Hit Man Synopsis: A mild-mannered professor moonlighting as a fake hit man in police stings ignites a chain reaction of trouble when he falls for a potential client.
Directed by: Richard Linklater
Written by: Richard Linklater, Glen Powell
Released: 05.24.2024
Runtime: 116 minutes
Rated: R
Gary Johnson (Glen Powell) is a professor pf psychology and philosophy at the University of New Orleans who also assists in undercover sting operations for the NOPD. When Jasper, a cop who impersonates fake hitmen to elicit confessions and payments from suspects gets suspended, Gary is reluctantly thrown into the role.
As it turns out, Gary is a natural. He researches each suspect and creates a persona that will appeal to them, making it easier to garner the solicitation. When he meets Madison, an unhappy woman who is looking to have her abusive husband killed, Gary, posing as the charismatic Ron, finds himself attracted to her.
I have been a fan of Glen Powell’s ever since Set It Up (2018) and I am loving all of the films he has been appearing in recently. Hit Man is no exception. It’s a sharply written dark comedy that poses some pretty profound questions about one’s “true self”, and if it even exists.
Powell’s talent is on full display as Gary/Ron and it’s clear he’s going to have some longevity in his career, especially since he doesn’t seem to be typecast, or nailed down to one particular genre. He also shares some sizzling chemistry with Adria Arjona, who plays Madison. Her role is not as flashy as Powell’s, but she holds her own as a wife looking to become her true self after a disastrous marriage. Is she a blossoming flower or a femme fatale?
I absolutely adored Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy, and I see some shades of the creative partnership he shared with Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke in the screenplay he wrote with Powell. The premise is a bit wild, but the characters are still engaging enough to believe that even the most implausible aspects of the movie are… well… plausible. There’s a lot more going on beneath the surface here, and I think Linklater and Powell cleverly disguised the movie’s message of morality and the constructs of one’s self in the wrappings of a sexy, dark rom-com.
Hit Man does have plenty of laughs and more than a couple WTF!? moments. I think the ending may polarize some people, but I found it to be a fitting way to wrap up the story. If nothing else, it will definitely spark some discussion.
Fun fact: Hit Man is based on a true story about the life of Gary Johnson. Obviously there are a lot of liberties taken, but it’s still interesting to look into after you’ve watched the movie.
Watched: 06.15.2024
Notable Song: Such a Night by Dr. John
