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 & 8 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."

---

Plot Keywords:

long range rifle | range | time bomb | assassin | reunion | 

---

Taglines:

Even A Hit Man Deserves A Second Shot!

---

Genres:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Romance | Thriller

---

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:

Grosse Pointe Blank

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,870,397, 13 April 1997

Gross USA:

$28,084,357

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$28,084,357

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hollywood Pictures, Caravan Pictures, New Crime Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Feature film debut of Jenna Elfman.

---

Goofs

When Martin first arrives at the Ultimart, a crew member with a boom microphone is reflected in the side of Martin's car.

---

Quotes

[the Ultimart has just been blown up]
Martin Q. Blank: Are you all right?
Ultimart Carl: No, I'm not all right!
Martin Q. Blank: Take it easy.
Ultimart Carl: I'm hurt... I'm pissed... gotta find a new job!

---

Connections

Referenced in Human Traffic (1999)

---

Soundtracks

War Cry
Written, Performed and Produced by Joe Strummer and Richard Norris

User Reviews

Quirky, lively, kind of like Cusack himself

Cracking little film, great fun.

The chemistry between the characters is good, the dialogue is funny, the premise itself is a novel idea and it could have been really poo, but it wasn't. It's dark, but at the same time manages to float very lightly

"They all have husbands and wives and children and houses and dogs, and, you know, they've all made themselves a part of something and they can talk about what they do. What am I gonna say? "I killed the president of Paraguay with a fork. How've you been?" "

The fact that movies now have to be events that are glorified Mcfilms takes away the reasoning of why films like this should be more popular, but aren't.

Watch it.