Eight Men Out (1988)

Tagline: The inside story of how the national pasttime became a national scandal.

Cusack Plays: George 'Buck' Weaver, Chicago White Sox player, part of the 1919 team who threw the World Series.

Family Connections: Dad Dick plays Judge Friend

Ah goody a sports film. And a sport in which, I, as a Brit do not have much of an affinity with. It's a like a mixture of cricket and rounders, right?

Apparently this team was one of the greatest ever, and it came as a surprise when they lost the World Series that year. Reason being - they threw the games for money, as the team owner was a total tight-ass who didn't financially reward them for their great achievements. The film follows the story from the scheme being organised, through all the games and suspicions and to the trial which followed.

Cusack plays a character who is sort of in on it, but who doesn't play badly and protests his innocence to the end. What a good guy.

Most of the lingo went over my head, but as I didn't know the outcome of the story I was kept reasonably interested throughout. Not bad.

Tapeheads (1988)

Tagline: Let's get into trouble, Baby!
Cusack plays: Ivan Alexeev, one half of fledgling video production company Video Aces

If you were alive in the 1980s this has some fun retro value. If you weren't, then this probably is fairly baffling. At least a smidge of knowledge of the pop culture of the period is advised - Menudo anyone?

Cusack and Robbins are childhood friends struggling to find their path in life, working nights as security guards. But Robbins is a creative sort and Cusack's moustachioed Ivan sees a business opportunity for them to go into music video production. What follows includes carnage, death, and blackmail - all captured on videotapes. Ah glorious chunky VHS - DVDheads doesn't have quite the same ring to it....

An opportunity for Cusack to play the zany role to Robbins' straight man, I found this an ok film, but repeat viewings are unlikely for a while. Also the second (first being the dancing burger in Better Off Dead) Cusack film to feature dancing food as some fried chicken comes to life. The sobriety test scene is awesome and must have required some rehearsal.