Hit Man
Premiered at the Venice Film Festival Sept. 5, 2023
Released in select theaters in the US May 24, 2024
Streaming on Netflix as of June 7, 2024
Directed and co-written (with Glen Powell) by Richard Linklater
Starring Glen Powell, Adria Arjona, Austin Amelio, and Retta
Watch Time: 115 min.
When we watch movies together, which is about once a week, K and I take turns making the selections. This past weekend, she chose Hit Man, a recent release on Netflix that she said had received rave reviews.
Plot: A mild-mannered professor moonlighting as a fake hit man ignites a chain reaction of trouble when he falls for a potential client.
It is a dark comedy loosely based on a 2001 article in Texas Monthly by Skip Hollandsworth – the true story of undercover hit man Gary Johnson. And in my opinion, the true story would have made a fascinating documentary, maybe even a very good movie, had Linklater and Powell not tampered with it as much as they did. (Click here for the facts.)
But that’s my opinion. As I said, Hit Man received rave reviews… and I don’t know why.
It has a good premise: A nerdy physics teacher gets a part-time job working for a police sting operation. He is hired to work the computers in the stake-out truck, but one day he has to play the role of the supposed hit man, talking to and taping suspects who believe they are paying him money to have someone killed.
The first 30 minutes of the movie is that scene repeated about six or eight times. Then the plot changes: The nerdy hit man falls in love with one of his targets – an irresistibly sexy woman (Adria Arjona) who claims she is being abused by her husband. Ten or 15 minutes of hot and romantic comedy follow, then the plot sort of falls asleep until, about 30 minutes before the end, there is another plot twist. “Okay,” I thought. “Not great so far, but maybe this is going to pay off.”
But the denouement didn’t live up to my expectations. It was weirdly immoral in the most disturbing way. It actually depressed my mood for the rest of the evening.
I checked again today and, yes, Hit Man got almost universal praise from critics.
I’m wondering: What I was missing?
Critical Reception
* “This is a quite entertaining romantic comedy that is masquerading as a fake film noir for a good portion of the film.” (Brian Tallerico on the Roger Ebert website)
* “Hit Man reveals itself in classic Linklater fashion. Below the shiny and accessible surface lies something more expansive, waiting for anyone that might be open to it.” (Robert Levin, Newsday)
* “Hit Man offers pleasure on numerous fronts: the playful chemistry between Powell and Arjona; the funny camaraderie between Gary and the cops; the screenplay’s elegantly twisty triangles.” (Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times)
You can watch the trailer here.
