Hit Man. 2024. USA. Directed by Richard Linklater. Screenplay by Linklater, Glen Powell. 115 min.
Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick, Anyone But You) delivers a star-making performance in Richard Linklater’s shape-shifting blend of film noir, romantic comedy, and psychological thriller. As Gary Johnson, a New Orleans psychology professor who moonlights as a fake hitman in police sting operations, Powell becomes the audience’s surrogate in a treacherous but seductive masquerade. What begins as reluctant participation evolves into an intoxicating series of encounters as Gary experiences the dark thrill of being perceived as dangerous—while paradoxically serving as a kind of unorthodox therapist to desperate clients seeking violent solutions to their problems. The tone shifts dramatically when Madison (a mesmerizing Adria Arjona) appears with a classic femme fatale profile: a vulnerable young woman seeking to have her abusive husband killed. As Gary becomes romantically entangled with his client, the threat of exposure looms ever larger. Adding to the pressure is Jasper (Austin Amelio), the suspended cop whose growing suspicion and jealousy introduce a threat of physical danger. Linklater’s most suspenseful film is also one of his funniest, a noir-tinged romance that makes us question not just the masks we wear, but whether we can ever truly remove them.
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