--- title: "Grosse Pointe Blank: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/grosse-pointe-blank/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/grosse-pointe-blank" critics_score: 74 critics_reviews: 18 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Grosse Pointe Blank (1997): what the critics said Critics' score 74 from 18 reviews: 16 positive, 1 mixed, 1 negative. The reviews lean firmly positive. Most critics enjoy the mixing of hitman black comedy with high-school-reunion romance, and the praise gathers around John Cusack, whose contract killer in a midlife crisis is credited with making an absurd premise human, and around his chemistry with Minnie Driver. The script’s dry, ironic dialogue is singled out repeatedly, as are the supporting turns from Dan Aykroyd and Alan Arkin. Several critics also point to the 1980s soundtrack as the source of the film’s wistful mood, and to Armitage’s direction for keeping the tone steady while the plot wanders. Reservations are few and the spread is narrow. The two dissenters both wrote in 1997: RogerEbert.com calls it a near-miss, admiring the dialogue and the leads but faulting a conventional action climax, while The New Yorker finds a sharp opening giving way to a film that loses momentum and grows self-satisfied. The later retrospective pieces are warmer than the original notices and treat it as an under-appreciated favourite of its era. ## Empire — Caroline Westbrook Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. The review calls the film a real oddity and genre-hopper that succeeds admirably as a risk-taker, highlighting the clever script with ironic witticisms, attractive leads, taut direction that avoids gratuitous violence, and the nostalgic 80s soundtrack. It concludes that the result is one of the smartest, most original studio offerings in a long while and is hugely recommended. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/grosse-pointe-blank-review/) ## The Independent Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 8 August 1997. The critic praises the film's disarming coolness and sparkling comedy, noting its fluid feel and complex issues beneath a typical Hollywood redemption story. They single out the witty script, strong character and emotion, poignant and darkly funny scenes reconciling past and present, Armitage's direction, and the imaginative use of the 1980s soundtrack. [Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/new-films-5555466.html) ## The Telegraph Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 28 April 2022. The critic finds the film hugely charming and one of the decade’s hippest oddities, mixing black hitman humour with screwball romance and middle-age ponderings, punctuated by stylish gunplay and intense fight scenes. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/guns-roses-violent-romantic-delights-grosse-pointe-blank/) ## The AV Club — Keith Phipps Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 29 March 2002. The critic calls it a very funny dark comedy that smartly underplays its absurd situations and lets the characters shine without forced wackiness. Strong praise goes to the comic turns from Cusack and the supporting cast, especially Dan Aykroyd. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/grosse-pointe-blank-1798196029) ## Little White Lies — Adam Woodward Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 7 May 2020. The critic celebrates the film as a comforting rewatch that offers soothing familiarity, highlighting the supercool chemistry between John Cusack and Minnie Driver as the ultimate on-screen pairing. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/in-praise-of/grosse-pointe-blank-comfort-blanket-movie) ## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 11 April 1997. A wild, anarchic comedy follows a hit man to his reunion with darkly playful energy and consistently surprising incidents. Director Armitage and the Cusack-led ensemble keep the comic attitude intact amid the mayhem. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-04-11-ca-47474-story.html) ## Slant Magazine — Chris Cabin Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 7 August 2012. The review highlights the film's deceptively breezy dark comedy and Cusack's self-reflexive performance as a hitman in midlife crisis, noting strong chemistry with Driver and an ace supporting cast. It frames the story as a cynical but hopeful sequel-like companion to Say Anything.... [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/grosse-pointe-blank/) ## The New York Times — Janet Maslin Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 11 April 1997. The film cleverly pairs a hit man's high school reunion with his personal identity crisis, making the premise human and endearing through Cusack's performance. It maintains a jaunty, winsome tone with strong support from the cast. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1997/04/11/movies/the-hit-of-the-reunion-is-just-that-a-hit-man.html) ## Time Out — TCh Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2012. The critic finds this hip black comedy a droll study of the modern American male's neuroses, with Cusack engaging and ironic as the hitman seeking meaning at his high school reunion. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/grosse-pointe-blank) ## Variety — Leonard Klady Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 24 March 1997. The film is hip and absurd without being cloying, succeeding as a romantic comedy with charming leads and vivid supporting turns. Armitage's direction keeps the tone consistent despite the outlandish premise. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1997/film/reviews/grosse-pointe-blank-1200449115/) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 11 April 1997. The film is a near-miss that takes a quirky approach to its hit-man story and high-school reunion setting. The critic praises the witty dialogue, the chemistry between Cusack and Driver, and the quirky characters, but faults the conventional action climax. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/grosse-pointe-blank-1997) ## The New Yorker — Terrence Rafferty Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 14 April 1997. The opening section delivers sharp comic duets and deadpan direction, but the film loses momentum and becomes self-satisfied. It fails to sustain its initial cleverness or willingness to take real risks in the black comedy genre. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1997/04/21/1997-04-21-096-tny-cards-000153263) ## HeyUGuys — Dave Roper Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 26 February 2014. The critic hails the film as a relatively unheralded masterpiece and one of the great under-rated films of its era. He singles out John Cusack's endearing, personable performance as the contract killer protagonist for particular praise, noting how it anchors the film's unique blend of comedy, action, emotion and jeopardy. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/overlooked-hotel-grosse-pointe-blank/) ## Consequence — Dominick Suzanne-Mayer Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 13 April 2017. The critic calls the film a charmer that remains enjoyable 20 years on, particularly for its nostalgic '80s alt-rock soundtrack and the fun of seeing John Cusack's character return to his roots. They single out the elite-tier music selection and Joe Strummer's score as highlights that enhance the wistful tone. [Read the review](https://consequence.net/2017/04/the-clash-led-an-alt-rock-fantasy-with-grosse-pointe-blank/) ## Den of Geek — Aliya Whiteley Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 4 September 2019. The piece positions the film as the older, anti-hero version of Cusack's iconic roles, praising its soundtrack, cast performances (especially Aykroyd and Arkin), and blend of violence with humor while noting the bittersweet ending and themes of optimism versus nihilism. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/grosse-pointe-blank-subverting-john-cusacks-iconic-roles/) ## Collider — Liam Gaughan Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 22 June 2024. The critic commends the film's subversive mix of romance, suspense, and dark humor, arguing it deconstructs assassin tropes with relatable midlife anxieties and strong lead chemistry. It singles out the clever 1980s nostalgia and soundtrack as enhancing the story's emotional core over pure action. [Read the review](https://collider.com/grosse-pointe-blank/) ## Paste — Kenneth Lowe Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 21 April 2022. The critic describes it as a pitch-black comedy and deeply romantic Gen X classic that captures suburban ennui and personal dissatisfaction. It praises the unique voice of the screenplay and how the mix of action, romance, and humor feels rooted in a specific time and place while remaining timeless. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/john-cusack/grosse-pointe-blank-gen-x-rom-com) ## The Playlist — Jason Bailey Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 7 April 2022. The critic praises the film's blend of dark comedy and romance, noting how it stands out from Tarantino knock-offs through its focus on the hitman's existential crisis and genuine chemistry between leads. The review highlights the sweet yet complex central romance and the innovative use of therapy sessions as a recurring motif that influenced later works like The Sopranos. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/grosse-pointe-blank-at-25-groundbreaker-assassin-in-existential-crisis-subgenre-20220407/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/grosse-pointe-blank.md