Grosse Pointe Blank
A Hollywood Pictures Production
Starring: John Cusack, Minnie Driver, Dan Aykroyd, Alan Arkin, Joan Cusack, Hank Azaria, K. Todd Freeman, Mitchell Ryan
Category: Comedy
Rating: R
Released: 1997
Available for rental.
"Don't kill anybody for a few days...see what it feels like."
"Okay, I'll give it a shot."
"No, no! Don't give it a shot - don't shoot anything!"
Grosse Pointe Blank is as unlikely as it is matter-of-fact. It's a collection of contrasts, and different realities. The main character explains his ten-year hiatus three times to a friend and the guy just doesn't get it. What's not to get? He freaked out, enlisted, opened his own business, kills people for a living! What?!? ...Don't try to make sense out of it - it's doubtful you'll be able to. Besides, it's a comedy!
Could anyone look more Irish than John Cusack? He is Martin Blank, a professional hitman with a decade-old crush. Martin tells everyone who asks exactly what he does - and seems continually amazed that no one believes his "I'm a hired killer" answer. In addition to a freakish vulnerability, Cusack plays Martin with comic overtones reminiscent of Bill Murray and lines like a Dennis Miller show.
Driver plays his high school sweetheart Debi. Martin stood her up on prom night, and now she's the town's wittiest DJ. Driver (An Ideal Husband) is without doubt one of her generation's best acting talents. She delivers each line (in American accent, no less) with an appropriate mix of bitterness and hope.
Joan Cusack plays Blank's secretary, who blithely switches between a foul-mouth when demanding delivery of 9 millimeter rounds to motherly exasperation when straightening out a recipe at home. Arkin plays Dr. Oatman, Martin's unwilling psychiatrist. Oatman is torn between doing his legal duty in turning in this certain criminal and helping Martin out of sheer terror. Martin assures Oatman that he won't kill him in one breath, and with the next asks for the doc's address. Ackroyd is Mr. Grocer, Martin's competition who also wants him to join a new hitman "union" - to Martin's disgust and constant refusal.
This film is rated R for violence, adult themes, language, and drug use, balanced by a prevailing "Just Say No" attitude. Grosse Pointe Blank is an intelligent adult comedy. Despite the overwhelming contrasts in situation and character, there aren't shades of gray. Things are still right/wrong black/white, but there is a lot of skirting - so to speak. And did I mention the high school reunion?
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Copyright 1999 by Kathe
