The Sure Thing (1985): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
The Sure Thing is a 1985 comedy drama starring John Cusack and Daphne Zuniga. It runs 1 hour 40 minutes and earned $18.1 million worldwide. It earned 1 award nomination, including Best Special Effects at the Saturn Awards 1983. Critics gave it 76 on Metacritic.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 40m (100 min)
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Embassy Pictures
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Sure Thing About?
The premise of The Sure Thing without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A college freshman embarks on a cross-country road trip after hearing about a young woman seeking a romantic encounter. Accompanying him is a more reserved student, and as they travel, Gib faces unexpected challenges and humorous situations. The journey unexpectedly blossoms into a comedic exploration of love, rejection, and the complexities of self-discovery as he finds himself falling for his travel companion.
The Sure Thing Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- road trip
- cross country
- hitchhiking
- one night stand
- sex in college dorm room
- bikini
- california
- on the road
- attempted rape
- party
- dream
- driver
+38 more Show fewer
- university
- car
- vehicle
- infatuation
- swimsuit
- swimming
- sunglasses
- heterosexual
- heterosexuality
- passenger
- crush
- beach
- walking on a beach
- waves
- rock
- suntan
- suntan lotion
- applying body lotion
- walking barefoot on a beach
- leather jacket
- speech
- pick up line
- garden
- barbecue
- tutoring
- english class
- walking on roof
- gargling
- dorm
- dorm room
- dormitory
- college dormitory
- blackboard
- garde
- mark
- grading
- telephone
- telephone call
The Sure Thing Cast
John Cusack leads the cast, with Daphne Zuniga.
The Sure Thing Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave The Sure Thing 76 on Metacritic.
-
Metacritic 76 Metascore
User score 8.1
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 65% User score
See on TMDB
The Sure Thing Plot Summary
What happens in The Sure Thing from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
High school senior Walter Gibson and his best friend Lance are in high spirits as they prepare to embark on their college journeys. However, Walter is consumed by the realization that he has forgotten how to interact with women. As Lance heads off to UCLA, Walter transitions to a college in New England. Despite their efforts to maintain their friendship through letters, Walter’s romantic luck continues to plummet. In an ill-fated attempt to attract the attention of the ambitious and introspective Alison Bradbury, he devises a plan to trick her into tutoring him. Unfortunately, this only serves to frustrate and distance her further.
Full summary
The whole story of The Sure Thing, scene by scene
The Sure Thing Box Office
The Sure Thing grossed $18.1 million worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$18.1M
- US & Canada
- $18.1M
The Sure Thing Awards & Nominations
The Sure Thing earned 1 award nomination, including Best Special Effects at the Saturn Awards 1983.
1 nomination1 ceremony
-
Saturn Awards 1983 1 nomination- Nominated Best Special Effects
The Sure Thing Trailers & Videos
The trailer of The Sure Thing.
How Well Do You Know The Sure Thing?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What is Walter Gibson struggling with as he transitions from high school?
Cars in The Sure Thing
17 cars on screen, including the 1977 Chevrolet K-10 and the International Harvester Transtar 4300.
-
1977 Chevrolet K-10 Important role -
International Harvester Transtar 4300 Important role -
1967 Volvo 122 S Station Wagon Important role -
1978 Chevrolet Camaro Minor role
Seen The Sure Thing?
Movies Like The Sure Thing
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Road Trip, Crossroads and Road Trip Romance.
The Sure Thing FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of The Sure Thing, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Sure Thing?
The Sure Thing runs 1 hour 40 minutes (100 minutes).
When was The Sure Thing released?
The Sure Thing was released on March 1, 1985.
Who is in the cast of The Sure Thing?
The Sure Thing stars John Cusack and Daphne Zuniga.
How much did The Sure Thing make at the box office?
The Sure Thing grossed $18.1 million worldwide.
How is The Sure Thing rated?
The Sure Thing has 76 on Metacritic and 65% on TMDB.
Was The Sure Thing nominated for any awards?
The Sure Thing received 1 nomination across 1 ceremony.
Does The Sure Thing have a post-credit scene?
No. The Sure Thing has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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