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Martin is reluctant to take this path because that would mean confronting some painful memories, mainly related to his dumping of then girlfriend Debi Newberry (Minnie Driver) on prom night. Besides, he hasn't been back to Grosse Pointe in the past decade and he doesn't feel the need to break the habit. Unfortunately, both Marcella and his therapist Dr. Oatman (Alan Arkin) want Martin to reconnect with his roots via this golden opportunity. When his last, displeased clients force him to reluctantly take on a target in Detroit, near to Grosse Pointe, it seems that the fates are against Martin this time. Anyhow, the visit should allow him to avoid fellow hit-man Grocer (Dan Aykroyd), who wants to form some sort of union, so this cloud has a silver lining.
Arriving back in Grosse Pointe, very little appears to have changed in the intervening years (on the surface, at least). The first thing that Martin does is seek out Debi, now an anchor DJ for the local radio station. Crashing in on her live show, Martin cracks under the pressure of Debi's questioning and winds up making the situation even worse. The problem is that he doesn't know how to feel because he hasn't felt anything in a long time. What Martin doesn't yet know is that a couple of NSA agents, Lardner (Hank Azaria) and McCullers (K. Todd Freeman), are tailing him following a tip-off. Even worse, Felix (Benny Urquidez), a psychotic rival assassin, is out to get him and his family home has been converted into an Ultimart. Can it get any worse?
A strikingly inventive and off-beat mixture of comedy and violence, Grosse Pointe Blank has immense appeal for a certain segment of the film-going public. At heart this is a bleak but touching satire of 80s dreams and lifestyles, pepped up with a dash of romance. Yet this hardly does the film justice, for director George Armitage has a secret ingredient -- an eye for detail. By cramming jokes into every corner and every character, be they large or small, Armitage works hard to keep your attention. Much of the credit for this must go to the screenwriters (of whom there are several), but it's clear that Grosse Pointe Blank required a director of special sensibility. So, by creating a movie which doesn't condescend, but instead makes the audience exercise their intelligence, Armitage has turned out something special.
Central to Grosse Pointe Blank is Cusack; with an inspired performance, he manages to capture the peculiar air of insouciance and fear that hangs around Martin. Morally suited to the profession of hired gun, Martin's character is perfectly matched to his name -- an emotional void with no past and no future. Thus, outwardly, he is in total control, while internally vivid dreams of Debi reveal an obsession he'd like to ignore. Driver, with an equally delicate touch, provides the key that unlocks the long-suppressed Martin. Unsurprisingly hurt and confused by his unexplained vanishing act, the moments when they meet again are a masterpiece of conflicting emotion. Neither knows what to expect from the other, yet they're both keen to attain some form of closure. Unlike many other films, the supporting roles are also superbly written. Aykroyd puts in a great turn as a fellow killer, being witty without going too far, while Arkin and Joan Cusack amuse despite their lack of screen time. These are the pointers to a sharp script and Grosse Pointe Blank scores full marks.
Perhaps the biggest question in Grosse Pointe Blank is not why did Martin leave, but why did everyone else stay? From supposed youthful optimism, his old "friends" all seem to have taken wrong turns, landing them with banal, everyday lives. Sure, they try to deny it with over-compensated bonhomie but you can see the despair in their eyes. Martin, as might be expected, has the most exciting career of the lot. It doesn't help though, for no one believes him when he tells them that he's a professional killer. From such absurdity, the story develops in a surprisingly reasonable arc, integrating action and humour with verve. On top of this (and mixing with the rapid-fire dialogue) lies a classy soundtrack, full of unsettling tunes. Chosen with care and quite in harmony with the uncertain mood, these reinforce the impression that enormous effort has gone into Grosse Pointe Blank. So, while this may be one quirky movie, it handsomely rewards the willing viewer.
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