John Cusack’s Hitman Comedy: Co-Star Remembers Near Disaster Despite 82% RT Score

Despite achieving cult classic status, one of John Cusack‘s lesser-known films faced significant challenges during production, as revealed by his co-star. Initially recognized in the 1980s for his roles in iconic coming-of-age films, including John Hughes’ Sixteen Candles and the romantic dramedy Say Anything…, Cusack has since diversified his filmography to include various genres such as action thrillers, horror adaptations, and disaster movies.

In addition to his remarkable acting career, Cusack has played an essential role behind the scenes, co-writing and producing notable projects like the 2000 adaptation of High Fidelity, which earned him a Golden Globe nomination, and the wild comedy Hot Tub Time Machine. However, his debut as a writer and producer was marred by significant difficulties.

Challenges in the Production of Grosse Pointe Blank

Cusack’s Strategic Decisions Improve the Film

Marking a decade since his last high school film, Cusack’s role in Grosse Pointe Blank showcases a unique spin on the genre. Portraying Martin Blank—a hitman returning to his high school reunion—he navigates personal and professional crises alongside Minnie Driver, Dan Aykroyd, and Alan Arkin. Although Grosse Pointe Blank encountered a rocky start, it eventually received favorable critiques and built a devoted fanbase over time.

Recently, on the show This Life of Mine…with James Corden, Driver reminisced about her experience while filming. Intrigued by the compelling premise of a hitman attending his reunion, she candidly shared that the script initially fell short:

So now we’re making [Grosse Pointe Blank] and the script isn’t really that good, and everyone knows the script isn’t really that good (really). It’s kind of this great idea. Hitman goes back to his 10-year high school reunion, reconnects with the girl he dumped when he disappeared to become a hitman. And we needed to shoot the film, so we shot a couple of days, and I remember it wasn’t really that it was disastrous, but it just wasn’t funny. And it wasn’t working in the way that I think [John Cusack] knew it could.

To address these script shortcomings, Cusack proposed a daring solution to then-Disney studio chief Joe Roth: allow the cast to improvise for a week and reevaluate the footage. Director George Armitage, while hesitant, complied with this innovative approach. Driver continued to explain the collaborative atmosphere that emerged:

So he went to Joe Roth, who was then head of Disney, and said, “Can we just improvise? Will you just give us like a week and watch the dailies and tell me if you don’t think that it’s great?” And George Armitage, who was the director, bless his heart, was kind of, I think, forced to kind of go along with it… We sat there bouncing ideas, going, “Okay, this is what’s going to happen. This is the beginning of the scene. Martin Blank comes to Debbie’s house. We need to show that there is this history between these two, and she’s got to not make it easy for him, and it’s got to be hot. So what does that look like?” We improvised the whole thing.

Driver concluded her reflection by noting that the script evolved continuously, often with pages fresh off the printer. Despite this chaotic workflow, she felt they were part of a revolutionary filmmaking process:

There would be these pages that were still sort of hot off the press that we’d go [do] the next day, and there was this immediacy and this piracy about the way in which we were doing it. It felt like we were going to go up in flames every single day, but we didn’t. And it got funnier and funnier and more and more sort of rooted in the insanity of the story. I knew that this was in a bubble, and I probably wasn’t going to make a film like this again because it was like a runaway train. It was amazing.

Insights on Grosse Pointe Blank’s Production Challenges

Cusack’s Intervention Proved Beneficial

Minnie Driver and John Cusack in Grosse Pointe Blank

John Cusack and Dan Aykroyd in Grosse Pointe Blank

John Cusack in Grosse Pointe Blank - reading in bed

John Cusack with a gun in Grosse Pointe Blank

John Cusack crouching in Grosse Pointe Blank

Although an actor taking decisive control over their project can be a double-edged sword, Cusack’s involvement in Grosse Pointe Blank yielded positive results for the film. The original script’s lack of humor had the potential to derail the project, yet Cusack’s leadership and collaboration with his creative team transformed the film into one of his most acclaimed works. It’s a prime example of how innovative thinking and on-the-spot adjustments can lead to breakthroughs in storytelling.

For more insights, check out the full episode of This Life of Mine… with James Corden.

Source: Screen Rant