Film

What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases

Search cinema listings

Browse cinemas A-Z

Search 20,000 reviews

 

Grosse Pointe Blank (1997)

Director: George Armitage

Average user rating
1 review

Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

Contract killer Martin Blank (John Cusack) finds himself going home to Grosse Pointe, Detroit, for his high school reunion weekend. His shrink (Arkin) thinks it might help with his spiritual crisis. So does his secretary (Joan Cusack). And besides, there's a job in town. More to the point, maybe Debi (Driver) is ready to forgive him, ten years after he stood her up on prom night. Coming on the heels of Swingers and Palookaville, this hip black comedy is another droll study in the neuroses of the modern American male. As his name suggests, Blank is a void - his life has no meaning - but he thinks he's smart enough to get back on track, to buck those twin truisms: you can't go home again, and there are no second acts in American lives. Cusack is an engaging, lively actor with a keen sense of irony, and those qualities are much in evidence here. Director Armitage doesn't quite get the edge he brought to Miami Blues, but for what is essentially a one-joke movie, this has an awful lot going for it; not least the persuasive notion that psychiatrists all over America are being terrorised by angst-ridden hitmen intent on liberating their inner selves.

Author: TCh 0000-00-00 00:00:00

Time Out Film Guide


  • Print this page
  • Send to a friend

User reviews of this film

  • lee said...
    Posted on Sep 28 2008 09:41 A self indulgent load of twaddle. dan ackroyd completely wasted, what is this film supposed to be? if a comedy then it kind of loses it's way with the fountain pen in the neck bit (already done in Casino) The characters are all one dimensional, his old school buddy, his cooky secretary, his shrink whilst Minnie Driver is just plain irritating. a one joke movie that's stretched beyond breaking point.
    Report as inappropriate

What do you think?
Post your review now

clear rating
Min 1 star. Zero stars will be treated as unrated.

*mandatory fields





Top Stories

Time Out's 101 Films of the Decade

Time Out's 101 Films of the Decade

Ten years, thousands of movies and millions of dollars in international box office, and it all boils down to this

Martin Provost discusses 'Séraphine'

Martin Provost discusses 'Séraphine'

Trevor Johnston talks to the director of 'Séraphine' about bringing a little known French painter back to life

Our verdict on Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones

Our verdict on Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones

Peter Jackson ends a triumphant decade with a sentimental misfire with this lush Alice Sebold adaptation

On the set of Ken Loach's 'Route Irish'

On the set of Ken Loach's 'Route Irish'

Dave Calhoun meets Ken Loach on the set of his forthcoming Iraq war movie

Stephen Poliakoff discusses 'Glorious 39'

Stephen Poliakoff discusses 'Glorious 39'

Stephen Poliakoff’s ‘Glorious 39’ is his first film for cinema since ‘Food of Love’ in 1997. Dave Calhoun met him

Is 'Paranormal Activity' the new 'Blair Witch'?

Is 'Paranormal Activity' the new 'Blair Witch'?

How does a film go from DIY experiment to box-office smash? 'Paranormal Activity' director Oren Peli explains

Steven Soderbergh on 'The Informant!' and 'The Girlfriend Experience'

Steven Soderbergh on 'The Informant!' and 'The Girlfriend Experience'

We talk to Steven Soderbergh about his two forthcoming films: one featuring a porn star, the other a chubby Matt Damon

A gateway to all things 'New Moon'

A gateway to all things 'New Moon'

In anticipation of 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon', Time Out is offering the chance to pick up a limited edition pack with three exclusive magazines and a free poster.

The films that deserve a TV spin-off

The films that deserve a TV spin-off

With Roland Emmerich suggesting he'd like to make a '2012' TV spin-off, we propose some more movie-to-TV serialisations

Time Out's 50 greatest animated films with commentary by Terry Gilliam

Time Out's 50 greatest animated films with commentary by Terry Gilliam

In celebration of the release of Pixar's 'Up' and Wes Anderson's 'Fantastic Mr Fox', read our rundown of fifty classic feature length animations