Hit Man (2023) Review!!

Synopsis – A professor moonlighting as a hit man of sorts for his city police department, descends into dangerous, dubious territory when he finds himself attracted to a woman who enlists his services.

My Take – Though the Netflix rom com Set It Up (2018) hinted at the charms of a future leading man, following a bunch of impressive supporting roles in features like Everybody Wants Some!! (2016) and Hidden Figures (2016), with the massive success of Top Gun: Maverick (2022) and Anyone But You (2024), Glen Powell has undoubtedly reached at the top of the line to become a bona fide movie star, with multiple studios betting on him big time.

And if anyone has any doubts about what he brings to the table, they should immediately start streaming this latest Netflix release. Which unlike the run of the mill action flicks and period romances that are sputtered out on the streaming platform every other week, manages to be among its freshest, and most original cinematic offerings.

Marking the fourth collaboration between Powell and Richard Linklater, the legendary filmmaker behind Boyhood (2014) and the Before Trilogy, who co-wrote the film together, this quirky feature makes for an interesting and welcomed departure from the usual rom coms as it lovingly pays homage to film noir, screwball comedy, and even the good old psychosexual dramas.

Though based on a real person, with the details of the story being made up, the film works as a measured blend of smart humor and seductive undertones, making for a film that hums along nicely, never being anything less than an all-around rollicking good time.

Most importantly, the film will be remembered as another successful addition on Glen Powell’s increasingly interesting and growing filmography, which as of now includes a Twister sequel and a Running Man (1987) remake from director Edgar Wright, among others.

The story follows Gary Johnson (Glen Powell), a mild-mannered, cat-loving geeky professor of psychology and philosophy at the University of New Orleans, who also helps the New Orleans Police Department with tech support on sting operations revolving around soliciting murder-for-hire confessions and receiving payments from “customers”.

But when Gary’s police colleague Jasper (Austin Amelio) who normally pretends to be the hired killer is suspended for brutally attacking two youths, his two other colleagues, Claudette (Retta) and Phil (Sanjay Rao), convince Gary to take over from the universally loathed Jasper, much to his dismay. To everyone’s surprise, within minutes of taking on the task, Gary suddenly morphs into another character and is so convincing that they hand him over the operation till Jasper comes back.

Even Gary soon finds himself becoming more and more immersed, adding further, chameleon-like layers of disguise and character traits to mirror whoever is about to be stung.

However, things become really complicated when his character, Ron, is approached by Madison Figueroa Masters (Adria Ajrona), a beautiful and terrified housewife who wants her abusive husband killed. As the sparks between the two begin to fly during a hilarious but flirty exchange, Gary, who is clearly enjoying himself as Ron, finds himself conflicted. Sending his phony existence spiraling out of control.

Without a doubt, director Richard Linklater hasn’t been in this form, for a while. The script, written by Linklater and Powell, takes a couple of cinematic liberties while following a narrative inspired by a real person. These liberties pay off in the film’s favor since they all serve a purpose. Due to its psychological depth, the film largely remains unpredictable.

The early sections of the film are particularly a ton of fun with the very unusual concept, allowing the character of Gary Johnson ample opportunity to show off his very particular set of skills.

In a hilarious montage, the film showcases some of Gary’s sting operations, which led him to dress up as a Russian killer, a redneck red-stater, a gang-banging thug, and a Patrick Bateman-type so convincing that toxic men will start asking for his morning routine.

Yes, some of its comedy feels underwhelming but, nestled amongst the missed jokes is a genuinely engaging narrative. Just when you think the film is turning into another run-of-the-mill genre flick, it throws another surprise that makes you recalculate everything. Each confrontation and situation Gary finds himself in leaves you wondering how he could possibly get out of it.

Perhaps the most twisting and twisted character is Madison, the wife and victim of an abusive husband. Unlike Gary, who plays out small cons to catch criminals, Madison plays the long game, pushing the film through its frequently shifting third act.

Like most Linklater films, there is a theme of self-discovery, with the script asking whether our personalities are fixed, or if a new self is just a matter of taking the right steps. But despite discussing the psychological subtext of Gary’s arc, the film never turns into a bland lesson.

Besides, it masterfully handles the tonal shifts between different genres and weaves them into a complex identity-driven drama. Most surprisingly, though it takes blockbuster-esque aesthetic choices, Linklater’s masterful direction injects moments of profound darkness, making for a surprisingly nuanced experience.

Performance wise, an effervescent Glen Powell absolutely nails a wide array of personalities. Powell is always more believable as Gary’s smooth alter ego than he is the buttoned up nerd, but in some ways that fits into what the film is trying to say. It would have been easy to have endless montages of him in prosthetics and bad accents, but for the most part he’s endlessly watchable, carrying the film’s quieter moments with the charisma of an old-fashioned movie star.

Matching him perfectly is Adria Arjona, who gives her role edge as a woman who is going through her own identity crisis. Their chemistry is absolutely electric. In supporting roles, Austin Amelio, Retta, Sanjay Rao and Molly Bernard are plenty of fun. On the whole, ‘Hit Man’ is a very entertaining quirky romantic crime comedy anchored by its layered screenplay and sexy chemistry.