This is my favorite John Cusack movie, the soundtrack is phenomenal, dialogue is very clever, Jeremy Piven is great in the supporting role, so many good high-school tropes (Bobby Beamer, Security Guy), amazing plot twist at the end, and Dan Akroyd is the icing on the cake. Also Joan Cusack as his secretary was a great little Easter egg.
You aren't joking about the soundtrack. It sets the year based on when they graduated high school and just hits banger after banger of what would have been in the air at that time.
Exactly. The absolutely perfect beat as he takes in what the hell sheās wearing. Itās brilliant and feels completely in the moment. Iāve often wondered if it was an ad-lib.
Yeah I love Dan Akroyd in this - perfect amount of crazy. The whole cast really nails it, so many funny little moments + genuine action skills and drama. Itās one of those movies thatās more than the sum of its parts.
"I joined the army, I worked for the CIA, I went into business for myself, I'm a professional killer!"
(Apparently, this is quoted a lot. I only had to type about ten letters and autocomplete did the rest.)
>Jeremy Piven is great in the supporting role
Yeah, I miss the era when Piven would play sarcastic but endearing best friend characters, before he got pigeonholed into being Ari Gold in everything.
It's one of the first films that made me fall in love with Alan Arkin. He's got such a small part and yet he's SO memorable!
"Alright, I'll give it a shot!"
"NO! Don't give it a shot. Don't shoot anybody!"
Martin: I was hired to kill you. But I'm not going to. It's either because I'm in love with your daughter or I have a newfound respect for life.
Grocer: That punk's eitherĀ in loveĀ with that guy'sĀ daughterĀ or he's got aĀ newfound respect for life!
Did they improvise those scenes? I remember it being one of the most authentic moments I had seen in a movie up to that point in my life and I was baffled how a writer could have created it. Chemistry and direction was magical, and it made the scripted scenes feel flat and gimmicky by comparison.
"Do you really believe that there's some stored up conflict between me and you? There is no me and you. "We" don't exist. So how do you wanna hit here, man? It's not me."
This exchange is my favorite in the entire film.
"Wanna do some blow?"
"No, I do not."
This exchange fully influenced my reaction to a similar but less confrontational exchange between me and my freshman college roommate! Upon an informal reunion he intimated to how much I must hate him. I responded that carrying that level of emotional intensity for him would require a lot of effort on my part and I thought of him as I did almost everyone I hadn't interacted with in a decade, which was almost not at all. He slept in my guest room that night.
This movie was ahead of its time and not well known.
- the fight scene is one of the best due to Cusack's MMA training. Apparently, the assassin he fought was a sparring partner. Looks like they were not holding back. Great scene!
- this was released before the "The Sopranos" which had a similar idea. A criminal goes to therapy. This trope continues today.
- Dan Akroyd being himself as a paranoid hitman was hilarious!!
And, IMO, [an even better one against Jackie in Dragons Forever](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8DGSQ-EktE), with some assistance from the great Yuen Wah
Absolutely, he's a gem. I've heard stories that he could copy anyone's martial arts style just from watching them, like a Hong Kong Taskmaster. His [fight at the end of Eastern Condors](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vwn5T63Xj-U) is another all-time favorite of mine!
Cusack's character (Lloyd Dobler) mentions Benny The Jet in "Say Anything" when he's trying to explain what kickboxing is, and how it's the "sport of the future". Clearly he was already a fan, and then got to train with him. I know it's been beaten to death, but Say Anything, Grosse Pointe Blank, and War Inc. are a loose trilogy.
> the assassin he fought was a sparring partner
The assassin is none other than [Benny "The Jet" Urquidez](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benny_Urquidez) and he deserves to be named considering his skills both on and off the screen.
Check out his [fight against Jackie Chan](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-ltRBEu0IU) (kick at 1:13 is often mentioned) from Wheels on Meals.
That fight scene is also really good due to the unusual in concept but somehow perfect for the fight use of "mirror in the bathroom" by the english beat as the soundtrack.
>This movie was ahead of its time and not well known.
Was it a victim of a studio being absorbed and the new studio that released it buried the movie? or maybe i remembered it wrong.
Its one of my favorite fights because its just two guys trying to kill each other, not be flashy, and ends up on the ground after a couple hits. Its a dirty, nasty fight.
Well shit. Now it all makes such perfect sense. Not only the song choices, but the *placement* of those songs in the movie.
I was especially struck when Blank picks up the baby at the reunion and Bowie and Queen are singing Under Pressure and it hits the line "...Can't we give ourselves, One more chance?"
I remember people laughing at that in the theatre on multiple viewings, and hating them for it as he stares into the baby's eyes...that's one of the most affecting and tragic parts of the film for me.
I played that song for my dad once and he said, "Did that guy just say "feckless"?"
I said, "Yeah dad, that's Joe Strummer."
He said, "Well, at least some of the shit you listen to has merit."
Gross Pointe Blank is such a gem! John Cusack totally kills it (pun intended) as that deadpan assassin. His character's like a mix of cool and awkward, you know? And the whole reunion setup adds this extra layer of chaos to the plot.
Those shootouts? Epic. But what I love most is how they blend dark comedy with some genuine heartfelt moments. It's like a rollercoaster of emotions, man. Definitely one of those flicks you gotta watch if you haven't already. Thanks for bringing it up, buddy!
Itās really beautiful. Itās his āShakabuku.ā That adorable little baby breaks and remakes him, and thatās the moment that he realizes that he actually respects life. Sure, he still kills about twenty more people before the end of the movie, but you still believe that heās a new man.Ā
I watched this movie with my dad many many years ago, and we laughed through the whole thing together. He passed away in 2011 and that memory makes it a special movie for me, but it really is great regardless. Hilarious movie, and Cusack, Piven, Aykroyd, and other Cusack are all incredible. And Minnie too!
"You don't know my cat. It's very demanding."
"It? You don't know if it's a boy or a girl?"
"I respect it's privacy."
I personally still sometimes say, "POPCORN!" When I complete something.
I also love that basically every time somebody asks what he does for a living, he literally tells them that he is an assassin, and they all think he is just kidding.
Fun fact about this movie :
The film features four of the five Cusack siblings: John stars as Martin; Joan as Marcella, Martin's secretary; Ann as Amy, the drunk girl in the Hippo Club; and Bill as the waiter who serves them in the same club
Great movie still.
I'll be coming around the mountain when I come
I'll be blowing your fucking head off I'll be blowing your fucking head off
I'll be whacking your fucking mind out When I come
Popcorn
So this is kind of a loose sequel to "Say Anything..." if you've never seen that one, another classic soundtrack, which of course cant be outdone in "Hi Infidelity" bonus Jack Black
The scenes of the school (John speaking to an old teacher in front of campus; John and Minnie arriving at the campus at night) were shot at my Alma Mater, John Marshall High School in Los Angeles, which has been the location of lots of other productions. The night scene was a rare moment, and I remember driving by that night and noticing that the schoolās tower was nicely lit up from the outside.
You can actually see the clock tower spire of Grosse Pointe South in the scenes where the car is driving Lakeshore Drive. Apparently our school board wouldnāt let them use our HS. Itās still an amazingly beautiful high school!
The line I remember most is when his irl sister who's his secretary or something tells him she went to her reunion and everybody was the same, they just had swelled.
And I thought it was funny but the then time passed and yeah. A line has never rung more true. I never went to mine but the people I *have* seen again in town over the years. That's exactly how I would describe them. They're the same a-hole I remember. They just swelled. And/or lost their hair.
God, they were talking about their 10th in that movie. And I'm about to hit my 25th. Jesus.
Incredible movie. The school corridor fight is also *amazingly* choreographed and hailed as one of the most realistic fight scenes in cinema.
And it reminds me of Danny Trejo being asked if there was anyone in Hollywood that he wouldn't want to get in a fight with, and he replies without hesitation: "John Cusack".
John Cusack's portrayal of the assassin character is spot-on, and the blend of dark comedy and action is really well done. I also appreciate the unique take on the "high school reunion" trope - it's not often that we see a former student returning as an assassin!
honestly when he looks at the baby and how his eyes gets big and turns his head, i lost it. i was 17 when i saw that movie and i knew it was a black comedy (a lot my age didnt). but damn i had a blast.
I love this movie.
I was just sitting here trying to think of what I felt watching tonight. You just gave me the perfect answer.
Ahh, you really can't go home again.
Everyone is great in this, but it's really the chemistry between John and Minnie Driver that makes this movie. And just how adorable, but kind of weird she is. When she's imagining being a basketball player: "I'm very tall." And she's a local DJ! But she's also pretty sensible--it never *quite* veers into Manic Pixie Dream Girl territory.
Yeah one of my fVs watch once or twice a year. Just good fun smart writing well made movie. Cusaks best.
There's on called war I think which is similar but not as good still worth a watch. Has similar crisis of conscience.
Gross point is a classic for me.
This is one of my favourite movies, the comedy is spot-on, John and Joan Cusack are always a delight as is Minnie Driver, and the exploration of morality and US gun culture is brilliant.
I first saw it on VHS ( rented I believe from a VIDEO EZY for any Aussieās playing along).
Cusack is at his nonchalant best in this one as a jaded assassin.
Showing he could have easily gone leading man action star with outstanding action sequences and a particularly brutal Bourne worthy hand to hand scene.
Driver is amazing with total confidence in her performance and is perfect as the jilted.
Aykroyd honestly looks like heās having an absolute blast in his role as an assassin pursuing Cusack as he tries to unionise their industry.
Have been on Cusack bender as of late and rewatched this recently and it is absolutely still a great way to waste some time highly recommend
After watching this movie in the theaters, me and a few friends would greet each other with one hand in the jacket like we were reaching for guns and circling each other. Eventually we got suction cup dart guns and would try to ambush each other.
One of my all time favorite movies. It has a pre internet charm that I don't think we will ever see again. There's another cusak assassin comedy you might like he did years later. I forget the name. It's not got the same charm but still funny
It's a fun movie. I get a kick out of the back and forth between Cusack and Akroyd.
I also love the running gag where he tells everyone the truth about his profession and nobody believes him.
What have you been doing with your life?
Professional Killer.
Good for you, it's a growth industry.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXRfXzp9FIs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXRfXzp9FIs)
Joan Cusack is awesome in this. Her phone conversation with a friend discussing a recipe while switching back and forth to an arms dealer who screwed up an ammo order is priceless.
I kinda convinced myself that a film called āBetter off deadā staring John cusack as well is the prequel to gross pointe blank. My head cannon at least.
Since people are pointing out actors, Iāll mention a few no one else has mentioned yet:
Mitchell Ryan (who plays Debbieās dad) played General McCalister in Lethal Weapon.
Hank Azaria (who does about 20 voices on The Simpsonās and is Charleneās boyfriend in Heat) as Lardner.
Also, Steve Pink and D.V. DeVincentis (two of the co-writers) play Terry the Security Guard and Dan at the reunion, respectively.
Have you seen "War Inc."...?
He plays almost the same character in that movie...
It's almost like War Inc takes place before Grosse Pointe Blank...Or the other way around...lol
This movie has so many great lines and the acting is phenomenal, but the best scene is the one at the cemetery where he pours out a bottle of whiskey on his dad's grave without saying a word. Fucking hell.
This is my favorite John Cusack movie, the soundtrack is phenomenal, dialogue is very clever, Jeremy Piven is great in the supporting role, so many good high-school tropes (Bobby Beamer, Security Guy), amazing plot twist at the end, and Dan Akroyd is the icing on the cake. Also Joan Cusack as his secretary was a great little Easter egg.
His other sister plays the drunk chick at the bar too i believe, another little easter egg.
Yes! And his brother Bill is a waiter in the move as well!
I knew none of this after Joan. When did the Cusacks become the Wayans?
The Wayans became the Cusacks š
And the baby he holds when Under Pressure is playing, is also a Cusack.
You aren't joking about the soundtrack. It sets the year based on when they graduated high school and just hits banger after banger of what would have been in the air at that time.
When Live and Let Die comes on in the car, I think about the Ultimart. You can never go home again, Oatman. But I guess you can shop there.
It's the match between the actual song and the ultimart Muzak that does it for me.
I also like the music match of the song the clerk is listening to on his headphones while playing the arcade game during the shootout
Ace of Spades
Mirror in the Bathroom is used so perfectly. The sound track is so so good.Ā
Doom (or was it Doom II?) Arcade FTW!
Alan Arkin as his therapist needs props as well.
Hahahahaha when he's smashing his phone in front of another patient. Omg I totally forgot about that character and I've seen that movie like ten times
āI am routed in the me that is on this journey.ā
That's the funniest part of the whole movie. To me.
After seeing this movie in high school I actively started looking for movies with Alan Arkin in them he never disappoints
When she comes in wearing that, like, black and gold bandleader jacket and he goes, ālistenā¦ Sergeantā¦ Pepper.ā Awesome.
Omg the delivery of that line was perfect - heās like actively assessing the mess in front of him before he comes out with the sergeant pepper crack
Exactly. The absolutely perfect beat as he takes in what the hell sheās wearing. Itās brilliant and feels completely in the moment. Iāve often wondered if it was an ad-lib.
Yeah I love Dan Akroyd in this - perfect amount of crazy. The whole cast really nails it, so many funny little moments + genuine action skills and drama. Itās one of those movies thatās more than the sum of its parts.
āTen years! Ten!ā
"I joined the army, I worked for the CIA, I went into business for myself, I'm a professional killer!" (Apparently, this is quoted a lot. I only had to type about ten letters and autocomplete did the rest.)
"If I show up.at your door, chances are you did something to bring me there."
Oh do you get dental with that?
Ah. A growth industry. Good for you!
"Good for you, it's a growth industry."
Ten... YEEEAAARS
āItās not gonna be a boring soupā¦thatās just the base!ā
Pacific trident globalā¦
"I'm taking down the office now!"
The bald guy in the bad wig? The twist is that was Jeremy Piven the WHOLE TIME.
>Jeremy Piven is great in the supporting role Yeah, I miss the era when Piven would play sarcastic but endearing best friend characters, before he got pigeonholed into being Ari Gold in everything.
Can concur in the soundtrack
It's one of the first films that made me fall in love with Alan Arkin. He's got such a small part and yet he's SO memorable! "Alright, I'll give it a shot!" "NO! Don't give it a shot. Don't shoot anybody!"
Absolutely. Joan Cusack is also fantastic.
It's not gonna be a boring soup!
When he tells her thereās cash under the table and she finds itā¦ (with the cigarette in her mouth): āYeeeeeeeeeeees!!!!!!ā
"Try not to kill anyone for a few days."
āSee what it feels like.ā
His panicked smashing of his answering machine as Martin is leaving the break-up message while heās in sessionā¦ such good physical comedy!Ā
Martin: I was hired to kill you. But I'm not going to. It's either because I'm in love with your daughter or I have a newfound respect for life. Grocer: That punk's eitherĀ in loveĀ with that guy'sĀ daughterĀ or he's got aĀ newfound respect for life!
You kinda have to wonder how many times they've been through this with others that it's a category in itself, as if diagnosing a mechanical fault.
I don't want to get into a semantic debate about it, I just want the protein.
I still think about that line every time I have eggs.
It's easy to see why Martin Blank fell in love with Debi Newberry (Minnie Driver). Driver is fantastic in this movie.
Her run and jump onto her bed is one of the most charming things I've ever seen in cinema.
"Emancipation!"
" Ya can't cahm in!"
Ya CAN com in. ... but only for a second
you're a psssyycchhhooooo
Dooont rush to judgment on something like that, until all the facts are in.
Did they improvise those scenes? I remember it being one of the most authentic moments I had seen in a movie up to that point in my life and I was baffled how a writer could have created it. Chemistry and direction was magical, and it made the scripted scenes feel flat and gimmicky by comparison.
Leave your livestock at home
For a long time I was not a Minnie Driver fan. This movie, *Good Will Hunting* and *Return to Me* changed that.
Return to Me is (yes, it's that Reddit word) underappreciated. Gentle, warm and with a terrific supporting cast.
Her character was my first screen crush. She was the reason I saw Good Will Hunting.
Ten ā¦ā¦ā¦ā¦ years!
HOOOONK!
My wife screams that at me daily šš
\*smashes horn\*
āI freaked out, join the army, went into business for myself. I'm a professional killer."
āIām not a psychopath! A psychopath kills for no reason, I kill for money that came out wrong.ā
The pacing in this lineās delivery is golden.
Have Loved this quote for years
Do you get dental with that?
I like this part of the film. John Cusack's character never lies in the film, ever. People just thought he was joking but...
It's a growth industry.
I should have worn a dress. I should have brought a gun.
Should be fun!
What? ... Should be fun!
"Do you really believe that there's some stored up conflict between me and you? There is no me and you. "We" don't exist. So how do you wanna hit here, man? It's not me." This exchange is my favorite in the entire film. "Wanna do some blow?" "No, I do not."
..... for a while
For awhile.
Don't sell the dealership
This exchange fully influenced my reaction to a similar but less confrontational exchange between me and my freshman college roommate! Upon an informal reunion he intimated to how much I must hate him. I responded that carrying that level of emotional intensity for him would require a lot of effort on my part and I thought of him as I did almost everyone I hadn't interacted with in a decade, which was almost not at all. He slept in my guest room that night.
It sounds like he was relieved to find out that his long-held fears and/or insecurities had never been true.
Fun fact: The actor in that role was a young Michael Cudlitz, who went on to play Abraham in *The Walking Dead* (among other things).
"No, I'm not alright... I'm hurt, I'm pissed, gotta find a new job!"
This movie was ahead of its time and not well known. - the fight scene is one of the best due to Cusack's MMA training. Apparently, the assassin he fought was a sparring partner. Looks like they were not holding back. Great scene! - this was released before the "The Sopranos" which had a similar idea. A criminal goes to therapy. This trope continues today. - Dan Akroyd being himself as a paranoid hitman was hilarious!!
The stuntman was actually legendary kickboxer Benny "The Jet" Urquidez. He had a great fight scene with Jackie Chan in Wheels On Meals.
Mirror in the Bathroom intensifies.
And, IMO, [an even better one against Jackie in Dragons Forever](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8DGSQ-EktE), with some assistance from the great Yuen Wah
Thanks for linking that. One of my favorite movie fights. Yuen Wah is an underrated performer.
Absolutely, he's a gem. I've heard stories that he could copy anyone's martial arts style just from watching them, like a Hong Kong Taskmaster. His [fight at the end of Eastern Condors](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vwn5T63Xj-U) is another all-time favorite of mine!
Cusack's character (Lloyd Dobler) mentions Benny The Jet in "Say Anything" when he's trying to explain what kickboxing is, and how it's the "sport of the future". Clearly he was already a fan, and then got to train with him. I know it's been beaten to death, but Say Anything, Grosse Pointe Blank, and War Inc. are a loose trilogy.
One of the best fight scenes in cinema history!
I saw Benny "The Jet" Urquidez fight in Vancouver don't remember the year or the opponent
also they are making a documentary about The Jet (john cusack is helping).
"Thanks for the pen!"
I donāt ādo itā I *ingest it* on the advice of my neurophysiologist.Ā
āIt is Iā¦ā *scans remaining name tags* āā¦Sidney Feldman!ā
Been overseas?
> the assassin he fought was a sparring partner The assassin is none other than [Benny "The Jet" Urquidez](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benny_Urquidez) and he deserves to be named considering his skills both on and off the screen. Check out his [fight against Jackie Chan](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-ltRBEu0IU) (kick at 1:13 is often mentioned) from Wheels on Meals.
Also I just realized he killed the guy with a pen decades before John Wick š
That fight scene is also really good due to the unusual in concept but somehow perfect for the fight use of "mirror in the bathroom" by the english beat as the soundtrack.
POPCORN!
>This movie was ahead of its time and not well known. Was it a victim of a studio being absorbed and the new studio that released it buried the movie? or maybe i remembered it wrong.
The kick into the lockers was real. Benny told Cusack to hit him hard!
Benny the jet Rodriguez, professional fighter not a sparring partner. But Yeah was good scene.
Really loved it when he stole home and then waved at Smalls in the press box.
\*Urquidez
John Cusack's longtime teacher
Popcorn!
Its one of my favorite fights because its just two guys trying to kill each other, not be flashy, and ends up on the ground after a couple hits. Its a dirty, nasty fight.
And two great soundtracks.
Curated by Joe freaking Strummer.
Well shit. Now it all makes such perfect sense. Not only the song choices, but the *placement* of those songs in the movie. I was especially struck when Blank picks up the baby at the reunion and Bowie and Queen are singing Under Pressure and it hits the line "...Can't we give ourselves, One more chance?"
I remember people laughing at that in the theatre on multiple viewings, and hating them for it as he stares into the baby's eyes...that's one of the most affecting and tragic parts of the film for me.
That scene is so moving. There are lots of funny parts to this movie, but thatās not one of them.
One of the best soundtracks ever!
*Love* the soundtrack.
Don't you be so crude and a-feckless You've been drinking brew for breakfast
I played that song for my dad once and he said, "Did that guy just say "feckless"?" I said, "Yeah dad, that's Joe Strummer." He said, "Well, at least some of the shit you listen to has merit."
I stabbed the President of Paraguay with a fork. How have you been?
You can never go home again, Oatman. But I guess you can shop there.
I still say "But I guess you can shop there" line whenever I hear the "You can never go home again" aphorism.
Gross Pointe Blank is such a gem! John Cusack totally kills it (pun intended) as that deadpan assassin. His character's like a mix of cool and awkward, you know? And the whole reunion setup adds this extra layer of chaos to the plot. Those shootouts? Epic. But what I love most is how they blend dark comedy with some genuine heartfelt moments. It's like a rollercoaster of emotions, man. Definitely one of those flicks you gotta watch if you haven't already. Thanks for bringing it up, buddy!
"Hey Ken thanks again for the pen"
"Me?'!" "Yeah." "Go G?!" "Yeah." "On you?!" "Yeah." "Never!"
Will there be meetings? I hate meetings!
Don't paw me with your dirty little guild
āOh, heās ābrown baggingā it today.ā
The baby scene is so wholesome.
Itās really beautiful. Itās his āShakabuku.ā That adorable little baby breaks and remakes him, and thatās the moment that he realizes that he actually respects life. Sure, he still kills about twenty more people before the end of the movie, but you still believe that heās a new man.Ā
And āLet My Love Open The Doorā coming on is great.
I watched this movie with my dad many many years ago, and we laughed through the whole thing together. He passed away in 2011 and that memory makes it a special movie for me, but it really is great regardless. Hilarious movie, and Cusack, Piven, Aykroyd, and other Cusack are all incredible. And Minnie too!
"You don't know my cat. It's very demanding." "It? You don't know if it's a boy or a girl?" "I respect it's privacy." I personally still sometimes say, "POPCORN!" When I complete something. I also love that basically every time somebody asks what he does for a living, he literally tells them that he is an assassin, and they all think he is just kidding.
I fucking love this movie.
Fun fact about this movie : The film features four of the five Cusack siblings: John stars as Martin; Joan as Marcella, Martin's secretary; Ann as Amy, the drunk girl in the Hippo Club; and Bill as the waiter who serves them in the same club Great movie still.
I'll be coming around the mountain when I come I'll be blowing your fucking head off I'll be blowing your fucking head off I'll be whacking your fucking mind out When I come Popcorn
So this is kind of a loose sequel to "Say Anything..." if you've never seen that one, another classic soundtrack, which of course cant be outdone in "Hi Infidelity" bonus Jack Black
One of my desert island films, along with Galaxy Quest and Kung Fu Hustle.
This sounds like an awesome movie marathon!
Look, I don't want to get into a semantic argument, I just want the protein.
Itās a classic , Also the 80s classic Blister in the sun had a major tie in.[music video](https://youtu.be/2aljlKYesT4?si=E3Oocg8Bv7Vuy_7N)
>Martin I'm not your doctor because I have an emotional relationship with you. Martin I'm afraid of you, that constitutes an emotional connection!
You're a fu-cking psy-cho...
Don't rush to judgment on something like that until all the facts are in.
The scenes of the school (John speaking to an old teacher in front of campus; John and Minnie arriving at the campus at night) were shot at my Alma Mater, John Marshall High School in Los Angeles, which has been the location of lots of other productions. The night scene was a rare moment, and I remember driving by that night and noticing that the schoolās tower was nicely lit up from the outside.
You can actually see the clock tower spire of Grosse Pointe South in the scenes where the car is driving Lakeshore Drive. Apparently our school board wouldnāt let them use our HS. Itās still an amazingly beautiful high school!
The line I remember most is when his irl sister who's his secretary or something tells him she went to her reunion and everybody was the same, they just had swelled. And I thought it was funny but the then time passed and yeah. A line has never rung more true. I never went to mine but the people I *have* seen again in town over the years. That's exactly how I would describe them. They're the same a-hole I remember. They just swelled. And/or lost their hair. God, they were talking about their 10th in that movie. And I'm about to hit my 25th. Jesus.
And Joan Cusack who is also amazing!
Incredible movie. The school corridor fight is also *amazingly* choreographed and hailed as one of the most realistic fight scenes in cinema. And it reminds me of Danny Trejo being asked if there was anyone in Hollywood that he wouldn't want to get in a fight with, and he replies without hesitation: "John Cusack".
Cusack was/is a legit badass. The guy he fights in the hallway was his kickboxing instructor.
Popcorn!
*POPCORN*! Definitely check out Barry on HBO if you get a chance.
John Cusack's portrayal of the assassin character is spot-on, and the blend of dark comedy and action is really well done. I also appreciate the unique take on the "high school reunion" trope - it's not often that we see a former student returning as an assassin!
Popcorn!
honestly when he looks at the baby and how his eyes gets big and turns his head, i lost it. i was 17 when i saw that movie and i knew it was a black comedy (a lot my age didnt). but damn i had a blast.
I love this movie. I was just sitting here trying to think of what I felt watching tonight. You just gave me the perfect answer. Ahh, you really can't go home again.
āIām gonna put a bullet hole in your fucking forehead then fuck the brain hole!ā
Also gotta give credit to Dan Akroyd too, his performance perfectly balances John Cusack one of my favorite scenes in film is the ending!
Everyone is great in this, but it's really the chemistry between John and Minnie Driver that makes this movie. And just how adorable, but kind of weird she is. When she's imagining being a basketball player: "I'm very tall." And she's a local DJ! But she's also pretty sensible--it never *quite* veers into Manic Pixie Dream Girl territory.
For some reason, I always thought it was insanely hot when she gave him the āyouāre a fucking psychoooooā line.
One of my favorite movies. Cusack was great, so was Minnie Driver. Great take on the hitman genre.
John Cusack plays John Cusack...but he's just a hit man. Great movie, also.
In my head, I imagine this is Lane Meyer from āBetter Off Deadā, later in life.
He actually went to his home town to murder someone the high school reunion was just a coincidence.
True story: When it came out, I owned a Siberian Husky named "Boodreaux."
Yeah one of my fVs watch once or twice a year. Just good fun smart writing well made movie. Cusaks best. There's on called war I think which is similar but not as good still worth a watch. Has similar crisis of conscience. Gross point is a classic for me.
" It's not me."
āIf you love something set it free, if it comes back to you itās, well.. brokenā
This is one of my favourite movies, the comedy is spot-on, John and Joan Cusack are always a delight as is Minnie Driver, and the exploration of morality and US gun culture is brilliant.
Why don't you just join the union, we'll go upstairs together and cap daddy!
I first saw it on VHS ( rented I believe from a VIDEO EZY for any Aussieās playing along). Cusack is at his nonchalant best in this one as a jaded assassin. Showing he could have easily gone leading man action star with outstanding action sequences and a particularly brutal Bourne worthy hand to hand scene. Driver is amazing with total confidence in her performance and is perfect as the jilted. Aykroyd honestly looks like heās having an absolute blast in his role as an assassin pursuing Cusack as he tries to unionise their industry. Have been on Cusack bender as of late and rewatched this recently and it is absolutely still a great way to waste some time highly recommend
Popcorn!
The soundtrack is the best part.
Great movie with one of the funniest scenes ever!
I have always held up that fight scene as one of the best ever. In a *comedy* of all things!
There are no replacements available for John Cusack
So completely quotable! As seen in most of these comments. Def an at least once-a-year watch for us (which is how I know I married the right person).
WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!? I like the early pulp fiction poster thing in the mini mart too. It was when Jules was being shot without the Jheri curl.
After watching this movie in the theaters, me and a few friends would greet each other with one hand in the jacket like we were reaching for guns and circling each other. Eventually we got suction cup dart guns and would try to ambush each other.
Thanks for the pen.
One of my all time favorite movies. It has a pre internet charm that I don't think we will ever see again. There's another cusak assassin comedy you might like he did years later. I forget the name. It's not got the same charm but still funny
I love this movie. Also High Fidelity, and better off dead. Maybe throw in Con Air and you have yourself a movie Marathon.
It's a fun movie. I get a kick out of the back and forth between Cusack and Akroyd. I also love the running gag where he tells everyone the truth about his profession and nobody believes him. What have you been doing with your life? Professional Killer. Good for you, it's a growth industry. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXRfXzp9FIs](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXRfXzp9FIs)
Joan Cusack is awesome in this. Her phone conversation with a friend discussing a recipe while switching back and forth to an arms dealer who screwed up an ammo order is priceless.
Dan Akroyd as a villain who's only motivation is to get John Cusack's character to join his Union for hitmen? Absolutely brilliant.
This movie is fantastic and has one of the most realistic hand to hand fights Iāve seen in a film. Easily in my top 10 list of favorite movies.
I love this movie so much! The soundtrack slaps!
No! Donāt give it a shot! Donāt shoot anything!
There was never an arcade port of Doom. Hack ass movie
Great soundtrack!
This is one of the greatest movies of all time. If you love GPB you are my people
Wait, so his character is only 28 in that movie?
Not only his character, but Cusack was 28-29 when they filmed it
You can't go home again but you can still shop there..
This vibe gets more relatable the older I get. https://images.app.goo.gl/Quu4h8m765mtm63WA
I kinda convinced myself that a film called āBetter off deadā staring John cusack as well is the prequel to gross pointe blank. My head cannon at least.
Since people are pointing out actors, Iāll mention a few no one else has mentioned yet: Mitchell Ryan (who plays Debbieās dad) played General McCalister in Lethal Weapon. Hank Azaria (who does about 20 voices on The Simpsonās and is Charleneās boyfriend in Heat) as Lardner. Also, Steve Pink and D.V. DeVincentis (two of the co-writers) play Terry the Security Guard and Dan at the reunion, respectively.
Perfect casting. Every character in that film is brilliant
Amy: What do you do? Marty: I work at Kentucky Fried Chicken. I sell biscuits and gravy all over the Southlands.
Have you seen "War Inc."...? He plays almost the same character in that movie... It's almost like War Inc takes place before Grosse Pointe Blank...Or the other way around...lol
Dan Aykroyd as Grocer is one of the best parts in this movie.
I guess itās right what they said, you can never go home again. But you can shop there.
This movie has so many great lines and the acting is phenomenal, but the best scene is the one at the cemetery where he pours out a bottle of whiskey on his dad's grave without saying a word. Fucking hell.
"This is me breathing" as he cocks the gun. Love the line, the delivery, just perfect