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John Cusack's top 10 girlfriends: What would Lloyd Dobler do?
John Cusack's "Lloyd Dobler" character in Say Anything is generally regarded as one of the top two fantasy boyfriends of the '80s. The other? "Jake Ryan" (Michael Schoeffling) from Sixteen Candles, of course. But let's turn the tables and answer this: Who was the best girlfriend for John Cusack?
Now don't go running off and say Ione Skye, also from Say Anything. She's just one of SIX prominent girlfriends that Cusack's characters had during our decade. Feel free to suggest changes to the ranking, but here's my official list.
JOHN CUSACK'S TOP 5 GIRLFRIENDS OF THE '80s:
5. DAPHNE ZUNIGA (The Sure Thing): Cusack taught her to shot-gun a beer and flash her breasts to passing motorists ("Come to mama, boys!"), but the ice princess didn't thaw until the final act. [Trailer]
4. IONE SKYE (Say Anything): Super cute, but he gave her his heart and she gave him a pen. And it's not even totally clear at the end whether she needs him or just needs somebody. Skye was similarly cold-hearted in the much-underappreciated flick The Rachel Papers. [Trailer]
3. LAURA DERN (Fat Man and Little Boy): Ah-ha. Bet you forgot this 1989 film about the Manhattan Project. Cusack plays a physicist who falls in love with Dern, before suffering an agonizing death when he mishandles radioactive material.[Scene]
2. WENDY GAZELLE (Hot Pursuit): Again, an obscure pick and a long-forgotten name. But Wendy rules as the lovesick girlfriend pining for Cusack, who is desperately trying to catch up to her during a vacation in the Caribbean.
1. DIANE FRANKLIN (Better Off Dead): She crushed Gary's heart in Last American Virgin but she was by the side of "Lane Meyer" throughout everyone's favorite '80s cult classic, teaching him skiing, the international language of love and the most important lesson of all: "If something gets in your way, turn."
Who was left off: That'd be Demi Moore from 1986's One Crazy Summer. Sorry, gang, but the only movie where Demi is a decent girlfriend is About Last Night.
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Relive the '80s music, movies and culture with Tampa Bay Times entertainment news editor Steve Spears. A teen during the greatest decade ever, Steve is obsessed with everything from Duran Duran to Journey, John Hughes to John Cusack, and parachute pants to Reaganomics.
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