After a hiatus of weeks, I'm back with scouring the library for more John Cusack movies. Hot Pursuit is one of his earliest movies, even earlier than the previously reviewed Say Anything. Here, he plays a teenager whose Chemistry exam stands in the way of spending a Caribbean holiday with his girlfriend and her family.However, his professor turns a blind eye to his flunking of the exam and the need for remedial lessons, and Cusack has to pursue his girl and her family as they had already set off without him. It's a decent comedy as he gets into situations like missing planes, spending the night with ganja-smoking Caribbeans, getting entangled with a pirate of sorts, and so on. And it all boils down to his ability to be able to save his girl and her family when they become victims of some thugs who take over their yacht.Fans of Ben Stiller would also want to watch this for one of Stiller's early performances on screen, and a villain at that. He doesn't have much lines, and neither are they funny though.Like most teen romance comedies of the 80s, it's pretty predictable stuff, and plays like a teenage boy's fantasy of how a holiday could probably turn out, and becoming the hero who saves the day. Suitable for those boring weekends which you want to waste away.Barebones Code 1 DVD containing no extras.

This is the movie that made me fell for John Cusack's acting. He has so much energy, so much presence in this movie, it's impossible not to like his character! Robert Loggia was also very good and the chemistry between the two makes the movie worthwhile on its own.This is an excellent action comedy: It's light, funny and enjoyable. A little comedy from the 80's, with no pretension whatsoever other then to entertain you and make you laugh… Unfortunately, the end is not that great. Those were the times when the good guy had to defeat all of its enemies within the last 10 minutes of the film. Nevertheless, the movie is entertaining and deserves to be seen.

Hot Pursuit is a mildly funny comedy which is likely to draw interest from audiences searching for John Cusak movies. Dan Bartlett (Cusak) is supposed to go on vacation with his girlfriend. Lori Cronenberg. to the Islands. But, he has to bail at the last minute after flunking his Chemistry exam and his girlfriend leaves without him. A generous Chemistry teacher helps him out though, and Danny is once again able to go. But, what a surprise (not), he misses his flight and opportunity to join Lori and her family for a vacation on the beaces. Thus begins one misfortune after another as Danny spends his vacation moving from one place to the next to reach his girlfriend. Each time, something stops him from getting where he has to go. The plot is predictable (the procedure), though sometimes what the situation brings is not (the substance). But Danny is persistent, even if growing ever more tired of all the ungodly obstacles that seem to pop up just as he arrives.Meanwhile, the boat that Lori and her family is traveling on along the coast is being navigated by a murderer, who eventually gets the Cronerbergs involved in his plot. Danny not only must reach his girlfriend, but save the Cronerbergs from the madmen before it's too late, delivering an ending which at times wavers from being too over the top (Danny's plan of escape involves nothing more than a jeep ride and some grenades). Sometimes, the climax doesn't seem enough (the explosions of the grenades look like someone threw a sandbag at a tree). I think John Cusak fans will nonetheless enjoy the movie as he delivers typtical and youthful Cusak insanity present in his early films, even the ones with the most stupid plots. Even so, there are some funny moments in the movie from other characters, especially Kieth David as one of the Jamacians who gives Danny a lift. And Robert Loggia as Mac, who commands the boat that Danny hithces on.

This is my favorite John Cusak movie of all time. Although he has been in many more ambitious projects and tried a multitude of roles, Hot Pursuit places him pat where he plays best, the hapless but spirited underdog whose love for anupper-class girlfriend forces him to undergo a "trial by fire" where he finally discovers what he's made of. (Okay, upon reflection that could be a summary for half his movies. Still I say this was better than "The Sure Thing" or "Say Anything".) It is unpretentious, the dialogue is by now ways "Mammat" in sophistication, but it delivers its point and gives the audience an enjoyable journey in themeantime.