If you're familiar with Grosse Pointe, you'll be continually being thrown out of this movie by the liberties it takes with reality. (I lived nearby for nearly a decade and recognized several of the landmarks, which often changed from shot to shot in an impossible fashion.) There's no small radio station in Grosse Pointe, and the likelihood that a luxury home would be demolished and a convenience store
built just across the street from other tony residences is approximately zero. Also, there's no Pointes High School (there's Grosse Pointe North and Grosse
Pointe South, and the school shown in the movie doesn't seem to be either).
The only reason this movie is even set in the Pointes (the term actually covers five villages, called Grosse Pointe Farms, Woods, Shores, Park, and Grosse
Pointe proper) is that the screenwriter obviously came up wtih the title pun first, which of course dictated the setting and required the main character to be
named Blank. It could have happened anywhere, really. I hate that kind of self- conscious cleverness.
Not that I really expected this flick to be realistic; it's a black comedy. Still, this little stuff annoyed me.
But Cusack and the sharp dialog won me over by the end. There seemed to be
legitimate sparks between Cusack and Driver, which is one of the hardest things to fake in a romantic comedy and also, if it's missing, the deadliest (no pun intended). Once you realize the movie is dealing with wacky ideas such as
unionized hitmen, you can relax and enjoy the movie for what it is. It ain't
Shakespeare but it does rise above mediocrity. I rate it 3 of 5.
built just across the street from other tony residences is approximately zero. Also, there's no Pointes High School (there's Grosse Pointe North and Grosse
Pointe South, and the school shown in the movie doesn't seem to be either).
The only reason this movie is even set in the Pointes (the term actually covers five villages, called Grosse Pointe Farms, Woods, Shores, Park, and Grosse
Pointe proper) is that the screenwriter obviously came up wtih the title pun first, which of course dictated the setting and required the main character to be
named Blank. It could have happened anywhere, really. I hate that kind of self- conscious cleverness.
Not that I really expected this flick to be realistic; it's a black comedy. Still, this little stuff annoyed me.
But Cusack and the sharp dialog won me over by the end. There seemed to be
legitimate sparks between Cusack and Driver, which is one of the hardest things to fake in a romantic comedy and also, if it's missing, the deadliest (no pun intended). Once you realize the movie is dealing with wacky ideas such as
unionized hitmen, you can relax and enjoy the movie for what it is. It ain't
Shakespeare but it does rise above mediocrity. I rate it 3 of 5.