Banner image: Adria Arjona as Madison and Glen Powell as Gary Johnson in Hit Man. Cr. Brian Roedel/Netflix © 2024
Over the past 30 years, Richard Linklater has proved himself as one of the most versatile filmmakers in the business. From low-budget arthouse flicks, such as Slacker and Dazed and Confused, to ambitious projects like the ‘Before’ trilogy and Boyhood, Linklater’s filmography really runs the gamut.
However, this year, he’s still exploring new territory with the neo-noir screwball comedy Hit Man, which is loosely based on a real story he found in the pages of Texas Monthly magazine.
The film centres on Gary Johnson (Glen Powell), a dorky, introverted psychology professor who – when not birdwatching or hanging out with his cats – moonlights as a fake hitman for the New Orleans Police Department.
Gary works on ‘murder-for-hire cases’. These are sting operations that use phoney assassins to get confessions out of people trying to pay to have someone killed. And he takes on a variety of wacky personas to help make these ploys believable – including elaborate costumes, accents, and makeup.
However, things take a turn when he meets Madison (Adria Arjona), an endearing woman desperately seeking escape from an abusive marriage. Under the guise of Ron – the cool and collected character he’s chosen for the assignment – Gary breaks protocol and tries to steer her away from her criminal intentions, leading to a hot and heavy love affair.
Predictably, Gary soon finds himself caught between these two lives, forcing him to ask the question: which version of me do I want to be?
Glen Powell as Gary Johnson and Jo-Ann Robinson as Society Lady in Hit Man. Cr. Brian Roedel/Netflix © 2024
First of all, the performances in Hit Man are top-notch. Arjona shines as the googly-eyed, slightly off-kilter Madison, and Retta and Sanjay Rao, who play the cops working with Gary, are also consistently amusing.
However, Powell is the real show-stopper. In the film’s first half, Linklater gives the rising star a golden opportunity to showcase his comedic range as Gary cycles through his rogues’ gallery of personas. These include entertaining homages to famous Hollywood killers like Patrick Bateman and No Country For Old Men’s Anton Chigurh.
Some of these early scenes feel almost like Powell is starring in a one-man sketch show. It’s a joy to watch him switch effortlessly between Gary’s nasally nerdiness and Ron’s steely-eyed suaveness, or a sultry southern drawl and a hoity-toity English accent.
The exchanges between Powell and Arjona are also a highlight. Besides their steamy chemistry, the pair display a dynamic comedic back and forth. You can tell they’re having a blast on set and can’t help but get swept along with their enthusiasm.
Adria Arjona as Madison and Glen Powell as Gary Johnson in Hit Man. Cr. Brian Roedel/Netflix © 2024
However, if you look past the performances, it’s not difficult to see that Hit Man has its share of issues. While the concept and characters are intriguing and original, the story feels rushed, leaving little room for character development beyond the very superficial.
When we meet Gary, he comes across as a fully realised character. However, as the plot progresses, and he undergoes a metamorphosis, his actions begin to feel forced and inauthentic, springing from the filmmaker’s desire to hit a story beat, rather than any genuine character development. And since the film centres around the question ‘Can people change?’ (and answers it with a resounding yes), this lack of any real growth will probably leave viewers with an unsatisfied taste in their mouths.
There’s also a frustrating lack of tension throughout. I can’t help but think back on Linklater’s earlier comedy, School of Rock, which also follows a protagonist pretending to be someone he isn’t. In that 2003 family favourite, we watch Jack Black’s Dewey Finn bumble his way through plenty of near misses, as he tries to prevent the world from learning his secret: that he’s not actually a substitute teacher, but a wannabe rockstar loser.
Despite Hit Man’s infinitely raised stakes, Linklater doesn’t seem to recapture the seat-squirming tension of his earlier effort. Gary is an easy character to root for, but his competence and control over every situation mean that we never need to worry about him, resulting in a pretty flat viewing experience.
Glen Powell as Gary Johnson in Hit Man. Cr. Brian Roedel/Netflix © 2024
That said, as you might expect from a Linklater production, Hit Man is competently shot and seamlessly edited. And while the script (co-written by the star and director) has some overarching story issues, the scene-level stuff is delightful, and there are plenty of entertaining moments.
This, combined with Powell’s powerhouse performance and the unique concept, makes Hit Man a perfectly enjoyable crowdpleaser that’ll undoubtedly be a hit for Netflix, even if it doesn’t deliver on some of its potential.
Hit Man is currently streaming on Netflix.
Have you watched Hit Man? If so, what do you think? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.