the morality thing

Anton Sherwood (dasher@netcom.com)
Wed, 8 Oct 1997 19:28:36 -0700 (PDT)

With all this talk of moral ambiguity, I wonder how many of you have
seen the movie _Grosse Pointe Blank_, and what you thought of it.

Martin Blank (John Cusack) joined the army after graduating high
school, and he was found well suited for a job as an assassin, which
he did for the government for several years before going into business
for himself. Now, at 28, he's beginning to burn out. It's just not as
much fun anymore.

Martin's emotional defenses are interesting. Twice when he kills
he says, "It's not me." I didn't cause this.

"A psychopath kills for no reason. I kill for money.
-- That didn't come out right. -- Chances are, if I
show up at your door, you did something to bring me there."

Martin gets an assignment in his home town, by chance at the same time
as his high school reunion. In his hotel room, he toys with various
cover stories to tell his classmates, and discards each. So when asked
what he's been up to, he says experimentally, "I'm a professional
killer," as if joking, and doesn't know how to take the responses
he gets: "Good for you, it's a growth industry." "Do you get dental
with that?" You can see him thinking: Why aren't they either laughing
or appalled?

There have been plenty of amoral movies lately (e.g. _Pulp Fiction_)
but this one is interesting for its moral *skepticism*. I hope I
haven't given too much away. See it if you can.

Anton Sherwood *\\* +1 415 267 0685 *\\* DASher@netcom.com