Grosse Point Blank (1997)

Martin Blank (John Cusack) is a freelance hitman who starts to develop a conscience, which causes him to muff a couple of routine assignments. On the advice of his secretary (Joan Cusack) and his psychiatrist (Allen Arkin), he attends his 10th year High School reunion in Grosse Pointe, Michigan (a Detroit suburb where he's also contracted to kill someone). Hot on his tail are a couple of over-enthusiastic federal agents, another assassin who wants to kill him, and Grocer (Dan Aykroyd), an assassin who wants him to join an "Assassin's Union." He reunites with his lost love (Mini Driver) who he stood up on Prom Night and hilarity ensues.

Trivia: There are several Bond movie references, including the attempted poisoning by string (You Only Live Twice (1967)), and the Guns N Roses version of the theme from Live and Let Die (1973) which Martin listens to just before enters the Ultimart for the first time (when he enters the Ultimart it changes to a Muzak version of Live and Let Die that picks up exactly where G&R left off). There are also references to Goldfinger (1964). The high school shown in the movie is actually John Marshall High School, Los Angeles, CA. Martin's invitation to his high school reunion, which is tucked into the mirror as he gets ready, requires attendees to Dress to Kill. Dan Aykroyd quotes from the book of Revelation during the final shootout. He has a similar diatribe in Ghostbusters (1984). Four of the Cusack siblings are in this movie. John, Joan, Ann and Bill. When Minnie Driver tells John Cusack at her apartment that he's a "...psycho", she can be seen moving her hand as though it were talking. In an interview, Cusack said that this was an ad-lib, as she had seen John and Joan Cusack doing something similar with each other on the set, off-camera.

This is the first of two movies that Kim got to have me review because she correctly guessed Garden State. This was very funny and a pretty good premise for a romantic comedy. "What would happen if a professional killer went to his high school reunion?" Well, apparently, hilarity. Mini Driver was just beautiful. Joan Cusack was just the right amount of crazy in her scenes. Hank Azaria is always funny. Dan Aykroyd stole every scene he was in. And the 80s music tributes were wonderful. Thanks for suggesting it Kim.