When life gets out of whack ollywood loves assassins, even if they're usually a little messed up in the head.</p><p> That's why even John Cusack - one of the most likable actors around - has played cold-blooded killers at least twice.</p><p> In 1997s "crosse Pointe Blank," Cusack was a multitasking hit man headed to his old hometown for a job - while also taking time to attend his high-school reunion.</p><p> And in "War, Inc.," opening Friday, Cusack plays an assassin with issues who's ordered to eliminate a Middle Eastem oil minister.</p><p> Here are other films where hit men (and women) deal with marital problems, memory problems, mommy problems and even game-show problems.</p><p> THE BOURNE IDENTITY(2o,o.2> Ilre targEt In this case, the target is the killer himself.</p><p> Jason Bourne (an intense Matt Damon) is a rogue agent with amnesia who stills knows more than is good for him.</p><p> And the govemment wants him dead.</p><p> Bfs'qer The guy can incapacitate someone with a ball- point pen - do you really think a stodgy govemment can nail him down? MR.ANDMRS.SMITH(200s) The talg€t Couples therapy was never this explosive.</p><p> Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt play a bored married duo who are both assassins - and who don't realize they're each othefsmain competition until they're ordered to off each other.</p><p> Btdl+eye: Bnngelina has been togeffpr ever since this movie, the biggest hit ofthe stars'careers.</p><p> They've adopted and had their own children - but have yet to spawn a sequel.</p><p> THEMANCHURIAN CANDfDATE(2OO4) - Ite taryet Diabolical agents (in the classic 1962 original, it was Communists; here itb Big Business) brainwash a war hero and congressman (Liev Schreiber) into serving as their on-call assassin.</p><p> Plus, Mom (Meryl Streep) is a U.S. senator who is very, very fond of her son.</p><p> BulPs.eye: The good guys win one, in a bleak sort of way, with a mother-and-child reunion at thefinale brought r:rii on by the bullet of another assassin. the not- so-easily-duped Denzel''n Washington.</p><p> THE BrG HrT0998) fln targeft Hyper-polite Melvin Smiley (a very tunny Mark Wahlberg) uses his job as a killer to take his mind off a pushy girlfriend and another who's plain annoying. &ls.€ile: Smiley, who's framed for kidnapping a sexy schoolgirl, tries to dump two girls and win the heart of a third.</p><p> Not difficult, since he's the kind of guy who can return overdue videotapes in the middle of a gunfight PRfZZTS HONOR O98s) Tln ta|gl€t: Ever complain about your spouse not appreciating how hard your job can be? That's exactly how hit man Jack Nicholson and hit woman lGthleen Turner feel when they meet in a bar and spark fly.</p><p> BuFs.€Ue: Tempers flare when each is ordered to kill the other. which makes developing a relationship problematic.PULPFICTION oee4) fhehrget Two hit men (John Travolta and Samuel L.</p><p> Jackson) stop at a diner after completing a job and stumble upon a holdup.</p><p> Pop music, a gold watch, a needle plunged into a chest and some cool dancing ensue - not necessarily in chronological order. &ffs'e1e: Travolta sticks to his plan of retiring (made after a guy misses him repeatedly at point-blank range) and Jackson frees the holdup couple, though not before reciting a fiery biblical passage one last time.</p><p> CONFESSIONSOFA DANGEROUSMTND (2OO2). flnta4et "The Gong Showg' Chuck Barris (Sam Rockwell) is absolutely fond of drugs, definitely a globetrotting game-show host - and possibly a trained CIA assassin.</p><p> BuFs.eye: lt's hard to tell if Barris completes his mission, since we're not even sure heb on a mission.</p><p> But Gene cene the Dancing Machine will be there to comfort him with some nifty moves no matter what.</p><p> Michael GilE(,1 o.=(I) (I' Q=ulz = cl @ o N @ d (E (U oc U)
