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Gary Johnson (Glen Powell) is a psychology and philosophy professor at the University of New Orleans. He appears extremely humdrum in other aspects of his life, from his questionable fashion to his two cats and choice of car. However, due to his technological expertise, Johnson also works undercover for the New Orleans Police Department to assist in sting operations by providing hidden microphones, working alongside Claudette (Retta) and Phil (Sanjay Rao). A fellow cop, Jasper (Austin Amelio), plays a fake hitman during these operations, working to elicit confessions from people while his colleagues listen to and record the interactions. When the department abruptly suspends Jasper, they need a last-minute replacement to take his place, with Claudette convincing the hesitant Johnson to step in. Despite his initial misgivings, Johnson is a natural, capably coaxing confessions from his "customers" while creating unique hitman personas for each meeting. However, he changes his approach when a woman named Madison (Adria Arjona) attempts to hire him to kill her abusive husband, Ray (Evan Holtzman). Finding her attractive and charming, Johnson - under the guise of "Ron" - convinces her to leave her husband instead and restart her life. Soon, Madison reconnects with "Ron," and they begin a sexual relationship while Johnson tries to keep the situation a secret.
Linklater and Powell's screenplay deviates from Johnson's real-life escapades; Hit Man is merely inspired by the true story and is not a faithful beat-by-beat replay of the man's life. Although Johnson once talked a woman out of hiring an assassin to kill her abusive boyfriend, the romance with Madison is fictitious; Linklater and Powell use the woman's story as a jumping-off point. Thankfully, the duo concoct a dramatically satisfying and enthralling story, with the feature observing Johnson as his transformation into "Ron" begins to bleed into his personal life, improving his confidence and teaching. Despite its title and subject matter, Hit Man is not an action film, and it is surprisingly non-violent, with Linklater instead creating thrills through the various sticky situations that Johnson attempts to navigate. Additionally, the screenplay touches on the moralistic aspect of Johnson's sting operations, with scenes showing the courtroom aftermath of various arrests, not all of which result in a conviction.
Linklater keeps Hit Man light on its feet, imbuing the feature with extraordinary energy and a snappy pace, with the narrative never losing momentum despite the two-hour runtime. The picture looks slick and colourful, while Graham Reynolds's terrific original score adds further flavour, with Linklater making the most of the meagre budget. Gary Johnson is the juicy character of a lifetime for Powell, who co-wrote the script primarily to create such a role for himself. The up-and-coming star is note-perfect here, with the movie allowing him to play a variety of characters as Johnson adopts different disguises and personas for each operation, including a hysterical Patrick Bateman impression. Powell's charisma is off the charts here, showing a type of old-school Hollywood magnetism that should make him an even more desirable leading man. Powell worked with Linklater on Everybody Wants Some!! in 2016 and 2022's Apollo 10 1/2 before the actor's star-making turn in Top Gun: Maverick, making it all the more satisfying to see him reunite with the director after gaining significant profile. Meanwhile, Adria Arjona is fantastic here, playing Madison as an old-fashioned noir-ish femme fatale. Powell and Arjona share exceptional chemistry, and their pairing is one of the key reasons why Hit Man works. A charismatic supporting cast surrounds the two, with Parks and Recreation alumni Retta bringing genuine personality to her character, while Sanjay Rao also makes a fantastic impression.
Parts of Hit Man's story feel familiar, but the script gives the story genuine dimension and substance, allowing the film to soar. Linklater furthers his cinematic interest in self and identity here, with Johnson believing that social roles shape our identity and that people can change their personalities through determination and practice. One of the year's most pleasing surprises so far, Hit Man succeeds thanks to great writing, great actors and great filmmaking. Linklater executes an intriguing, original premise with sparkling wit and engaging characters, resulting in a slick, funny, sexy and captivating ride that far exceeds the usual standard for braindead blockbusters.
7.9/10
