Hit Man is a 2023 American romantic black comedy film produced and directed by Richard Linklater, who co-wrote the screenplay with Glen Powell, based on the 2001 Texas Monthly magazine article of the same name by Skip Hollandsworth.
Hit Man, directed by Richard Linklater, finds the alluring spot between comedy and noir, boosted with a charismatic turn from actor Glen Powell.
Hit Man premiered at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on September 5, 2023, and was released in select theaters in the United States on May 24, 2024, before its streaming debut by Netflix on June 7. The film received praise from critics.
Hit Man – Official Trailer (2024) Glen Powell, Adria Arjona, Comedy Movie
Gary Johnson is the most sought-after professional killer in New Orleans. To his clients, he is like something out of a movie: the mysterious gun for hire. But if you pay him to rub out a cheating spouse… pic.twitter.com/RTY217gkkA
— Movies Magic with Brian (@MMagicwithBrian) April 18, 2024
The storyline of the movie Hit man
The solid storyline based on an interesting premise and quite humorous with a few laugh-out-loud moments. Good character development, particularly around the two lead characters, Maddison and Gary, with both Glen Powell and Adria Arjona showcasing charisma and comedic timing. A new black comedy that should attract good audience numbers.
Plot of the movie Hitman
A philosophy professor by profession, Gary Johnson (Glen Powell) assists the New Orleans police undercover unit with recording technology on a part-time basis. They have the contact information for a hit guy on the loose, so they capitalize on our fiction-induced assumption that murders are paid. A cop steps in whenever someone contacts out, ordering the murder to be recorded.
But one day, Gary—the most uninteresting man alive—is called upon to step in when their regular person is unable to attend the meeting. It turns out that he likes doing it and is good at it. He begins studying his targets and creating personas for himself based on what he thinks they would think of as a hitman.
Powell, who combines his innate charm with a fantastic comedic range, looks to be having a great time with it as is Gary. Things are going nicely for a while. In addition to examining the issues he’s been thinking about regarding the nature of identity, Gary views the work as a field test for his day job. After that, he meets Adria Arjona’s Madison. She called a meeting to deal with her controlling and violent husband, and Gary shows up as Ron, who is essentially the complete antithesis of him—slick, impulsive, and laid back.
They bond right once, and as their conversation becomes flirty, he views her as a decent person in a difficult circumstance. He goes rogue and encourages her to leave her spouse rather than take the drastic path she had planned, all without revealing himself. She leaves without revealing anything, and Gary gets reprimanded by his coworkers for acting like a therapist. However, Madison quickly makes contact once more. Now that she is single, she wants to get together with Ron, the hit guy.
The real test of identity now presents itself. Will Gary alter fundamentally if he is Ron enough times? Hit Man makes sure not to squander this fantastic idea. Powell and Linklater co-wrote the narrative, and the concept of role-play is woven throughout. Its use as a humorous device is obvious, yet the film also shows a serious philosophical interest in it, examining whether identity is always determined by one’s ability to play a part, which makes it malleable, or by something more fundamental, which makes it constant.
Glen Powell and Adria Arjona the chaotic duo
Adria Arjona and Glen Powell possess considerable comic skill and charm to captivate the attention of onlookers. Hit Man has all the makings of a great screwball comedy, plus a dash of noir and action thriller components.
Hit Man is nothing less than a euphoric cinematic experience, with superb writing that strikes a good mix between being thrilling and suspenseful with its bizarre sense of humour. It seems like this is just the beginning of Linklater and Powell’s flourishing collaboration, as they both remarkably demonstrate that they have a vast amount of untapped creative potential.
This is best demonstrated in a moment when Powell’s Gary is aware that the police are listening in, and the two protagonists are compelled to stage an intense dispute that will make any audience laugh or cry. Peeling back the layers of Powell and Arjona’s performances is so funny; they are doing double roles, which doubles the hilarity of their exchanges.
Cast of the movie Hit man
Glen Powell as Gary Johnson, college professor and tech guy turned undercover mole. Adria Arjona as Madison Figueroa Masters, Gary’s love-interest. Despite them, we will also see Austin Amelio as Jasper, an undercover cop. Retta as Claudette, a police officer Gary works for. Sanjay Rao as Phil, a police officer Gary works for. Molly Bernard as Alicia, Gary’s ex-wife and Evan Holtzman as Ray, Maddy’s ex-husband.
Production of the movie Hit man
Before the 2022 Cannes Film Market, Hit Man was announced as a new film for sale internationally. The screenplay was based on “Hit Man”, a Texas Monthly article by Skip Hollandsworth, and written by Richard Linklater and Glen Powell, who would also direct and star, respectively.
AGC Studios reported strong sales for international distribution at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival. Powell was joined by Austin Amelio, Retta, and Molly Bernard in October 2022. Filming began in New Orleans in October 2022, and production was completed that November.
Premiere and Release date of the movie Hit man
Hit Man had its international premiere at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on September 5, 2023. It was followed afterward by its North American premiere on September 11 at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
Netflix acquired distribution rights to the film for $20 million at TIFF, making it the largest film deal of the festival and of 2023, with plans for a theatrical release as well. It was released in select theaters in the United States on May 24, 2024, before streaming on Netflix starting on June 7, 2024.
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