Grosse Pointe Blank
Directed by George Armitage
- action
- comedy
- thriller
- romance
The story
Hitman Martin Blank becomes a moving target after he rebuffs a fellow assassin's invitation to form a union. On the advice of his quirky assistant and neurotic psychiatrist, Martin begrudgingly heads out to Grosse Pointe, Michigan for his ten-year high school reunion, where he soon comes across the woman he jilted on prom night.
What it’s like
Bright, washed-out Midwestern daylight and a gritty, lived-in 1990s palette: beige suburban lawns, sun-faded diners, and the rust-and-chrome grime of Chicago streets, all shot with a loose, mobile camera that lingers on faces. The soundtrack is the film's identity, a jangly stream of 1980s new wave and punk ringing out of car stereos and a Detroit-area radio station, so the mood feels sardonic and nostalgic at once. Its vibe is wry, bittersweet, and easy-going, the kind of picture that suits a lazy weekend afternoon, a long drive, or a comfort rewatch with friends. The pace is brisk and talky, with deadpan banter cutting into quieter, sadder beats about regret and unfinished business. Violence is present and occasionally sharp: several gunfights and killings, shown with brief, stylized bloodshed rather than gore, plus some profanity and sexual innuendo. Its emotional arc follows a cynical professional killer slowly confronting the life he walked away from and the people he hurt. It's for viewers who enjoy smart, self-aware comedy with a romantic streak and a little danger on the side.
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