What do you do when you are invited to your high school ten year reunion but you have spent those last ten years being a professional killer? Do you make up some boring subarban lifestyle or do you tell your former class mates what you actually do? This is the dilemma facing Martin Blank (played by John Cusack) in High School Blank.
It's hard to decide exactly what genre this film fits. I would probably describe it as a romantic comedy with a few killings thrown into the pot as well. Whtever you call it though, Gross Point Blank is an entertaining and funny film which is well worth watching on DVD.
At the start of the film, we meet Martin Blank. He's doing OK in his chosen career but things could be better especially when one planned killing goes a bit wrong. In order to make amends he is comissioned to kill someone else and the location is, conicidentally, where his ten year reunion is due to take place. Could it be fate that he is destined to attend and in doing so meet up with his high school sweetheart Debbie (Minnie Driver).
I won't give away too much of the plot only to say that he does attend the reunion and meets up with Debbie who initially is none too plesed to see him particularly as he stood her up for the senior prom. There is definitely a chemistry between the two though but is it possible to rekindle their romance after all that has happened?
There's the added complication of Martin's assignment though and this is not helped when he discovers who he has been comissioned to kill. Just to add to the mix there also appears to be an assassin out to get Martin too.
I really enjoyed this film. It was well paced with lots of unexpected happenings. I particularly enjoyed the parts that focused on the reunion and there were some spectacular cringeworthy moments which reminded me why one should alwys think twice before agreeing to attend one of these events - especially if there are people from your past that you would rather forget!
I found it very amusing that each time Martin told someone what he did for a living, they never believed him. So much for telling the truth!
I thought the film was well cast and definitely there was a good relationship between the two lead roles. However, they were almost surpassed by a couple of wondeful supporting roles, prticularly Dan Aykroyd playing Martin's rival assassin and Alan Arkin playing his extremely unwilling psychiatrist. Both of these characters really added to my enjoyment.
This is a great film for a bit of light entertainment on a night in. It won't tax your brain too much but it will make you smile a few times throughout. The other thing that I really enjoyed about it was the really great soundtrack running through the background including music from The Pogues, The Specials and A-ha.
The running time is 103 minutes and it has a 15 age rating. At present it can be bought on Amazon for only £3.98 which I think is a real bargain!
Although I am reviewing this as a DVD there are not actually any extras on it and as soon as soon as you put it on the film starts running!
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Hit man Martin Q Blank (John Cusack) is in an awkward situation. Several of them, ... more
actually. He's attending his high school reunion on an assignment; he's got a rival hit man (Dan Aykroyd) on his tail; and he's going to have to explain to his old girlfr...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Hit man Martin Q Blank (John Cusack) is in an awkward situation. Several of them, ... more
actually. He's attending his high school reunion on an assignment; he's got a rival hit man (Dan Aykroyd) on his tail; and he's going to have to explain to his old girlfr...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Grosse Pointe Blank is the witty dark comedy starring John Cusack that's being hailed by ... more
both critics and audiences for its outlandish plot and irreverent humour! Unlike his High School friends who become respected professionals Martin Blank (Cusack...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Grosse Pointe Blank is the witty, dark comedy starring John Cusack (Con Air; The Grifters) ... more
thats being hailed by both critics and audiences for its outlandish plot and irreverent humour!Unlike his High School friends, who became respected professionals...
![Grosse Pointe Blank [DVD] [1997]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78550215.jpg "Grosse Pointe Blank [DVD] [1997]")
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