May 21, 2012

Being John Cusack

by Mallory Potosky | Published May 22, 2008

Though he had previously had minor parts in everything from Sixteen Candles to Broadcast News, John Cusack first made an impression on audiences in Cameron Crowe’s 1989 teen drama Say Anything.

Like older sister Joan, he’s been in this business for more than 25 years and has damn near done it all—from playing the love interest in films like America’s Sweethearts, Serendipity and Must Love Dogs to the innocent victim of hauntings in Identity and 1408. Behind the scenes he has even taken on the role of writer and producer for some of his most memorable movies.

Cusack’s last film, Martian Child, didn’t fare so well with audiences—or critics—but this week he’s getting back to business, starring in War, Inc., which he also co-wrote and produced. Before you head out to see the film in limited release, spend some time revisiting Cusack’s movie career with MM.

Say Anything (1989)
As Lloyd Dobler, women found Cusack a romantic ideal, while guys found a new bar set very high. First-time director Cameron Crowe distilled a simultaneous combination of vulnerability and confidence from Cusack’s performance. TimeOut said the actor’s “quiet integrity and oddball personality tap the charm of a jive-talking Jimmy Stewart.”