User reviews

It is a good movie for a lazy Saturday evening, entertaining enough to keep your attention throughout and go to bed with a half-smiled satisfaction. Nothing less, nothing more. A lukewarm experience.

It's even, consistent, but never warms up to 30 C degrees or over. I guess that was intentional given the real life implications of the story. It might have been more exciting at times, even frantic in certain scenes, but it wasn't. What a pity.

From a movie making point of view, it is almost impeccable. Good direction, simple but effective camerawork, good score and editing, and most of all, superb acting makes it a good and quite joyful watch.

If you look for a light entertainment, there you go. You can leave your brains at home. No worries.

The premise is very good: a mashup of romcom and noirish thriller in the vein of Notting Hill meets Double Indemnity. It should provide all sorts of setups for dark comedy and the means to upend both genres. Unfortunately this movie skews too far in the direction of romcom. There's a funny prelude in which Glen Powell showcases his comedic chops under the guise of various personas. After that the the movie becomes an extended one-note joke in which the gag is simply that it's a romcom with horrible people as the protagonists. The idea wears out its welcome long before the movie ends and otherwise not a whole lot happens.

Just before this was released, the press and social media were awash with reports of 'Hollywood finding it's new lead man in Glen Powell' in this rotten tomatoes critical 'smash hit comedy' that was one of the 'best films of the year so far'

I believed the hype.

What I got was an overly long film that, shockingly considering it's promising opening act, was really devoid of any fun. Sure Powell is OK, but he completely implausibly goes from mild mannered college teacher to actor extraordinare using his range of disguises and accents to convince people he's a serial killer.

I also like the Superman like 'oh he's so hot now he's taken his glasses off' transformation.

It's just all so lazy, unbelievable and bland.

Anyway. It's not terrible, it's mildly entertaining but definitely undeserving of it's praise.

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.

First thing's first: Glen Powell is incredible in this movie. He transforms across the spectrum of characters incredibly well. He's dynamic and believable in this role that boarders on absurdity and keeps it in bounds.

The premise of the story was entertaining and engaging, with an enjoyable secondary cast.

Adria Arjona was also fun, but her character could've better developed. The high octane romance tag transpires feels entirely too surface for how emotionally involved it becomes in the end. There were no flashes of actual connection beyond sexual intensity and discussion about murder. It would've been nice to see them have at least one "get to know you" interaction outside of the sex-murder dichotomy.

The ending is also.... Unnecessary. Maybe for laughs amongst the people who knew the real Gary Johnson, but for storytelling purposes it was a little too campy.

An entertaining watch, one of Netflix's better recent films. But it does fall a little flat in a couple places.

I am really surprised by how much I liked this movie, given my initial impression of the trailer was that it seemed like ANOTHER "spy/assassin falls in love" story. It's not. Hit Man takes this premise and turns it on its head giving us a really compelling and interesting story that had me glued to the screen for its breezy two-ish hours run time.

It's an inherently interesting tale: a man, Gary (Glen Powell) is a philosophy professor who through a sequence of events, becomes an informant for the police, essentially entrapping individuals who are interested in hiring hit men to solve all manner of personal and financial problems. He meets a prospective "client" he takes a liking to, and of course, shenanigans ensue.

However, it's the excellent script and performances that take this movie over the top. Look, I'm a film nerd: tell me Richard Linklater is making a movie and I will watch it. Linklater's finger prints all over this thing; it miraculously manages to retain his breezy "hang out" film style, with excellent dialog and a penchant for exploring interesting ideas so naturally.

Case and point, when Gary and Madison (Adria Arjona) first meet, the dialog is absolutely phenomenal and it's obvious from the first lines (and not because, let's be real, Arjona is stunning) that these two have chemistry. Linklater writes dialog between men and women that basically defined how I wished my dates would go since I was a high schooler for a reason.

But, aside from that, the movie manages to really imbue some fascinating ideas in what is a relatively simple story (my favourite kind of writing technique). Hit Man is ultimately a meditation on morality, love, human nature, and ethical consistency; it doesn't preach or force you to feel a certain way, but cleverly reveals all of these themes to you to chew on. And, then there's the nuts and bolts of a good story with escalating stakes and twists and all of that. Maybe it was Glen Powell who kept this thing grounded (he shares the writing credit); but it certainly feels like a Linklater film with a bit more structure.

The performances are also fantastic. Powell is deservedly becoming one of Hollywood's most recognizable stars and he really shines here. All actors really want a movie like this; where he/she can play many characters and show off their range, but it's in the subtle distinctions between Gary and Ron (the hit man he plays) that really sold the performance for me.

Adria Arjona is great and her chemistry with Powell is electric. I don't think this movie would be as sexy as it is without her and she manages to have a darkness to her that is utterly fascinating. I also really liked - and amazingly - found myself kind of empathizing with Austin Amelio's Jasper (the antagonist of this movie, essentially), and a lot of that has to do with his performance. Something about the man's desperate eyes made me feel bad for him.

Yeah, this thing was great. It's really unfortunate it didn't get a theatrical release, but hopefully it gets a big audience on Netflix, and we get more of these adult oriented romantic dramedies.

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.

If you enjoy quirky movies, director Richard Linklater is your guy. His latest is HIT MAN, which is a romantic comedy that's very loosely based on an article about a real guy, Gary Johnson. Gary (Glen Powell) is a college professor and part-time staffer at the New Orleans Police Department. He stumbles into a new role as an undercover hitman, arresting people who try hiring him to kill someone. It turns out he's very good at it. Powell really showcases his talents here, playing different characters for each arrest. When he meets Madison (Adria Arjona) though, he breaks protocol. I guess Powell has great chemistry with whoever he works with. He has an undeniable charm that seems like it spreads to the whole cast. I could tell they had fun filming this. It also has a very smart script, playing with ideas of identity and being your true self. The strong sense of humour actually changes as the movie progresses, which was fun for me, but might not work for some. I find it hilarious that they must've asked the real Gary Johnson for permission to go as far as they do here. The movie makes it clear what actually happened during the end credits. HIT MAN is quirky, unconventional, and very enjoyable. If you can't see it in theaters, don't worry! It'll be on Netflix June 7th. Make sure the algorithm doesn't bury it. Enjoy!

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/

Well, I'm a little shocked.

They tagged this as "Action Comedy Crime", and I think only the Crime label fits it. It is more Psychological than Comedy, and it is is more Romance than Action.

It's not entirely "hilarious", and I was just thinking about how a movie can be this engrossing without "adrenaline-fueled" sequences at all.. But what it is, it's a tremendously well written and executed script. With plenty of memorable lines, unexpected "commitment", and even introspective lessons. Glen Powell is simply amazing in it. He's demonstrated a lot of charm, but we now got to see quite a bit of range as well. Even his disguises. The rest of the cast helps sell it. And the ending was quite satisfying, even if I didn't entirely expected it!

The great pacing takes you along and you start to accept the path you are walking alongside these characters. Haven't watched a recent movie that makes me want to recommend this to everyone I know.. kind of has a Mr Brooks vibe to it.

Being a huge fan of Richard Linklaters work, I had high expectations for his latest feature Hit Man, but by the time the end credits rolled, I could not help but feel a strange taste in my mouth. There is no doubt that Hit Man is a fun, maybe even entertaining, film at times. Seeing the magnificent Glenn Powell navigate the different personas he create for himself with considerable ease and suaveness is a great joy. But while this undercover average Joe turned hit-man idea may serve as an interesting premise, the film does not develop much from this premise meaningfully. The plot is overly slight, and the direction it goes is bizarre, especially the ending, which felt rushed and contrived. The plot does not develop in a manner which extracts full potential of comedy from its situation, and neither is it particularly entertaining. Also, Despite what some critics have praised, I could not see much chemistry between Arjona and Powell. Sure, they are both more than serviceable in their roles, and they share several steamy scenes, but there is no special spark or unique connection between the two. At the end of the day, I find Hit Man very similar to The Fall Guy, a movie released at around the same time. Both are serviceable, fun, and entertaining distractions which can barely hold and audiences attention for two hours. But both are overly light on actual plot, are only mildly entertaining, and not as funny or enjoyable as they should have been.

Well we had some tough comedy movies in the past but this is one is good. It made me think about 'the millers', it has a little bid the same comedy vibe. Just good jokes and even better acting. It just all fits. Not only the lead but also the crew around it.

Besides comedy the movie is also a little bit mysterious. You keep wondering what got the lady to do with it and can she be trusted?

Plot was decent too! Not some unrealistic without idea just to end the movie script.. no it actually fits with the whole movie and is original.

Maybe there was more possible with the teaching scenes on school.. that was sometimes a little bit duff but argh.. i didnt mind it that much.

So yeah.. had some good laughs.. i go wild and give it a 8.

"Hitman," directed by Richard Linklater, is an intriguing yet uneven journey that offers glimpses of potential but ultimately falls short of being a memorable cinematic experience. Based on a true story, the film features commendable performances, particularly from Glen Powell, but suffers from a lack of character development and emotional depth.

Glen Powell delivers a standout performance, embodying his character with a mix of charm and authenticity that makes him a compelling figure to watch. His nuanced portrayal brings a layer of believability to the narrative, making the moments of action and subtle humor particularly enjoyable. Powell's ability to infuse his role with both intensity and a touch of levity is one of the film's highlights.

The movie does offer a few humorous moments that provide a welcome break from the otherwise serious tone. These lighter scenes are well-executed and add a layer of entertainment, making the film a decent choice for those looking for a casual watch. However, the humor alone is not enough to compensate for the film's more significant shortcomings.

One of the primary issues with "Hitman" is its lack of character development. Despite the film being based on a true story, the characters feel underdeveloped and one-dimensional. There is a noticeable absence of emotional depth, which makes it difficult for the audience to connect with or care about the characters on a deeper level. This lack of character growth and exploration is a missed opportunity that could have elevated the film from being merely good to something truly impactful.

Richard Linklater's direction, while competent, fails to fully capitalize on the story's potential. The narrative feels rushed at times, and the pacing issues detract from the overall impact of the film. There are moments that hint at deeper emotional and psychological layers, but these are never fully explored, leaving the audience with a sense of incompleteness.

In conclusion, "Hitman" is a film that is good for passing the time but doesn't leave a lasting impression. Glen Powell's strong performance and the film's occasional humor make it worth a watch, but the lack of character development and emotional depth prevent it from being anything more than a mildly entertaining diversion. With a more nuanced approach to storytelling and character development, "Hitman" could have been much more impactful.

I watched it at home while sipping mojitos one lazy night and it was what I was looking for. Nothing special but good acting and directing. Intresting plot to just keep my attention. Not too predictable too. Also I dont think the script was too bad either. If you are looking to relax and watch a movie, dont overthink it just hit Play!.

Nevertheless, its not perfect but it exceeded my expectations. The problem is that people are not really considerate with what they consume especially in movies. You cant expect a perfect burger in McDonalds, but you will get your moneys worth, if you know what you desire.

Enjoy!!