It feels like the disclaimer, “Based On A True Story” means less and less these days, as filmmakers seem to play fast and loose with the facts more and more. Nowhere has this felt more evident than with Hit Man, Richard Linklater’s collaboration with his star, co-writer and co-producer, Glenn Powell. Inspired by Skip Hollandsworth’s 2001 Texas Monthly article, the real story of Gary Johnson occurred decades ago, whereas the film takes place in present day. With that as its baseline, all bets are off when it comes to us experiencing a true biopic. In all fairness, the movie opens with a card identifying itself as a “somewhat true story”, so don’t expect a documentary and definitely don’t expect a whiz bang action film. Instead, Linklater and Powell have deconstructed the genre by combining a dark thriller with a sizzling rom-com. As such, it’s one of the most deliriously satisfying, star-making, witty, and fun movies of 2024. I mean, with the glut of CGI-centric comic book fantasies out there, when was the last time you actually rooted for two complex characters to find their happy ending?
Powell plays Gary, a loner who teaches psychology and philosophy at the University of New Orleans by day and moonlights as a technical assistant for the police department. He, along with his colleagues played by Retta and Sanjay Rao, wiretap conversations as Austin Amelio’s Jasper poses as a hit man to entrap those seeking to hire him. One day, when Jasper cannot continue his ruse, nerdy Gary steps in and to everyone’s surprise, has a natural gift for giving his potential employers exactly what they want. Before long, Gary’s services skyrocket, as does his arrest record.
All can’t continue this way forever or else we wouldn’t have a movie, and so it goes when Gary takes a meeting with Madison (Adria Arjona), an abused wife who wants him to kill her husband Ray (Evan Holtzman). Feeling empathy for her, Gary breaks with protocol and convinces Madison to walk away. This interaction leads to a relationship between the two consisting of equal parts sexual heat, role playing, and genuine affection. Although we have many moments in which Gary dons various disguises designed to make his clients feel at ease, including one hilariously queer-coded foppish gent with a penchant for tight black gloves and snoopy bangs, the real heart of the movie lies with Powell and Arjona’s electrifying chemistry. They click so well, I almost felt guilty eavesdropping on the birth of two powerhouse movie stars.
Linklater largely stays out of their way with some of the most unfussy filmmaking of his career. Instead of goosing up scenes with circling cameras and such, he presents his characters mostly by using medium closeups and standard over-the-shoulder coverage. This style, or lack thereof, generously allows us to feel these people without the unnecessary flourishes lesser directors would utilize. Forget Top Gun: Maverick and Anyone But You. In a perfect world, Hit Man should be the movie to make Powell a major star. He not only gets to demonstrate tremendous range, but he’s also a stellar writer. Arjona tackles what could have easily been a male gaze fantasy object by humanizing Madison from her very first scene and onward. One showstopper scene set during a sting operation involves Powell, Arjona and a well-used Notes app. This sprawling sequence delivers on so many levels, including deception, humor, and the pangs of a deepening love, that the audience erupted into applause at its conclusion.
Hit Man also has a strong supporting cast, with both Retta and Rao bringing their considerable comedic chops to the table. Amelio, best known as Negan’s long-suffering henchman on The Walking Dead, gives a star turn of his own as a sharply observant officer with his own nefarious agenda. It’s so much fun to watch his character read the room.
While the film has all the makings of a fun romp or an exciting caper, the filmmakers defy expectations and deliver a measured, talky story filled with enough breathing room to care about its characters, a trademark of Linklater’s when you think about it. The script also makes room for philosophizing about our true natures and the inherent desire to grab life by the balls. Although the film starts streaming on Netflix June 7th, it deserves to be seen on the big screen during its theatrical release so that you can sit back with a tub of popcorn and swoon again. This may not be a completely true story, but Hit Man is the real deal.
By Glenn Gaylord, Senior Film Critic
Hit Man opens in slect theaters on May 24th and starts streaming on Netflix June 7th.
