Critic's Grade: A-

In a long line of coming-of-age comedies that have come before and after it, Rob Reiner's "The Sure Thing" stands out as one of the best there is. Sweet-natured without being overly saccharine, and full of warm, inviting characters who are real without feeling forced or over-acted, the story crosses the paths of college students Walter (John Cusack), a free-wheeling soul headed to California to score with a "sure thing" girl, and Alison (Daphne Zuniga), a conserved, uptight preppie also on her way out west to see her equally stuffy boyfriend. By chance, they end up sharing a ride together, their collective differences soon proving too much for their traveling companions (look for a hilarious Tim Robbins here), who dump them in the middle of nowhere. With no money and seemingly no hope of carrying out their plans, the duo desperately try to salvage their trip, hitching rides with leacherous truckers and realizing that there may be something more between them than either of them wants to admit.

A gem in the midst of an endless string of 80's teen movies starring Molly "Pretty in Pink" Ringwald, this is a movie that is as brisk and undemanding as a cup of chocolate milk. Many of us have been in these characters' shoes, be it Walter for his likeable timidity, or Alison for her sudden change of heart as she realizes the pleasures of life she's been missing. Director Rob Reiner helms the project with a sensitive eye for the ups and downs of this period of life, while his two main players, Cusack and Zuniga, share a wonderful, offbeat chemistry that only enhances the two very different natures of their characters.

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