Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageGrosse Pointe Blank (1997)
Director: George Armitage
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
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
Cast & crew
Director: George Armitage
Producer: Susan Arnold, Donna Roth, Roger Birnbaum
Cast: John Cusack, Minnie Driver, Alan Arkin, Dan Aykroyd, Joan Cusack, Jeremy Piven, Hank Azaria, Barbara Harris full cast
Genre(s): Comedy
Duration: 107 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Hippies who work for The Man
To celebrate George Clooney comedy 'The Men who Stare at Goats', we look back at six memorable onscreen hippies who fought the system from within
Roland Emmerich's guide to disaster movies
Ahead of the release of '2012', Roland Emmerich offers his ten tips on creating the perfect global catastrophe
Grant Heslov: interview
Grant Heslov, director of 'The Men who Stare at Goats' talks about his old pal George Clooney, his interest in the paranormal, and his fond memories of working on 'Happy Days'
The Coen brothers discuss 'A Serious Man'
Masters of contrary comedy, Joel and Ethan Coen have struck gold again with their latest, ‘A Serious Man’
Ten inspirations behind 'Avatar'?
Time Out ponders the influences behind James Cameron's anticipated space-opera on the basis of the trailer
Michael Jackson's This Is It: review
Kenny Ortega's posthumous concert film is a rousing eulogy for one of pop's great enigmas
Michael Haneke: The man behind the menace
From Cannes to Munich to London, Dave Calhoun tours Michael Haneke's Palme d'Or winner, 'The White Ribbon'
Lone Scherfig talks 'An Education'
Danish director Lone Scherfig was an unlikely choice for a very English affair like 'An Education'. Cath Clarke meets her
How Jane Campion brought John Keats back to life
Time Out gets Romantic with the ‘difficult’ New Zealander about her new film, 'Bright Star'
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
What do you think?
Post your review now