Grosse Pointe Blank

Released 1997
Stars John Cusack, Minnie Driver, Dan Aykroyd, Joan Cusack, Alan Arkin, Jeremy Piven, Hank Azaria, Mitchell Ryan
Directed by George Armitage

One of the strangest rituals of American life is the High School Reunion. Even if you recall your teen years with a blissful sense of nostalgia, does it make sense to come back ten, twenty, or thirty years later to spend one evening with a bunch of people that you haven't thought about in decades? Chances are, you've stayed in contact with anyone worth keeping in touch with, and the only reason for going to a reunion is to flash your newfound fame and wealth in front of everyone, all of whom are trying to do exactly the same thing. It's a bizarre situation of twisted one-upmanship, and Grosse Pointe Blank's Martin Blank (John Cusack) finds himself enmeshed in such circumstances when he reunites with his graduating class of 1986.

Martin's profession is a bit more exotic than that of any of his former schoolmates. After joining the army and spending five years as a covert operative for the CIA (during this stint, he killed the President of Paraguay with a fork), he went into business for himself as a hit man. Over the years, Martin has developed quite a reputation. His latest job requires him to return to Grosse Pointe, Michigan during the weekend of his ten-year high school reunion. So, on the advice of his reluctant therapist (Alan Arkin), he agrees to try to patch things up with his one true love, Debi (Minnie Driver), and attend the event. Things don't exactly go as planned, however. A rival hit man (Dan Aykroyd) shows up, and soon bullets are flying all over Grosse Pointe.

Summary by James Berardinelli