Grosse Pointe Blank Movie Review
Grosse Pointe Blank Review
"Grosse Pointe Blank" Overview
Rating: R
1997
Cast and Crew
Director : George ArmitageProducer : Susan Arnold,Donna Arkoff Roth,Roger Birnbaum
Screenwiter : Tom Jankiewicz,D.V. DeVincentis,Steve Pink,John Cusack
Starring : John Cusack,Minnie Driver,Alan Arkin,Joan Cusack,Dan Aykroyd
John Cusack returns to film after a string of disappointments (City Hall, Money
For Nothing) with... yet another disappointment! Grosse Pointe Blank is full
of possibilities (a great hook, a sharp cast, and a wry cynicism that is
shamefully lacking from film these days) but comes up short on all sides. As
Martin Blank, Cusack had the chance to portray a hitman coming to terms with
his own mortality on the eve of his high school reunion. And while he performs
with characteristic charm and sly sarcasm, as do his compatriots (including
Joan Cusack, Jeremy Piven, and the object of his affection Minnie Driver), it's
the blown opportunities for hit-it-home funniness that really make the whole
experience somewhat lackluster. Apart from that, Grosse Pointe Blank is really
a poorly made movie on a technical level. Editing, cinematography, and
continuity are all just plain bad, and together they give the impression of an
amateurish rush job, despite the fact that the film is already dated (taking
place in 1996). Let's hope Romy and Michele have more to offer next week....
In a crucial scene, Cusack chews off his own hand.
Reviewer: Christopher Null
