Ten years out of high school, do you still harp on moments lost and opportunities missed? If you answered yes to that question, then perhaps you'll enjoy
Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) more than I did. I sure hope not, though, because that's awfully sad.
 |
| Screenshot from trailer || My face at this movie |
The premise of the film is that Martin (John Cusack), an assassin for-hire, has to go back to his home town to kill a man and attend his high school reunion. There he re-encounters his ex-girlfriend, Debi (Minnie Driver), the lost love of his life who he wishes to reconnect with after leaving her on prom night ten years ago and never seeing her again.
This movie sucks, and here are some reasons why:
- It is boring as hell and nearly two hours long.
- There is next to no character or plot development and I am left with countless questions. Why exactly did Martin leave Debi? Why doesn't he have an oft-used cover-up profession for when people ask? Has he not dated since high school? Has she not dated since high school? Did he even graduate high school? How come we didn't have any prior hints that the other hit men were after Debi's father? Why were they after him exactly? Why is Debi still in this small town, despite having the money to easily leave? Also, Debi's character seems to change with every scene.
 |
| Screenshot from trailer |
- The camera work is consistently awful. The framing is unprofessional, and canted angles are used annoyingly.
- Martin's secretary (Joan Cusack) has a role that is out of sync with the rest of the film. She seems irrelevant, but she cares a lot. Why does she care so much about Martin going back home? Wait, why does Martin keep messing up so much at his job, leading him to Detroit, right near his hometown, in the first place? Obviously, the questions never stop.
- The therapist is an unnecessary addition. I see where the humor is supposed to come from, but it falls flat and is carried on for too long with no payoff.
 |
| Screenshot from trailer |
- I am so confused about who is trying to kill who and why.
- The reunion seems secondary, yet is talked about greatly throughout the film. A man dies there, and nobody seems to really care, and nobody reports this to the police.
Overall, the film left me with near constant confusion. It was poorly written, poorly acted, and poorly filmed. It sucked. But if you're still interested,
you can watch the trailer here.
I think I can answer most of the questions you have, but I may not have seen this film in 20+ years. Also, not going to type it all out until verifying I can get it to post, so this is going to be a test post.
ReplyDeleteQ: Why exactly did Martin leave Debi?
ReplyDeleteA: "I really wanted to kill someone, so I figured it was best to leave."
Debi asks this question, and Martin answers. His father's abuse is alluded to, as is the unresolved anger in Martin's soul. Loving Debi, Martin doesn't want to risk physically hurting her, and leaves. Joining the Army allows Martin to channel his rage in a useful new career, and at some point the CIA recruits him, no doubt teaching him the finer points of assassination. Eventually Martin begins seeing a therapist (against the doctor's will) and begins to heal from his traumatic youth.
Q: Why doesn't he have an oft-used cover-up profession for when people ask?
ReplyDeleteA: 1) Bc it's really not important, 2) deadpan comedy, 3) no one takes it seriously when you tell them you're a professional killer.
As a common question, it's easily deflected, and a common answer is "I'm in sales" (explains the travel) and then you change the subject by griping that you really don't feel like talking about work.
Q: Has he not dated since high school?
ReplyDeleteA: Probably not, if you figure a 3 year Army enlistment, a few years training amd working for the CIA, then a few more as a private contractor. 10 years goes by FAST.
Martin *started* by realizing he was a danger to someone he cared for.
He DID NOT WANT to perpetuate the cycle of violence that raised him.
He AVOIDED romantic involvement and then got a therapist.
Q: Has she not dated since high school?
ReplyDeleteA: Maybe, maybe not. She still lives with her aging father, which could be something temporary after a divorce or breakup, or she has been career oriented, possibly having unresolved issues of abandonment after Martin's sudden disappearance. She definitely asks him about things.
Q: Did he even graduate high school?
ReplyDeleteA: Possibly not, I don't think the Army requires a diploma as long as you're 18+, though if you had enough credits/good grades, your recruiter may have been able to negotiate this with your school, AS LONG AS you get it BEFORE you sign your enlistment contract. You have the most ability to negotiate your MOS (military job) and other things like schools (you want Airborne? Get it in the contract! Then don't get hurt, or you'll lose it!) BEFORE you sign. You need to have a plan for what YOU want from the military AND HOW TO GET IT bc you are literally selling your soul.
You have the one contract to negotiate, think it through, seek competent advice from someone who isn't recruiting you.
(If you think I'm joking about the soul bit, ask yourself why the veteran suicide rate is 22/day...)
Back to the diploma: Not necessary for the special recruitment track to CIA wetwork, OR to start your own PMC and go into private practice, but always better to have it.
Q: How come we didn't have any prior hints that the other hit men were after Debi's father?
ReplyDeleteA: 1) They aren't the focus of the story. 2) The client was talking about using another vendor.
Q: Why were they after him exactly?
A: He's a witness with critical testimony, sounded corporate.
Q: Why is Debi still in this small town, despite having the money to easily leave? Also, Debi's character seems to change with every scene.
ReplyDeleteA: Maybe she has left, and returned, we don't know. It's possible her dad asked her to come home bc he foresaw going into witness relocation and she was the only family he had.
Q: Martin's secretary (Joan Cusack) has a role that is out of sync with the rest of the film. She seems irrelevant, but she cares a lot. Why does she care so much about Martin going back home?
ReplyDeleteA: Joan is John's IRL sister, and this could imply a sibling for plot purposes. Successful covert operations ABSOLUTELY REQUIRE competent and trustworthy support staff, and if you have a sibling you trust (from a long history of surviving abuse together/codependance) this is probably your best bet for a partner that won't sell you out.
Q: The therapist is an unnecessary addition. I see where the humor is supposed to come from, but it falls flat and is carried on for too long with no payoff.
ReplyDeleteA: Incorrect, the therapist is vital to understanding Martin's ongoing character development, and an active agent in same. He's also a reminder that even a tough-guy professional killer could probably use some therapy to help him get his mind right to reach his happily-ever-after, and that maybe the rest of us could, too.
(Looking REAL DAMN HARD at you, fellow vetetans.)
But seriously, doesn't EVERYONE YOU KNOW need therapy?
Why would YOU be an exception?
GET HELP.
Q: I am so confused about who is trying to kill who and why.
ReplyDeleteA: *** PLOT SPOILERS ***
(yeah, probably too late for that, but my intent below is to break this down Barney-style)
Debi's dad is a witness in some big case, and if he's dead, the case falls apart.
Dan Akroyd is trying to start a union for professional killers, and unions don't have much clout without solidarity.
Martin wants to remain an independant contractor, or maybe get out of the business entirely.
So Martin is hired to kill Dad, but the client is getting nervous and offers Dan & Associates the opportunity to get the job done and take the pay, bringing in the rogues gallery of baddies trying to kill Martin AND Dad. Martin recognizes baddies and this allows him to survive.
Q: The reunion seems secondary, yet is talked about greatly throughout the film. A man dies there, and nobody seems to really care, and nobody reports this to the police.
ReplyDeleteA: The Reunion is part of the setting, so it's a background event that is critical to the story and the entire context of events. The guy that dies there isn't actually known to anyone but Martin, and nobody knows he was killed but Martin and his friend. Loud music and alcohol cover gunshots reasonably well. If the reunion was on Saturday night, the body wouldn't likely be discovered until Monday morning, assuming there were classes and someone opened that unassigned locker (there was no lock on it).
Only once the body was discovered would police be notified.
Q: Overall, the film left me with near constant confusion. It was poorly written, poorly acted, and poorly filmed. It sucked.
ReplyDeleteA: I would disagree with all of that, except the filming, bc I don't know anything about filming. I can understand the confusion, as, like Debi, I don't think you have much background knowledge relating to Martin.
As someone who had that knowledge as a 19y/o seeing this film in the theatre with my gf, we understood the chain of events, found it well written, superbly acted, and very enjoyable.
It should be noted that we were both consistently exposed to violence as we grew up, and both ended up in the military as adults.
I'm guessing you were exposed to this film by a friend/bf or randomly, and wrote this blog to exercise the demons of confusion it left you with.
War, Inc. could well be the sequel.
Also watch Ronin with Robert Deniro, similar release year, excellent cloak & dagger spycraft.