MOVIE REVIEW! - 'Hit Man'

'Hit Man' (2024)

Director Richard Linklater and star Glen Powell team up to bring us a romantic thriller black comedy that has plenty of suspense but just as many laughs. The movie is semi-based on the real life of a man named Gary Johnson, a teacher who did also work undercover as a fake hit man. Of course, the movie admits that it is only partially based on Johnson’s actual life.

The movie’s version of Gary Johnson (Powell) is an unassuming professor that seems content with his simple and mundane life as a philosophy teacher. However, he also moonlights as a tech man for the New Orleans Police Department as he sets up wires and cameras and assists with monitoring stings.

Unfortunately, the cop that usually goes undercover as a fake “hit man” in order to get murder-for-hire confessions is suspended just before another operation. In desperation, the cops send in a reluctant Gary to act as the hit man. As it turns out, though, Gary is exceptionally good at taking on the various hit man roles in order to get the confessions.

Then, one day, he meets Maddison Masters (Adria Arjona), a woman who wants to deal with her abusive husband. Instead of trapping her into a confession, he makes her change her mind and leave. She eventually seeks out Gary’s “Ron” persona and thanks him and soon they find themselves in a heated relationship where Gary continues to act as Ron. Nothing could go wrong there, right?

Glen Powell and Adria Arjona star in 'Hit Man'!

The biggest thing going for this movie is Powell and Arjona as the two leads. They have an undeniable chemistry with one another. You actually care and root for their love story on which most of the movie’s plot hinges.

Powell is great as the initially reclusive and nerdy teacher that lives with his two cats and seems content with just being a boring teacher. On the other hand, like his character, Powell can seamlessly transform himself into whichever character he needs to be in order to get the confessions out of his latest targets.

It is quite funny to see Powell in the various versions of Gary’s “hit man” character. It is also quite fun to see how being these various characters changes the real Gary throughout the movie. It may be true that Powell is the next big leading man in Hollywood, especially if he keeps giving great performances like he does in this movie.

Arjona is great as the troubled but yet strong Maddison. She has been through a lot when we first meet her and Arjona is able to portray an abuse victim that you may feel sorry for but not pity. This is because you know she also has a natural strength that begins to come out thanks to Gary’s support and the fact that she was already strong to begin with.

Linklater normally directs independent films so this is new territory for him. Not that he ever had to, but the director definitely proves with this movie that he is a talented director no matter the genre or whether or not it is an art house or mainstream movie.

This is a surprising movie as it could have been a run-of-the-mill romantic thriller with all of the usual predictable beats. However, the movie’s unique premise, some pretty good yet subtle twists, effective black humor, genuinely good performances, and solid direction allow this thriller to stand out in the best way possible.