Glen Powell displays killer charm in "Hit Man," a snappy comic thriller that's part neo-noir rom-com, part philosophical gut check.
Powell, the ace supporting player from "Top Gun: Maverick" who elevated himself to leading man status with winter's surprise hit "Anyone But You," plays Gary Johnson, a meek, divorced New Orleans college professor who lives alone with his two cats and drives a perfectly sensible Honda Civic.
He does part-time undercover work with the New Orleans police department, helping out as a tech consultant on sting operations, but he gets thrown into the field when he's asked to pose as an assassin for hire to nab those seeking his services. And what he finds is that while impersonating a contract killer he talks a pretty good game, and the side of his personality it awakens in him is the jolt of electricity he needs to shake up his day-to-day life.
Gary has put away a handful of marks by the time he meets Maddy (Adria Arjona), who comes to him to have her abusive husband offed. He goes soft on her and gives her a piece of advice: Rather than killing her husband, walk away and start a new life. Relationship slash life advice is not his forte, but she heeds his warning, and when she reaches out to thank him a few months later, the two start a spicy fling.
It's not entirely on the up and up, however: Maddy thinks that Gary is "Ron," a ruthless killer and elite marksman. And Gary doesn't mind keeping up his end of the ruse — the suave Ron is everything he's not — and he winds up getting lost inside the role, until things get complicated and Maddy's ex tries hiring Ron to kill her. Gary's oily police colleague Jasper (Austin Amelio) throws a wrench in things when he begins to suspect something is up between Gary and Maddy.
Director Richard Linklater co-wrote the script with Powell, whom he directed in 2016's "Everybody Wants Some!!," and Powell's magnetic chemistry with Arjona ignites the movie. (The framework is based on a true story and is adapted from a 2001 Texas Monthly article.) "Hit Man" can't be taken seriously as a police procedural — its approach to detective work is on par with "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" — but Powell is able to transform the film into a lite character study about self-actualization and becoming the person you want to be.
Arjona (2022's "Father of the Bride") is a game counterpart to Powell's character, and she helps him become more Ron than Gary, more smooth than schnook. "Hit Man" finds its groove as a spicy comedy about identity, and Powell continues to prove he's a star with serious wattage. Watch him shine.
"Hit Man" is getting a cinematic release before arriving on Netflix on June 7 in select countries (US, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam).
