Grosse Pointe Blank (1997)

Martin Blank is a professional assassin. He is sent on a mission to a small Detroit suburb, Grosse Pointe, and, by coincidence, his ten-year high school reunion party is taking place there at the same time.

Director:

George Armitage

Writers:

Tom Jankiewicz (story), Tom Jankiewicz (screenplay)

Stars:

John Cusack, Minnie Driver, Dan Aykroyd

2 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Cusack	...	Martin Q. Blank
Minnie Driver	...	Debi Newberry
Alan Arkin	...	Dr. Oatman
Dan Aykroyd	...	Grocer
Joan Cusack	...	Marcella
Hank Azaria	...	Steven Lardner
K. Todd Freeman	...	Kenneth McCullers
Jeremy Piven	...	Paul Spericki
Mitchell Ryan	...	Mr. Bart Newberry
Michael Cudlitz	...	Bob Destepello
Benny Urquidez	...	Felix La PuBelle
Duffy Taylor	...	Ultimart Carl
Audrey Kissel	...	Arlene
Carlos Jacott	...	Ken
Brian Powell	...	Husky Man

Storyline

Martin Blank is a freelance hitman who starts to develop a conscience, which causes him to muff a couple of routine assignments. On the advice of his secretary and his psychiatrist, he attends his 10th year High School reunion in Grosse Pointe, Michigan (a Detroit suburb where he's also contracted to kill someone). Hot on his tail are a couple of over-enthusiastic federal agents, another assassin who wants to kill him, and Grocer, an assassin who wants him to join an "Assassin's Union."

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Plot Keywords:

assassin | reunion | high school reunion | high school | suburb | 

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Taglines:

A comedy about a hit man, a high school reunion, and the girl he left behind.

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Romance | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence, language and some drug content

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 April 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Tueurs à gages

Filming Locations:

Ambassador Hotel - 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$6,870,397 (USA) (11 April 1997)

Gross:

$28,014,536 (USA) (8 August 1997)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hollywood Pictures, Caravan Pictures, New Crime Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When talking to the prospective home-buyers, Martin says he has always felt "kind of temporary" about himself. This is the same thing Willy Loman says he feels when talking to Ben in "Death of a Salesman."

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Goofs

While Martin and Debbie are dancing, Arlene Joseph is on the dance floor by the stage. When Felix La PuBelle comes in to claim Sidney Feldman's nametag, Arlene is manning the check-in table. Cut immediately to the next shot, Arlene is back on the dance floor by the stage.

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Quotes

Debi: Where are all the good men dead, in the heart or in the head?

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Connections

References Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)

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Soundtracks

Armagideon Time
Written by Coxsone Dodd and Willie Williams
Performed by The Clash
Courtesy of Epic Records
By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

User Reviews

One of my favorite films

Some movies have a good story that is made great by the casting. This is one such film. It has a cast to die for and makes what could have been an interesting film superb.

John and Joan Cusack play great characters along with Minnie Driver in a film about a hit man returning to his home town for a high school reunion. he reconnects with a lost love while competitors are trying to rub him out.

There is an assortment of characters in the film: Alan Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine) as Dr. Oatman; Dan Akroyd as Blank's main competitor; Hank Azaria, K. Todd Freeman and Jeremy Piven.

This film has enough laughs amid the shooting and romance to satisfy anyone.