#1: Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) A PREAMBLE
here is how it is, i managed to dodge the bullet of going to see the stage play of mama mia, in order to do this i agreed to get tickets to see something else, i noticed that The Wedding Singer is now a stage production so in order to cement my not going to Mama Mia i stuck on my video copy of The Wedding Singer for the girl to watch and hopefully enjoy enough to want to go. It was watching this particular film that made me think a few things, the first is that as a film it hasn't really aged well, for a film from the 90s based on the 80s that's kinda saying something, secondly it got me thinking that i have seen plenty of nostalgia of the 80s things which this film has plenty but the 90s is as yet overlooked, maybe i can do something about this, and thirdly i thought, I'm sure there is a better 90s film which gets all nostalgic about the 80s, and then i remembered, so i looked out my video copy (a very 90s act) but it wasn't there, it must be at my mums house still, I will need to remember, so i put a notice on this blog site saying i had a terrific idea, hows about a top 100 list of 90s films, and then i remembered about that missing video, i dug it out. The film in question, the full screen with trailers before it and everything video i am talking about and what will kick off Splice's Greatest Films Ever Made To Come Out In The 90's (the 1990's). 1997's Grosse Point Blank.
40 WORDS OR SO
Black comedy about a hitman with issues who returns to his hometown for a job and also high school reunion. rekindling old feelings for an old girlfriend he rethinks his career but his peers and gov spooks presence in the titular Grosse Point mean, well they mean he cannae.
REVIEW
There are plenty of reasons o love Grosse Point Blank; its funny, its a teriffic script, its well directed, it stars John Cusack who is great in pretty much everything, it has Dan Ackroyd, it has 80s music, good 80s music i might add, in fact i will go into that a bit further later, and its edgy, a cult classic in all its glory but there is one reason, probably the main reason i love this film. Minnie Driver. Back then i loved her, going back to it now, i think maybe it wont be the same, maybe the film is rubbish and i had weird taste years ago. But i didn't and i don't, i still love Minnie Driver, maybe not modern day 2008 Minnie Driver, not seen her in ages so cant comment, no 1997 Minnie Driver playing Debbie Reynolds is my kinda girl, is it the sassy way she talks, is it the curly hair, is it all these things? probably! in fact i can even pinpoint it down to my absolute moment of love first time round and reingnition of the love, when she answers the door then runs back to her bed and jumps on it, she looks in her prime youthful and beautiful, funny and smart, and it makes me want to be back then, but i cant so fuck it. That scene, that part of a scene gets me every time. love it, love her, Grosse Point Blank, best 90s film ever.
But i cant simply sum it up that way, i suppose it has other redeeming qualities, in fact i know it does because i highlighted them before slevering over the quirky female co-star, basically the idea is a stoater, a hitman who is becoming jaded by his job, his psychiatrist who is terrified of him, fellow hitman played by Akroyd (funny as Fuck) wanting an assassins union started, a high school reunion, love story, violence, its all there. a good twist at the end also. John Cusack is one of the best under-rated (is he under-rated? not by me) of his generation, his performance is magical, cant imagine anyone else in this, so much so that i actually want him to get Debbie more than i want me to get her, no higher praise for his character is needed i think. And then there is the music, what actually turned me onto this, like i said it has the 80s nostalgia thing going on like The Wedding Singer but its musical choices are fantastic, plenty of the Clash, The Specials, guns and roses get played, all in all some great choices, the soundtrack is in a word amazing, then the credits reveal that the score was done by Joe strummer, it all makes sense now.
In the end its just a great film, the nostalgia doesn't go over the top, you want the main characters to succeed, the secondary characters are rounded but don't take over, and it has stood up to the passing of time, its still a fresh idea and works even now. Plus there is Minnie Driver, did i mention the green top type thing she wears to the reunion, no? well, oh my god, its tremendous.........................
THE TOP 100, WHERE AND WHY
This is how it works, Grosse Point blank is the first film reviewed so its #1 and also since its number 1 it goes straight in at number 1 on the list, when the next film is reviewed it is placed at either 1 or 2 depending on whether it is thought of a better than Grosse Point, then the third will be the same and so on, here will be a chance to see the thought process of the choice of position, but since this is number 1 then that doesn't happen here. The list will feature and will grow and grow and links to the pages of the the other films will be in the list making it easy to go from one to another. See? It'll all make sense.
1. Grosse Point Blank
Ruud Kerouac
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