Say Anything

What interests me about this film is that it is (almost) waaaay ahead of it's time in terms of values and the way women are treated. There's a scene where a couple walk past the main characters and she repeatedly tells the boy to leave her alone and he repeatedly fails to do so. While this is in stark contrast to the way that the central couple communicate - in the film no one steps in - which I can't immagine happening today. Nevertheless it's a good teachable moment. The film is as much the girl's story as the boy's and they are excellent role models both. The story is deeply romantic and online some have commented that love like that doesn't exist. It did for me - but only because I learned to walk away from the jerks who didn't treat me with the kind of respect that is modelled here. Yes, they do have sex - yes there is drinking - but if you watch it with your kids then you can manage these issues. They have sex, but it's not shown and its in the context of a profoundly loving and respectful relationship, which is, in my opinion, a better version of reality than never showing anything at all. I'd say that girls and boys of ten and up with benefit greatly from holding the behaviours portrayed as a gold standard.