This movie tries a bit too hard to be funny and therefore it isn't really fun or funny to watch at all. Besides, what was with its story?
Thing that bothers me about this movie its comedy is that the overall movie has a realistic sort of grounded approach to it, however at the same time with some absolutely ludicrous situations and characters in it as well. It doesn't quite gel. The only 'normal' characters in the movie are the main character but they are surrounded by some absolute fruitcakes, who all do and say some absolutely outrageous and preposterous things. Normally if you would come across persons like this in real life, you would run away fast and never return, or do your best to avoid them in the future but in this movie the main characters keep returning to them, even for some advice on some very serious issues. Totally ridicules, if you are going for a comedy with a more serious type of story-approach, like this movie was obviously going for.
And thing that bothered me about the story is that it's basically treating cheating as something cute and part of modern life and marriage. Seriously, I really don't agree on some of the messages this movie is sending out. Only thing I agree on is that it's a pretty stupid thing to marry a person, when you only know him/her for just a couple of months. Of course you are going to run into some problems along the ride and of course you are going to have your in-differences and annoyances with each other. But that's not just part of marriage but of love in general. Once you are able to get through that period, than things are most likely going to get better for the two of you and you're indeed ready for a serious relationship and in the long run a serious and big commitment, such as marriage.
But enough from Dr. Love, the thing that annoys me about this movie its story is that it not only shows that it's OK and normal to feel for another person outside of your marriage but it tells you that it's OK to act upon it as well. I just don't know who I was supposed to feel and cheer for and what characters I wanted to see end up together, by the end of the movie. Without spoiling anything, lets just say that by the end of the movie I wasn't cheering for any of the couples. Nothing romantic about this movie its story really and it didn't work out for me at all. The developments didn't always feel right to me and I most certainly wouldn't recommend this movie to newlyweds!
Sure, you could say that the movie is going for a more realistic, honest and different type of approach to its subject but I just can't give the movie any credit for it, since it really doesn't work out all that engaging or funny to watch.
Yet, I also just can't hate this movie. I mean, it's just an insignificant little comedy, that I wasn't ever taking serious at all. And how could you, after seeing some of the absolutely silly things that this movie is doing. It's also not without its charm. Despite the fact that it handles its concept poorly, it's still a pleasant movie to watch, in terms of its style and tone. It's all due to the fact this is a very British movie, despite that it also has some American actors and characters in it.
It's a bad movie but not an entirely horrid one to watch as well.
(Review originally written at 19 August 2008) This movie has basically everything in it; comedy, action, romance, drama and whatever more. It doesn't has too much of everything, though perhaps also not enough of some elements. If this movie was done even a bit more light and with a tad bit more comedy added to it, such as for instance in the style of "Midnight Run" or a Coen-brothers movie, this movie would had been just perfect and possible one among my favorites. It's really not like this movie is a failure now but I couldn't help wondering while watching this movie how much better it actually all could had been if it had been a bit more edgier at times. It could had been edgier with its comedy and characters. There are many characters being introduced in this movie but you'll have the feeling most of them are more or less the same. Still the movie works out just fine, due to its mix of genres and therefor its originality. It all works out effectively and you'll basically just have a great time watching this movie. It's also a really well written movie, not just because of its original concept but also because of its fine written dialog. It of course helps that the movie features some great actors to deliver the lines. It's not really the type of movie that follows one main plot-line with a start, middle-point and ending to it but more a movie that stays close to the main character as he wanders through the movie. In a way it foremost is a character movie about a hit-man with emotional problems, trying to re-connect to his past again as he gets send on a job in the same town were his high-school reunion is being held. Sounds dramatic but luckily "Grosse Pointe Blank" is a real light movie to watch, that never forgets that it shouldn't take itself too serious. It's not a movie that will make you laugh out loud but its simply a movie that entertains and therefor it can be regarded as an effective movie. John Cusack is perfectly cast in his role, even though he basically is one of those actors who plays his characters always the same way over and over again. Well, I like him anyway as an actor. Minnie Driver also plays a good female role and Dan Aykroyd, Alan Arkin and Joan Cusack are also all present, among many others. Even though it wasn't all as great and effective as it truly could had been, I still enjoyed watching it. 8/10 Watch trailer
This is a movie that is made in complete comedy style and is also being directed by comedy-man Mel Smith. Yet this is a movie that just has no laughs in it and it's as if they even did tried hard enough.
It's of course a movie with a very simple thin story, that also on top of that is an highly unlikely one, even for comedy standards. The way the entire movie progresses is also rather predictable, which makes this a very little uninteresting and unoriginal movie to watch. It's of course not a movie to take serious in the first place but in that case the movie should had had some more comedy and entertainment in it, which it just simply hadn't. Instead it also tries to be more moralistic, which often is an annoying approach for any comedy. Mel Smith obviously has some comical talent but he yet still needs to proof himself as a good comedy movie director.
Problem is also its two main characters. They are being presented in this movie as strong, smart, independent women but yet they do all these stupid things. So something is wrong here with the approach. And no offense but lets be honest here for a moment, can you at least name 5 good movies that has 2 female characters as the movie's main leads? It's just something that rarely ever works out successfully. especially when you have a movie with a non-serious approach. Females in comical roles also always tend to overact more than males in the same type of roles. This often works as sort of annoying, even though this movie is still bearable with its acting, thanks to the professional acting by Minnie Driver and Mary McCormack, who unfortunately just weren't given a better script to work with.
Also the supporting cast is a good one with actors such as Kevin McNally, Mark Williams and Michael Gambon in it. They still also give the movie some extra flair but you can debate about it if most of their roles were actually really necessary for the movie at all.
It's a movie that has the right style, uses the right actors but yet just doesn't work out as a good and successful enough comedy. The movie seriously lacks laughs, which is especially disappointing for a British comedy and could had used a more clever and originally written script and possibly a different director at the helm.
And thing that bothered me about the story is that it's basically treating cheating as something cute and part of modern life and marriage. Seriously, I really don't agree on some of the messages this movie is sending out. Only thing I agree on is that it's a pretty stupid thing to marry a person, when you only know him/her for just a couple of months. Of course you are going to run into some problems along the ride and of course you are going to have your in-differences and annoyances with each other. But that's not just part of marriage but of love in general. Once you are able to get through that period, than things are most likely going to get better for the two of you and you're indeed ready for a serious relationship and in the long run a serious and big commitment, such as marriage.
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