Grosse Pointe Blank

release year: 1997
genre: dark comedy
viewing setting: home DVD, 10/25/04 and 6/22/01 and theater 4/18/97

synopsis: A hitman mixes business with pleasure when he takes a job at the same time and place as his ten-year high school reunion.

impressions: I was pleasantly surprised - this movie was funny and violent! It's also a common fantasy: coming back as something much superior to what you were when you left. It's an indirectly funny movie, containing a lot of off-the-cuff quips and one-liners e.g. Cusack ragging on former classmates who are still living 10 years in the past. There's also a redemption/starting-over theme going on here. The point is, it's entertaining, yet not sappy - which I really, really like.

things to watch for: The gunfight in the mansion at the end.

something this movie has that no other movie has: Dan Ackroyd as a trigger-happy assassin.

acting: John Cusack seldom disappoints, and this was a fine role for him. His facial expressions and pithy comments were perfect for this role. Minnie Driver, as his old girlfriend, does a good job too, plus she was actually attractive here, which is saying a lot since I don't find her attractive. Dan Ackroyd was great as a joke-spouting, gun-firing senior hitman.

final word: A winner. If you enjoy your comedies with a bit of seriousness thrown in, you'll like this one.

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