Netflix has not done their new Richard Linklater Directed/Glen Powell starring movie HIT MAN any favors as it is mis-marketed and upon scrolling through Netflix to figure out what to watch, one would quickly skip this film as the latest “Super-Hero Secret Agent” film with a pretty-boy lead.
One would be mistaken - and would miss a gem.
The first clue that HIT MAN would probably be something different than what you think is that it is Written and Directed by Richard Linklater (BOYHOOD) who is known for human dramas with interesting characters - and with Hit Man he has a very interesting character in the titular HIT MAN, Gary Johnson.
As played by Powell, Gary Johnson is a Caspar-Milquetoast Psychology Professor who moonlights as a “techie” for the local PD. When circumstances force Johnson to go undercover for the Police as a faux Hit Man, he transforms into a totally different human being.
This transformation of Johnson works well under the direction of LInklater. But the bigger surprise is the performance of Powell as Johnson and all the various HIT MEN he assumes the identity of.
A leading man that has been seen in many, many projects recently (most notably starring opposite Sydney Sweeney in the by-the-numbers RomCom ANY BUT YOU), Powell has been good (and sometimes very good) but in this film he is GREAT. It’s the best performance (by far) by Powell as he assumes the identities of several fake Hit Men and then the line between fantasy and reality begins to blur.
Mostly, this blurring is done when one of Gary Johnson’s Hit Man personas, Ron, encounters a potential client, played by Adria Arjona (the 2022 remake of FATHER OF THE BRIDE) who is trying to hire him to get out of an abusive relationship.
And this is where the RomCom aspect of this film kicks in, but Linklater deftly pivots away from sentimentality and more towards human drama wrapped in some RomCom/Comedy Adventure shenanigans.
And, I’ll be darned. It works very well.
Joining the fun are RETTA (Parks and Recreation) and Sanjay Rao (THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT) as the Undercover unit working with Gary along with Austin Amelio (Dwight in THE WALKING DEAD and FEAR THE WALKING DEAD) as the undercover cop who’s job is taken from Gary and who wants to discredit him to get his job back.
Not the deepest of films, but one that has an interesting underbelly of what makes a person the person that they are wrapped in a Romantic Comedy/Adventure film that is surprisingly entertaining.
And just might make me give Glen Powell more credit for his performances in the myriad of films he is in these days.
Letter Grade B+
7 1/2 (out of 10) stars and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
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