Hit Man Review: Glen Powell Shines In Richard Linklater's New 'True' Crime Drama

Hit Man dropped on Netflix earlier this month and it may be one of the best movies to drop on the service this year. 

In the movie, Glen Powell stars as Gary Jonson, a mundane college philosophy professor and a contractor for the New Orleans Police Department. One day he is promoted as a last resort from technician to undercover hitman and becomes wildly successful at pretending to be a cold-blooded killer in order to catch would-be murderers.

Some of the story's details may be different, but there was a real-life Gary Johnson who worked as an undercover hitman and helped in the arrest and convictions of dozens of people. This film takes that story and looks at the public perception of the "Hitman" and how a person can change who they are if they are willing to commit.

The film premiered in September of 2023 during the Venice International Film Festival before being acquired by Netflix for release this year. 

What is Hit Man About?

The story of Hit Man is inspired by a magazine article that appeared in Texas Monthly all the way back in 2001. That article was written by Skip Hollandsworth, a prolific true-crime writer who director Richard Linklater worked with before. Linklater's 2011 film Bernie was also based on one of Hollandsworth’s articles.

Gary Johnson is a man who has been accused of living his life safely. He drives a Civic, takes care of his two cats, and enjoys bird-watching in his spare time. He sees himself as content, but throughout the film, he discovers that a person's identity isn't totally set. That if you are willing to commit to that change you can slowly become exactly who you imagine yourself to be.

Gary is so successful as an undercover hitman because he goes all out with his personas. Costumes, wigs, research, and fully formed acting performances tailored to the person that he’s meeting. As the film explains, Hollywood has greatly exaggerated the concept of the “Hitman” or the “Assassin for Hire” over the decades. While contracted murder has happened in the United States there is no slick, professional out there who makes a living by killing people for money. Still, people who are willing to go to that length have an idea of what a Hitman looks like and how they do business. Gary as a student and teacher of the human condition finds a way to tap into those expectations and through his acting and active listening he manages to extract those confessions. 

These performances provide the humor for the first part of the film as Gary gets more elaborate with each case. Powell in particular shines during this part of the movie as plays a Russian assassin to a gun-toting redneck and everything in between. Eventually, though, Gary stumbles on a character that everyone likes more than him, Ron. Ron is cool, he’s a real man unlike boring Gary who drones on about birds and psychology.

As Ron, he meets a troubled young woman who he steers away from going through her plan to have her husband murdered. Weeks later the woman contacts Ron and they engage in a romantic relationship that only complicates the situation as Gary now has to manage a double life and avoid being caught by both this lover and his co-workers at the police department.

The film excels with its clever writing and terrific performance by Glen Powell who is shooting up the Hollywood A-list after performances in Top Gun Maverick, Anyone But You, and the upcoming Twisters. He has that classic leading man charm and he convincingly plays the humor, drama, and romance equally. The writing is sharp with engaging dialogue but there is also that underlying sense of dread. That eventually this is all going to fall apart. You keep waiting for that big mistake, for Gary to get caught. The film reminds me of an Elmore Leonard novel. I could feel the similarities to the previously mentioned Bernie from Linklater.

For some the resolution of the film may play out unexpectedly or too suddenly. I’ll admit the story leaves you to fill in some of the blanks, which may not satisfy everyone.

Is Hit Man Worth Watching?

My answer is yes, Hit Man is an interesting and engaging film that tells a “somewhat” true story. The performances are very good with interesting interactions between characters, and there is plenty of humor and tension. Richard Linklater is one of the more interesting directors working today with experimental films like Boyhood and Apollo 10½ as well as fan favorites like Dazed and Confused, School of Rock, and the Before trilogy. 

The film is rated R for strong language, some violence, and sexual situations so maybe put the kids to bed before watching this one. 

Overall, I give it a 4 Stars out of 5.

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