- Bob Thompson

HOLLYWOOD -- John Cusack's a little pasty-faced and slightly dazed, sitting slouched in a Pasadena hotelroom chair.

He was busy flying in from Chicago the night before, and stayed up later than he meant to.

As he faces reporters to promote his latest picture, Pushing Tin, Cusack seems to be mourning this morning.

Yet underneath the exhausted exterior, the actor-producer and sometimes writer should be a happy fellow.

He's 50 pages into the Grosse Pointe Blank sequel he'll star in and produce next year. And he's also starring in and producing a

movie he'll shoot in his hometown of Chicago this summer.

"Stephen Frears is doing it. It's called High Fidelity," says Cusack in a barely-audible growl, referring to the director who put

him through his Grifters paces.

"It's a music industry male confessional. I run the record store, and live in it. I have, like, a fetish for music information."

Cusack cracks a smile at his description, pleased with himself.

He has a lot to be pleased with. The 32-year-old is slowly becoming a film force in this town.

He's in two other movies in '99. One is called Being John Malkovich and the other is a Tim Robbins drama, The Cradle Will

Rock. And there's this. Pre-release buzz is generally positive for Pushing Tin.

Opening Friday, the Mike Newell-directed comedy deals with competitive air traffic controllers working at a stressful Long

Island facility. Cusack plays opposite Oscar-winner Billy Bob Thornton, and holds his own. Cate Blanchett and Angelina Jolie

co-star in the picture, which was shot in Toronto last year.

The fast-talking, smoothly charming Pushing Tin character is a perfect fit for Cusack. Perfect, and he knows it. Knowing things,

you see, is the hallmark of his triple-threat film career.

He has been featured in big studio productions like Con Air and City Hall. But he was just as eager to be a part of such

independent features as John Sayles' Eight Men Out and Woody Allen's Bullets Over Broadway.

Even in the '80s, Cusack ducked the "brat pack" tag by steering clear of "living large" and instead focusing on acting in decent

teen flicks with smart directors -- Cameron Crowe in Say Anything and Rob Reiner on The Sure Thing.

After 16 years as an actor, now writer and producer, Cusack has learned lots, and is still learning.

"I always try to stay away from certain scenes," he says, talking about the high-living Hollywood movie star lifestyle.

"And I've always tried not to get emotionally involved in the hype. Everybody wants to canonize everything that comes out.

"I don't take the short term seriously. I'm more concerned about the long-term, and the process to get there."

Cusack sighs as he rubs at the stubble on his chin. "I've been doing this for a while," he says, sounding weary. "I've seen the

cycles.

"It's like every two years. Then every so often it's my turn to be the flavour of the month. But I realize the stars really have to be

in alignment for a film to work."

Like Grosse Pointe Blank 2. Cusack nods a yes. Or even High Fidelity. Cusack grins at the mention of High Fidelity, since he's

filming it in his sweet home Chicago.

Ah, the joy of graduating to a producer who can choose locations. The joy of making a movie,and also getting to play with your

buddies. Especially the hockey playing buddy with a big cruiser with the big Lake Michigan to cruise it on.

Cusack finally comes alive.

"What am I doing for my summer vacation?" he says, all perky and excited. "I'll be doing a movie in Chicago, and I'll be with

Chris Chelios on his boat."