Hit Man (2023) movie review

Richard Linklater has been directing great movies since the 90s. He’s an independent filmmaker so most of his movies don’t fall under the domain of commercial cinema. Hit Man is his most accessible movie in years. Released in 2023, the movie has romance, suspense, and comedy all wrapped into something that toys with the typical tropes of these genres, creating a fascinating experience.  The movie is available on Netflix (in most regions) and is a must-watch for fans of these genres.

Glen Powell (check out the review for his hit romantic comedy Anyone But You) stars as Gary Johnson, a man who gets a chance to be a fake hitman for the New Orleans police department. Gary goes all-in on this venture, developing a unique identity to bait each wannabe killer. The movie takes its time to reel us in as Gary falls into this unique profession engaging with people looking to solve their problems via murder.

 One of Gary’s colleagues Jasper (Austin Amelio, Dwight from The Walking Dead) describes him as having a face that is hard to read, making him the ideal candidate to trick people. It’s not hard to figure out what’s in his mind when he meets Madison (Adria Arjona) though. Madison is looking for a hitman to kill her husband. But, she is a breath of fresh air compared to Gary’s other clients.

With the looks of an angel, Gary (in one of his hitman personalities) finds himself enticed by Madison. It’s hard not to. But she also tried to hire a hitman so should Gary get romantic with her? That’s the difficult choice he has to make. Arjona is amazing and dynamic as Madison. In a key scene, when her husband finds the two of them walking out of a club, within seconds Arjona turns from the innocent victim to straight-up gangsta. Gary is surprised too. Was murder a decision made in a moment of weakness or is Madison a femme fatale that mothers warn their sons of?

While these kind of questions pass through your brain, the movie tightens its comedic screws, which is highly unusual. Hit Man moves like a bullet train in its second half, always two steps ahead of the viewer. The screenplay written by Linklater and Powell smartly delves into the neo-noir genre steering it into places unchartered. It answers all your questions as clear as day but you won’t know what to make of them.

Despite the noir elements, the movie is stripped of the genre’s stylistic signatures and instead looks like a romantic comedy. With music that reminds you of Woody Allen movies, the movie has more in common with his quintessential take on the romantic comedy genre than the ones starring Sandra Bullock or Matthew Macounaghy. Linklater’s movies rarely fall into a specific category but here it seems like he’s mashed a dozen of them together. And that makes the movie enjoyable for most mature audiences.

Gary is a role tailor-made for Powell as it makes the best of his inexpressiveness. It’s a fascinating character and in better hands, it could have been a wonder to behold. Having said that, he has his moments like when he confronts Madison during one of the movie’s turning points. But, the terrific script and Arjona’s performance place the movie a cut above the average and a bright light shining in Netflix’s catalogue.