Daphne Zuniga are no Gable and Colbert, but they make for interesting juniorfied versions

Full Review Source: Film Freak Central | comment Comment
07/29/03
Bill Chambers
Bill Chambers
Film Freak Central

Walter and Alison are closer to real teenagers, with real doubts and hesitations and uncertainties.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
10/23/04
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

One of the more "mature" teen comedies from the 80s.

Full Review Source: JoBlo's Movie Emporium | comment Comment
02/05/05
JoBlo
JoBlo
JoBlo's Movie Emporium

[A] hysterically oversold mix of comic cliches from the 30s and the 80s.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment 1 Comment
11/06/09
Dave Kehr
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A wonderful start for Cusack and Reiner.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Brad Laidman
Brad Laidman
Film Threat

Rob Reiner's new film, The Sure Thing, is glowing proof of two things: Traditional romantic comedy can be adapted to suit the teen-age trade, and Mr. Reiner's contribution to This Is Spinal Tap was more than a matter of humor.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
05/20/03
Janet Maslin
Janet Maslin
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It's a treasure, smartly written, delightfully played (you'll be able to see why Cusack quickly became a star), and scored with a half-dozen period hits...

Full Review Source: Kalamazoo Gazette | comment Comment
01/11/04
James Sanford
James Sanford
Kalamazoo Gazette

Smart, sassy and sweet. This showed John Cusack's promise as a romantic lead, and some.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
01/01/00
Adam Smith
Adam Smith
Empire Magazine

Realization may not be earth shattering, but in an era of fast food and faster sex, return to the traditional is downright refreshing.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
10/18/08
Variety Staff
Variety Staff
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A charming surprise.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
11/06/09
TV Guide's Movie Guide

There's plenty of mileage in this pairing, even if the movie isn't going anywhere unexpected.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Time Out

One of the great teen comedies of the 80s. One reason why Cusack became what he became

comment Comment
08/17/08
Clint Morris
Clint Morris
Moviehole

Like The 40-Year-Old Virgin, its sex romp overtures hide a warm and sympathetic heart.

comment Comment
12/30/02
Rob Vaux
Rob Vaux
Flipside Movie Emporium

No review available.

comment Comment
11/26/03
Michelle Alexandria
Michelle Alexandria
Eclipse Magazine

No review available.

comment Comment
08/22/03
John Esther
John Esther
Pasadena Weekly

No review available.

comment Comment
01/05/05
Lori Hoffman
Lori Hoffman
Atlantic City Weekly

No review available.

comment Comment
06/13/05
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by critic A-Z)
Text View | 1 2 >> >|
See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
44% 44% Night at the Museum: B…
32% 32% Terminator Salvation
36% 36% Angels & Demons
95% 95% Star Trek
25% 25% Four Christmases

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
88% 88% Inglourious Basterds
78% 78% The Hangover
49% 49% Taking Woodstock
26% 26% The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard
47% 47% The Girl From Monaco

More New Releases…

See All

RT On Current TV

The Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV

DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...

Learn how you can be part of the show

More...

What’s Hot On RT

Sam Worthington

Sam Worthington

A video interview with the Avatar star!

Sorcerer's Apprentice

Sorcerer's Apprentice

Throwing fireballs with Nicolas Cage!

Golden Globes

Golden Globes

Up in the Air leads with 6 noms!

RT on DVD & Blu-Ray

RT on DVD & Blu-Ray

Inglourious Basterds & The Hangover

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Trailer Bulletin: Robin Hood Source: ComingSoon.net
15
  • Mel Gibson Plans a Mexican Vacation Source: Variety
2
  • New Iron Man 2 Clue Posted Source: Screen Rant
18
  • Gibson and DiCaprio are Going Norse Source: HitFix
33
  • Lord of the Rings Coming to Blu-ray April 6 Source: Hollywood Reporter
7
  • Tobey Maguire Rumored for The Hobbit Source: Latino Review
25
  • Mila Kunis Talks Aronofsky's Black Swan Source: Collider.com
12
  • Visiting the Set of The Sorcerer's Apprentice Source: ComingSoon.net
7
  • Weekly Ketchup: James Cameron Plans a Fantastic Voyage
93
  • James Cameron Talks Avatar Sequels Source: Collider.com
8
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Tomatometer Watch: Will Avatar Live Up To The Hype?
236
  • Total Recall: Keith David's Best Movies
82
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Girlpower Rules Again with Princess at #1
69
  • Awards Tour 2009: Inglourious Basterds Lead Critics Choice Noms
42
  • The Gimmicks That Changed Cinema: Part 1
37
  • Awards Tour 2009: Avatar Best Picture at NYFCO!
34
  • Weekly Ketchup: James Cameron Plans a Fantastic Voyage
31
  • The Effects of Where the Wild Things Are
30
  • Robert Downey Jr. talks Sherlock Holmes & Iron Man 2 - RT Interview
21
  • Critics Consensus: Princess, Invictus Are Certified Fresh
21
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • Robert Downey Jr. talks Sherlock Holmes & Iron Man 2 - RT Interview
21
  • Director Ruben Fleischer Talks Zombieland
2
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
12
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
23
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
23
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
9
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • The Sure Thing at Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh Links

Featured
Best Sci-Fi This Decade
Best Sci-Fi This Decade External Link

Techland lists the best Sci-Fi films of this decade.

40 Worst Films of the 2000s
40 Worst Films of the 2000s External Link

Moviefone takes a look back at the biggest stinkers of the past 10 years.

10 Questions For Zac Efron
10 Questions For Zac Efron External Link

The Me and Orson Welles star answers reader questions on TIME.com.

Best Decade Ever!
Best Decade Ever! External Link

Hollywood.com's C. Robert Cargill offers his thoughts on what the best decade for film was.

Pee-Wee's Big Adventure
Pee-Wee's Big Adventure External Link

In the AV Club's "Scenic Routes," Mike D'Angelo reminisces about the Tim Burton film.

Promos
Follow RT on Twitter
Follow RT on Twitter External Link

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.