Hit Man-A Film That does Everything it Can With its Fake Hitman Premise

Hit Man does everything it can with its fake hitman premise. The film begins with sequence after sequence of the protagonist, Gary Johnson, putting on different disguises and personas, each one a different humorous spoof of pop culture hitman archetypes. One moment, Gary's persona could be a Patrick Bateman type, complete with fancy hair and a suit. The next moment he's a Russian type in a jumpsuit or a redneck type with sunglasses and a bandana wrapped around his head. What makes all these scenes work is Glenn Powell's lead performance, as the man's pure charisma shines throughout the film no matter what goofy disguise or voice he adopts. Richard Linklater wisely capitalizes on Powell's formidable charm, using long takes and close-ups to highlight his presence in each scene.

The film kicks into high gear when Gary meets Madison, played by Adria Ajorna. At this point, the film transitions into a full-fledged romantic comedy. It all works because of the two actor's incredible chemistry. There's an equal sweetness and sensuality to their dynamic together. There's an almost Noir-like feel to the duo's dynamic, with Powell, as Gary's persona, Ron, having the suave, sophisticated energy of a Film Noir protagonist, and Ajorna perfectly playing a femme fatale type.

But within this incredibly entertaining and, at times, extremely romantic story, there's a fascinating exploration of themes of identity and performance. As Gary puts on these different personas, they affect them and change him, particularly when he dons his Ron persona during his interactions with Madison. By the end of the film, through the many twists and turns, Gary fully dons his Ron persona, becoming a more confident, if morally questionable, person. Through this, the film explores how the performances we put on for others can affect and change us. The film spells out this thematic throughline through scenes of Gary giving college lectures interspersed throughout.

The film does drag a bit in the second act, which slightly drags out scenes of Gary/Ron and Madison's unconventional relationship. However, it then culminates in a third act in which Gary's real life and his life as Ron begin to intertwine to some delightfully unexpected results. It all leads up to an ending that's simultaneously incredibly romantic and brilliantly unexpected.

It all makes Hit Man into a film that gave me everything I expected from it and more. The film does everything it can comedically with its premise while having some unexpectedly intelligent things to say about the performances we put on for others. It makes for a brilliant, hilarious, and, at times, quite romantic film.

Now Streaming on Netflix in the U.S.