1. SAY ANYTHING

If ever there was a definitive John Cusack performance. All his tricks are here. Introspection in monologue format, frustration at the status quo or situation, and that revelation moment, which usually involes shouting. This was the movie that typecast him in this kind of role, because he was so damn good at it.

2. ONE CRAZY SUMMER

I grew up on this one, and think of it in every Cusack film I watch. I expected John Malkovich to talk about some fat kid he used to beat the shit out of. Nick Cage collects mortar shells out on the range. Orson Welles has a crazy uncle trying to win a million dollar radio contest. It can actually get quite confusing sometimes.

3. THE SURE THING

A fine, funny little film, it is the first pairing of Cusack and TIm Robbins. They later did "Tapeheads," "The Player," "Bob Roberts," "High Fidelity," and "Cradle Will Rock." They also smoke pot in each other's basement and play Tekken 2 all day.

4. GROSSE POINTE BLANK

Hilarious dark comedy, that also proves Cusack's writing chops. It balances the humor and seriousness of violence nicely.

5. THE GRIFTERS

A very cool movie that helped break him out of the brat pack roles. He also demonstrated that his easygoing demeanor could be more of a threat than we had considered.

1. SAY ANYTHING

Call me a little bitch (everyone else does), but this movie hits me right in the soft spot. Cameron Crowe put together a really special film, however, without Cusack's honest, natural performance as Everyman Lloyd Dobler the story just wouldn't have held together.

2. BULLETS OVER BROADWAY

Woody Allen has had a very successful career. Personally, I find him creepy and delusional. I also only like maybe two of his films. This is my favorite. It also made me understand why I don't like the rest of Allen's filmography. In every script he writes, Allen fashions the, usually romantic, lead after some hieghtened idea of himself. So the situations he puts himself into seem, well, creepy and delusional. Does anyone want to see Allen wooing Julia Roberts or Helena Bonham-Carter? No, they don't. In this Oscar winning film, it seems Allen had a moment of clarity and cast the infinately more appealing and talented John Cusack in the Allen role. Without the whole creepy and delusional aspect, Allen emerges as a damn fine writer/director. John Cusack rules the day.

3. BETTER OFF DEAD

The better of Cusack's two team-ups with director Savage Steve Holland. Everyone has felt the way John did in this movie, we can only wish we were so damn funny doing it.

4. ONE CRAZY SUMMER

The lesser of Cusack's two Savage Steve Holland movies (not by much, as you can see). I can't remember the first time I saw this movie, all I know is that was a really long time ago. Demi Moore was just some hot nobody and John Cusack cemented his legacy as the ultimate underdog hero.

5. CRADLE WILL ROCK

The quinessential Everyman playing a Rockerfeller? He was perfect. Anytime we do a Top Five List for an actor in this overlooked masterpiece you should expect to see it included.

1. HIGH FIDELITY

Reteaming with "Grifters" director Stephen Frears, and "Grosse Pointe" co-scribes Steve Pink and D.V. DeVincentis, Cusack brings his brooding, slightly self-righteous, but altogether likeable Everyman character to fruition in this letter-perfect adaptation of Nick Hornby's emotionally hyper-accurate novel.

2. GROSSE POINTE BLANK

Here Cusack plays another brooding Everyman, this time coupled with neuroses and questionable morals as a hitman with a life and career crisis. A brilliant spin on the hitman subgenre, with an excellent supporting cast.

3. BETTER OFF DEAD

In this Savage Steve Holland comedy, Cusack showed himself to be a breed apart from his Brat Pack contemporaries, making light of post-breakup suicide.

4. CON AIR

Okay, I know he's been in some really respectable stuff (Eight Men Out, Being John Malkovich, etc.), but I just had to put this one in here because a Jerry Bruckheimer actioner in the midst of such a distinguished career is cause for celebration. Unless we're talking about Nicolas Cage. Or Jon Voight. Or Delroy Lindo.

5. EIGHT MEN OUT

Playing Chicago Black Sock Buck Weaver, Cusack shows considerable charm and sincerity in one of his first straight dramatic roles.