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movie review - Grosse Point Blank

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

This is about an offbeat comedy as you'll get from the U.S., these days. Faintly reminscient of Flirting With Disaster. This is about a young man (John Cusack) who disappeared in High School to go find himself as a professional killer, and is now taking stock of his life to find that he's had enough. His father is dead, his mother insane, his childhood house torn down for a convenience store (complete with clerk who listens to "Ace of Spades" at such volume that the inevitable shootout in the store goes unnoticed), and the girl he stood up for the prom is still on his mind. Against his better judgement he returns after ten years to attend his High School reunion, a godawful event complete with coke-sniffing, washed-up losers and alcoholic, washed-up losers. Along the way, he tries to make up with the girl, and goes head-to-head with his colleagues, who are in town to force his retirement. This movie has a lot of action, and plenty of humor, and includes such greats as Dan Ackroyd and Alan Arkin, but it's missing a certain undefinable something. I think it's direction. There are just too many weird little pauses when it seems like no-one knows what's going on.

Recommended.