Movies: Grosse Pointe Blank

I'm of the firm opinion that Minnie Driver sucks the air out of any scene she appears in, and nowhere is that feeling confirmed more than in "Grosse Pointe Blank," a semi-romantic comedy film directed by George Armitage. Now, I have nothing against Ms. Driver personally, but there's just something off with all of her romantic interactions on-screen. But I digress...

"Grosse Pointe Blank" has a great setup - jaded hitman Martin Blank (played by John Cusack) is traveling back to a high school reunion, based on the advice of his therapist and his secretary. In his hometown, he runs into an old flame (Driver), old friends, and rival hitmen who want to kill him. There's stuff that happens, but everything gets sorted out eventually, as you might expect.

The movie has some laughs, but it's certainly not up to the same level as Cusack cult films like "High Fidelity" and "Being John Malkovich." The chemistry between Cusack and Driver feels forced, though if anyone can play the indignant jilted girl at the prom, it's Minnie Driver. But, in the end, it's a decent movie backed up by a great '80s soundtrack.

Rating: 7/10

"Grosse Pointe Blank" also features some fairly outlandish gunfights. This convenience store sequence, with Martin fending off a Basque terrorist/assassin, is probably the most over-the-top of the bunch: