John Cusack's best movie

I think you are taking the movie too seriously

it's a romantic comedy ffs

am i the only person who thinks cusack's kinda the weakpoint of malkovich?

Nope. While I know he's playing the straight man I want more lines that aren't at his expense.

"assassin" is his job, he treats it like most of us treat punching the time card at a mundane job. he doesn't even really enjoy it that much.

Joan Cusack's asides in GPB are worth the price of admission ("It was as if everyone had swelled").

Also: John making fun of her outfit ("Sgt. Pepper").

shakey you should see america's sweethearts, it addresses alot of the problems you have w/ gpb

2 votes for 2012... really?

Yeah exactly, the assasin thing is played casually like its a job he's weary of like anyone else would be, as he re-assesses his life completely hence the reunion thing.

Also, a fucktonne of hilarious dialogue, how anyone cant find it funny I do not know. Fuck even Piven is bearable in this film.

"TEN -- YEARS!"

the Piven-Cusack exchange about their old friend who works at Pizza Hut ("Let's not go there").

(We often yell out "TEN .... YEARS! TEN YEARS!" for no reason at my place.)

LOL xpost

the convenience store blowing up is pretty boss too.

"man Caddyshack was a terrible movie, Chevy Chase wasn't a credible golfer..."

and EVERY SCENE with Alan Arkin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2uCXOKxfjU&feature=related

"You ok?"
"Course I'm not ok! I'm hurt... I'm pissed... and I gotta find a new job!"

Haha yeah the psych scenes.
"Sure I'll give it a shot"
"NO! Don't shoot anything"

hahahaha yes.

"Martin it's a terrible dream, it's a depressing dream. It's got no brain, got no blood...got no aenima!"

If only Cusack had done Killing Zoe...

"assassin" is his job, he treats it like most of us treat punching the time card at a mundane job

just conceptually this makes no sense to me

its like the premise of Cars. does not compute

"Design division wants me dead over a leaky sun-roof? You want to kill me for that?"
"It's not ME! Why does everybody think it's personal?"

Assassins get paid money.

for the job.

"man Caddyshack was a terrible movie, Chevy Chase wasn't a credible golfer..."

nah he is totally believable. tons of golfers are like that. (lol Bill Murray)

liked gross pointe blank a lot, though it's been a while. it's got good jokes & likeable characters, the soundtrack is enjoyable, the basic idea is absurdly funny, and the romantic angle works pretty well. can see why it was such a big hit.

personally, i was bothered by the film's failure to take john cusack's character seriously (a weird thing to fault a comedy for, i know). like it sets up this awesome black comedy situation, but then doesn't have the balls to follow it through. i think i'd have enjoyed it twice as much if it didn't try at the last minute sidestep the fact that the main character is a monster ― delusional, violent, dead inside and entirely amoral.

if his job is so boring and mundane why does he feel compelled to conceal it from his friends

It wasn't a hit actually, but I saw it in everyone's dorm on VHS for the next few years. Everyone who saw it started a John Cusack tribute band.

BECAUSE ASSASSIN ISN'T EXACTLY A PROFESSION THAT ENDEARS PEOPLE TO YOU

(xpost)

no need to yell

i think i'd have enjoyed it twice as much if it didn't try at the last minute sidestep the fact that the main character is a monster ― delusional, violent, dead inside and entirely amoral.

It did come through! We owe a lot to The Grifters for showing how Cusack's romantic side had a cold mean one too.

and the reason the job of assassin does not endear you to people is because.... it's violent/illegal/morally suspect/dangerous/highly unusual... ie, things that are the opposite of boring and mundane

Grifters is a way better movie

guess it was one of those slow-build hits, like video sales and rentals forever, successful soundtrack & dorm poster, etc.

the ending of the Grifters is fucked UP

xp

xxpost things that are the opposite of boring/mundane to OTHER people. not necessarily someone who's been doing it for over a decade and has grown tired of it.

Maybe it's a stretch, but Cusack's character is one of the few believable sociopaths I've seen in recent years. He's bullshitting with Piven in the car, flirting with Driver, chatting up her old man, but he kills people in a professional manner. Maybe this tension bothers Shakey.

I mean someone who finds the high-tension violence of killing people boring is, as contenderizer points out, basically a monster. but cusack is not portrayed as a monster. he's just a loveable guy! who wants to go to his reunion! WTF
xp

he doesn't want to go to his reunion! he's only in town because he's supposed to whack somebody in town the same week!

He's a very BOTHERED guy also, or did you miss that?

(who happens to be Minnie Driver's dad) xpost

grifters is a way better movie. fewer laughs, though.

though i didn't vote, my favorite cusack would probably be a toss-up between grifters, being john malkovitch and better off dead. gross pointe blank in at #4.

I mean someone who finds the high-tension violence of killing people boring is, as contenderizer points out, basically a monster. but cusack is not portrayed as a monster. he's just a loveable guy!

No he's not.

bothered and lovable are not mutually exclusive. in fact combining the two is Cusack's whole schtick

xp

he's feelin uneasy, man

his face in the scene where Minnie Driver is interviewing him in the radio station...very blank, no emotion.

I never said they were, but thats also what makes it good! xpost

Also, I voted for it because it is FUNNY. Sod the believability.

nah Trayce he's convinced me (throws away DVD)

Cusack's character is one of the few believable sociopaths I've seen in recent years

have you heard of this little movie American Psycho. Which is also funnier than GPB

they show him kill a bunch of people in fairly brutal ways so i guess i'm just not seeing how you didn't get the cold-blooded killer part

I just dont over-think movies ever like this, tbh. But this is why I'd never read ILFilm in a jillion years.