I must admit, I am somewhat doubtful of the argument that the movie star is dead. On top of our current heavy-hitters, such as Tom Cruise and Denzel Washington, there's the younger generation, such as Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya, waiting patiently in the wings. One thing I do agree with, however, is that when a new star comes along, you just know it. Glen Powell, with his electric charisma and easygoing charm, is that kind of star, and while he's been a standout in the likes of Top Gun: Maverick, Hit Man, the latest from Richard Linklater, is the perfect kind of star vehicle to weaponize his talents most effectively.
Hit Man, somewhat based on the life of Gary Johnson, a college professor/tech guy turned fake hitman in police sting operations, initially seems like something of a strange project for Linklater. After all, it's a mix of dark comedy, romance, and thriller, but in a strange way, it's undeniably in his wheelhouse. Linklater, like his protagonist, is fascinated by human behavior, connection, and, ultimately, the lengths they will go in service of finding that connection. The film's strongest scenes are in the conversations between Gary (Glen Powell) and Madison (Adria Arjona), a potential client turned lover. Simmering with sexual tension, the two fall into an easy rhythm as Gary, under the guise of his Ron persona, begins to find someone on his wavelength while still operating under a degree of tension. How much of this is Ron, the swaggering, ultra-confident hitman, and how much is Gary finally opening up with someone he can trust?
Powell is firing on all cylinders as Gary and his various personas, clearly having a blast as he shifts his vocal tics and physicality to build a perfect idea of a contract killer for his hapless clients. Of particular note is his imitation of Patrick Bateman, a delightful gag, and his strange Tilda Swinton-esque disguise, though Ron, the one with the most focus, makes for a fun lead, as Powell blatantly channels the energy of 80s/90s Tom Cruise in his interactions with Ardojna. As the film goes, the disguise blends with the true personality, and the moment where it truly slips feels like a slap. You don't realize just how many little things go into creating "Ron" until Gary drops it in a hilariously dark moment of weakness. Like the various stings Gary is reluctantly conscripted in, the film wouldn't work without a man committed enough to carry it.
There are some slip-ups, of course. The film's visual palette is somewhat flat, with Linklater content settling on more simplistic, familiar shots in the service of his script, while the film's side characters feel nowhere as nuanced as its leads. He makes up for it, however, with some great sequences, like Gary and Madison acting out an argument to mislead a police wire, Gary silently directing Madison with the notes app on his phone and exaggerated, silent gestures. (Madison's quiet "fuck" as she realizes the police are aware of her life insurance policy on her dead, abusive husband killed me.) Surprisingly, it's quiet tense as well, as Linklater injects a sense of creeping anxiety into the film's back-half conflict, with the near-constant feeling that his double lives could collide at any moment hanging over the audience's head. Like any good caper, it's in these moments where we root for Gary to pull his escape, and the film's climax is fittingly clever and believably dark while still being satisfying, a natural endpoint for a film so focused on behavior and the difficult question of what taking a life entails.
It's a real shame that Netflix, a company largely allergic to making any form of profit, didn't push for a wider cinema release for Hit Man, because there's a lot of fun to be had here. With attractive stars and a good sense of tone, this is a real crowd-pleaser, full of fun twists and good jokes. Netflix films can be hit and miss, but Hit Man, much like its protagonist, oozes charm.
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