HIT MAN (2024). Netflix Richard Linklater's pleasant dramatic comedy is about an unassuming college professor, Gary (Glen Powell), who moonlights as an undercover New Orleans cop. His specialty is becoming "Ron" a hit man who helps the police catch would be murder for hire suspects. Gary becomes incredibly good at his job and assumes many disguises for "Ron". He slips up one day and falls for a gorgeous (of course) would be murder conspirator, Maddy (Adria Arjona).
Loosely based on the true story of Gary Johnson, Linklater and Powell's script keeps things light for the most part (the screenplay is based on a Skip Hollandsworth article). The lead performers are well supported by Austin Amelio, Retta, Sanjay Rao and Gralen Bryant Banks as the fellow law enforcement officers Gary works with. The script makes the most of the serio-comic situations. Of course, being a Linklater film, HIT MAN isn't really just about the plot, per se. Gary starts to like how "Ron" has more swagger and ease, and the two characters begin to merge. Powell is good, but, he slips a little too easily into "Ron" at times. A bit more bite could have made the switch more convincing. Arjona more successfully informs her performance with a pinch of darkness and duplicity. Linklater cleverly frames the story as very much a "Hollywood" version of a crime thriller, which makes it go down easier.
Linklater also adapted a Hollandsworth true crime story into his 2012 movie BERNIE, which again was enjoyable enough, but a little too lightweight to really nail the tone he's going for. Fortunately, the performances and wit in HIT MAN is enough to make for an agreeable lark.
Loosely based on the true story of Gary Johnson, Linklater and Powell's script keeps things light for the most part (the screenplay is based on a Skip Hollandsworth article). The lead performers are well supported by Austin Amelio, Retta, Sanjay Rao and Gralen Bryant Banks as the fellow law enforcement officers Gary works with. The script makes the most of the serio-comic situations. Of course, being a Linklater film, HIT MAN isn't really just about the plot, per se. Gary starts to like how "Ron" has more swagger and ease, and the two characters begin to merge. Powell is good, but, he slips a little too easily into "Ron" at times. A bit more bite could have made the switch more convincing. Arjona more successfully informs her performance with a pinch of darkness and duplicity. Linklater cleverly frames the story as very much a "Hollywood" version of a crime thriller, which makes it go down easier.
Linklater also adapted a Hollandsworth true crime story into his 2012 movie BERNIE, which again was enjoyable enough, but a little too lightweight to really nail the tone he's going for. Fortunately, the performances and wit in HIT MAN is enough to make for an agreeable lark.
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