Hit Man - Killer per caso

Richard Linklater's movie career has been punctuated by intense narratives originating from everyday events. 'Hit Man' somehow achieves the opposite - it's a fluffy confection based on the exploits of a psychology professor who poses as a professional hit man.

The purpose of Gary Johnson's masquerades is to help his local police department entrap those wanting to hire a killer. The film's introductory sequences show several unconvincing restaurant encounters where he assures a procession of would-be murderers he's a hardened criminal in the liquidation business. When a beautiful Latina asks him to terminate her abusive husband, Gary baffles his handlers by refusing her down-payment, and suggesting she initiates divorce proceedings instead of contracting a homicide. By this point, the narrative has departed from anything close to gritty realism - and clownish complications ensue when Gary secretly starts an affair with this 'femme fatale' while maintaining his assassin persona.

'Hit Man' could have followed in the footsteps of modern classics like 'Body Heat', but Linklater chooses to play it for comedy rather than drama. Tension is lost as the story becomes increasingly frivolous, until it arrives at a conclusion that belongs in a farce. The acting performances and lightly amusing screenplay just about hold one's interest, but the final product feels like an insubstantial appetizer that could have been a memorable main course with a different approach.

Glen Powell was blah in his last "big" movie, "Anyone But You". Here, things don't improve, although this time his female costar is just as extravangantly luscious as Sydney Sweeney, only brunette. His character, Gary Johnson dresses up in wigs and hats and costumes and assumes accents and personas to convince qould-be criminals that's he's a real hit man, but only they believe him - the audience certainly doesn't. One critic, Jason Fraley, describes the rom-com arc of the plot as "Fifty Shades Of Gary". The film is emotionless and gutless and packs zero punches. I kept waiting to laugh or be intrigued or moved or something... but nope, nothing/

So much of the dialogue contradicts itself, so many of the characters actions make no sense. The plot had so much potential based on the setup, but the female lead is utterly unlikable and you never feel sympathetic or even like she's a real person.

This could have been cool, about him actually becoming a hitman, him involved with the husband's mobster family, etc. Instead it becomes a typical and predictable plot. Such a bummer and was so close.

This paragraph is just to make my review long enough for the new six hundred character requirement instituted because Amazon's $1Billion snow ranked and got bombed on this site. Hopefully they change it back because this is a waste of my and everyone else's time for quite literally seemingly absolutely no reason. Boom six hundred characters.

This was billed as a quirky, clever Rom-Com by both its trailers and critics. The trailers looked fantastic, like a spirited passion project between Linklater and Powell that would parody the whole Rom-Com genre in witty fashion. The reality is this is just another Rom-Com film with critics falling head-over-heels with Linklater (as they always do). The most interesting part of the film is actually the first act, when Glen Powell gets to shine in a diverse portfolio of characters, including a long, gritty dialogue exchange. By the time the love interest appears in the second act, the film has already fallen into just another collage of good cop/good person/bad circumstance entanglement. Unfortunately the film never really redeems itself, nor its characters in unforgiveable acts. Its story feels mundane and outcome certain. While I had hoped for more, it was at least an easy viewing.

In a world of Hollywood formulas and studio safe bets, there's something refreshing about Hit Man and it's quirky out of the box story.

It follows Glen Powell as the eponymous Hit Man who gets into a complicated relationship with one of his clients. I won't go into any more detail as there's lots of fun layers to unravel with this film which are best discovered in the moment, but as mentioned it feels quite fresh and unique. It has really solid comedy, drama and romance, and will keep you on your toes throughout.

Rising to occasion of the great story is Glen Powell who shines once again in a leading role. His charisma always shines through and there's an instant connection to him and his character that never wanes. Matching him perfectly is Adria Arjona, the chemistry between them absolutely electric.

My only real complaints with this film are that it took too long to get going and was over far too quickly. Aside from these pacing issues there really isn't much to complain about with this film.

So if you are in the mood for a funny, sexy and dramatic film that will draw you in to it's weird and mysterious story then look no further than Hit Man.