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<B>Cusack's hitman film a dark comedic gem</B><P>
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<FONT SIZE=4><B>By Josh Herr</B><BR></FONT>Staff Critic
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Hitmen are people too.<P>
That's the central premise of one of the funniest (and blackest) black comedies to come out in a long time. Unlike so many films that portray hitmen as heartless killers, or hip buffoons who debate the virtues of a Royale with cheese, Grosse Pointe Blank presents us with a hitman with a past, with regrets, and with a personal life.John Cusack stars as Martin Blank, a former CIA hitman who now works independently as a contract killer. He is starting to question his choice of professions when his quirky secretary (played brilliantly by John's sister, Joan Cusack) bullies him into going to his 10-year high school reunion. This involves seeing the girl he stood up at the prom and can't stop thinking about.
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As he tries to figure out his life, reconcile with his ex-girlfriend, attend his reunion, and pull off his last job, he must also allude the pursuit of several competing hitmen, NSA agents, and the grocer (Dan Aykroyd) who wants him to join the hitman's union.
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Needless to say, it is a busy weekend.
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Cusack has shown a talent for black comedy in the past with his excellent turn in The Grifter's, but here he combines that talent with the knack for romantic comedy that initially got him attention.
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He plays Blank's neurosis excellently, particularly in scenes with his timid psychiatrist (Alan Arkin).
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Minnie Driver stars as Debi, a radio personality and Blank's high school girlfriend. Driver displays her usual gift for accents, this time trading in British for Detroit, and radiates a sort of charm that is hard to resist.
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Aykroyd, who hasn't gotten a laugh in ages, is startlingly funny in this film. By putting his goofball humor behind a truly intimidating character, he has managed to find the kind of part that can still support his personality, rather than playing the sad-eyed losers he tries to make lovable in other films.
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Director George Armitage, who displayed a knack for brutal comedy with Miami Blues, adds more than his share of humorous touches to the film, particularly through some of the ironic choices for the soundtrack.
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Perhaps the funniest scene in the film comes when Cusack is approaching a convenience store where a rival will try to take him out.
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As he is walking, Guns and Roses' version of "Live and Let Die" is playing. The second he enters the store, the song switches to a Muzak version without missing a beat.
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Throughout the film Armitage displays a deft touch of mixing comedy and violence in ways seldom seen.
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The movie does have a few flaws. A scene in which Cusack goes to visit his mother comes out rather contrived, and when it is finally revealed who Blank's final hit is, it is not as much of a surprise as they'd like you to believe.
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But those who have the ability to find humor in death will enjoy the perversely sardonic wit injected in the script.
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This film may not appeal to everyone. For lovers of dark comedy, however, the consistency of tone, hilarious script, and impressive acting from likable characters make Grosse Pointe Blank the first bright spot we've seen in a while.
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