In September of last year I had the pleasure of seeing one of my favourite filmmaker's newest film in Richard Linklater's Hit Man. Co-written by him and Glen Powell, the film got a ton of buzz during the festival but then kind of faded out of view after Netflix picked it up. Luckily, audiences everywhere are about to get the chance to see it, as the film rolls out in theatres this weekend before hitting Netflix June 7th, and this is a rare movie I would recommend to literally everyone.
The film, based loosely on a true story, follows Gary, a professor and part-time employee at the police department. He begins taking on the role of posing as a hit man in order to expose people trying to have someone killed, leading him to meet a beautiful woman looking to kill her abusive boyfriend. I won't go any further than that because this is a fun ride best enjoyed going in blindly.
Powell has shown his talents as a movie star in films like Top Gun: Maverick and Anyone but You, but this is the best he's been. The film plays around with tone a bunch and he morphs with it beautifully, giving one of the best comedic performances of the decade so far. His character performs the hit man role differently to best suit the inquirer and that leads to a performance with so many different fun angles that I really loved. Adria Arjona plays the female lead and is also great, balancing the desperation of wanting out of an abusing relationship with an enchanting charm that woos Gary instantly. The two are perfect together, making this not only one of the funniest movies you'll see but also one of the sexiest.
The shifting tone is really what makes this so fun. Powell and Linklater have crafted a script that acts as a goofy crime movie, then a sexy romantic comedy, then a Trouble with Harry-esque Hitchcockian thriller. It's a film that constantly evolves making for a viewing experience that never gets stale. It excels in each of these different tones too, it's tense, hilarious, and with a dash of spice (a large dash). The production isn't anything spectacular but features really fun costumes and great hair and makeup. Linklater's abilities behind the camera also help ensure that this is a near flawlessly made film as well as a great time.
Linklater is one of the best in my opinion, and this is among his strongest efforts. Watch this in a theatre if you can, otherwise have a blast with it when it hits Netflix.
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