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Hit Man (2023 film)

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Hit Man
Release poster
Directed byRichard Linklater
Screenplay by
Based on"Hit Man"
by Skip Hollandsworth
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyShane F. Kelly
Edited bySandra Adair
Music byGraham Reynolds
Production
companies
Distributed byNetflix
Release dates
  • September 5, 2023 (2023-09-05) (Venice)
  • May 24, 2024 (2024-05-24) (United States)
  • June 7, 2024 (2024-06-07) (Netflix)
Running time
115 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$8.8 million[2]
Box office$4 million[3]

Hit Man is a 2023 American romantic comedy film produced and directed by Richard Linklater, who co-wrote the screenplay with Glen Powell. The film stars Powell, Adria Arjona, Austin Amelio, Retta, and Sanjay Rao. It follows an undercover New Orleans police contractor who poses as a reliable hitman as he tries to save a woman in need. The basic premise was based on the true story of a college professor who worked for the Houston police in the late 1980s and 1990s as a fake hitman, as described in a 2001 magazine article by Skip Hollandsworth.

Hit Man premiered at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on September 5, 2023. It was released in select theaters in the United States on May 24, 2024, before its streaming debut by Netflix on June 7, to critical acclaim.

Plot

[edit]

Gary Johnson is a mild-mannered professor of psychology and philosophy at the University of New Orleans who also works for the New Orleans Police Department to assist in sting operations. When Jasper, an undercover detective who portrays fake hitmen to solicit and then prevent murder-for-hire schemes is suspended for brutality, Gary is unwillingly ushered into the role.

Gary quickly finds himself to be a natural in garnering solicitations, researching suspects in advance, and tailoring a unique hitman persona for each. He becomes a confident and charismatic man named Ron for a discontented married woman named Madison, who is trying to have her abusive husband killed. Gary quickly finds himself both sympathetic and attracted to her, ultimately refusing the money and suggesting she use it to restart her life, much to the disappointment of Jasper and Gary's co-workers, Claudette and Phil.

Gary later begins a sexual relationship with Madison without revealing his true identity to her. To keep up the appearance of being a hitman, Gary shows her how to use a gun, advising her to aim for the heart. While leaving a nightclub, Gary and Madison have a heated encounter with Ray, Madison's husband, which ends with Gary pulling a gun to back him off. Later that night, the couple encounter Jasper, who is suspicious of their being together. A furious Ray attempts to have Madison killed, unknowingly contacting Gary.

Upon recognizing Gary as Madison's boyfriend, Ray rushes out of the sting, proclaiming that he will kill her himself. Gary informs Madison and attempts to move her out of her house, but she dismisses his fears, stating that Ray would not follow through. Gary later learns that Ray was killed after being shot in the heart. He confronts Madison, and she admits to the murder, prompting him to reveal his true identity in a panic.

After being kicked out by Madison, Gary returns to the police, who reveal their evidence on her is building after discovering Ray increased his life insurance policy before he died. Jasper, who knows of Gary and Madison's relationship and is jealous that he took his job, suggests Gary try to elicit a confession out of her using the character of Ron.

Gary arrives at Madison's house with a wire and pretends to interrogate her while giving her acting cues typed on his phone. Their charade convinces the police that she is innocent, but Jasper later comes to Madison's home, blackmailing her and Gary to pay him the money that Madison inherited from Ray's life insurance policy, lest he send them both to prison for Ray's murder. Madison drugs Jasper's drink, causing him to pass out, and Gary ties a plastic bag over his head, planning to stage his death as a suicide. Years later, Gary and Madison are now happily married with two children.

Cast

[edit]
  • Glen Powell as Gary Johnson, college professor and tech guy turned undercover mole
  • Adria Arjona as Madison Figueroa Masters, an unhappily married woman who tries to hire Gary to kill her husband
  • Austin Amelio as Jasper, an undercover police officer
  • Retta as Claudette, a police officer
  • Sanjay Rao as Phil, a police officer
  • Molly Bernard as Alicia, Gary's ex-wife
  • Evan Holtzman as Ray, Madison's ex-husband

Production

[edit]

Before the 2022 Cannes Film Market, Hit Man was announced as a new film for sale internationally. The screenplay, based on the article "Hit Man" by Skip Hollandsworth published in Texas Monthly in 2001, was written by Richard Linklater and Glen Powell, who also directed and starred, respectively.[4][5] The article told the true story of Gary Johnson, a college professor who worked for the Houston police in the late 1980s and 1990s, pretending to be a contract killer. Much of the rest of the plot is fiction; he did not have a relationship with the target of a sting, and he never killed anyone. He died in 2022, and the film includes a dedication before the end credits: "Dedicated to Gary Johnson, 1947 – 2022".[6][7]

AGC Studios reported strong sales for international distribution at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.[8] Powell was joined by Austin Amelio, Retta, and Molly Bernard in October 2022.[9][10] Filming began in New Orleans in October 2022,[10][11] and production was completed that November.[12]

Release

[edit]

Hit Man had its world premiere at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on September 5, 2023.[13] It was followed afterward by its North American premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 11.[14] It also screened at the 2023 BFI London Film Festival on October 6, 2023.[15]

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.[16] It was released in select theaters in the United States on May 24, 2024,[17] before streaming on Netflix starting on June 7, 2024.[18]

Reception

[edit]

The film received critical acclaim.[a] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 95% of 290 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8/10. The website's consensus reads: "A deceptively dark thriller that's also loaded with laughs, Hit Man is an outstanding showcase for leading man Glen Powell—and one of the most purely entertaining films of Richard Linklater's career."[25] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 82 out of 100, based on 55 critics.

Writing for The Washington Post, Ty Burr awarded the film four out of four, calling it "a blast of pure pleasure and one of the year’s best films".[26] In another positive review, Alissa Wilkinson of The New York Times described Hit Man as "romantic, sexy, hilarious, satisfying and a genuine star-clinching turn for Glen Powell".[27] Wilkinson, along with several other reviewers, remarked on the philosophical questions posed by the film. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian wrote that the multiple identities assumed by Gary allow both the character and the viewer to consider "the question of whether there is in fact a true 'self', an irreducible core of authentic identity that remains behind when all imitations or influences are removed".[28] Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com also described the movie as a "philosophical study of the human capacity to change".[29] However, Zachary Barnes of The Wall Street Journal noted a lack of subtlety, calling Gary's lectures in philosophy class "overly obvious as expressions of the movie’s themes".[30] Chris Evangelista of Slashfilm wrote a mixed review in which he described the film as "forgettable, and often uninspired", though he praised the performances.[31]

Accolades

[edit]
Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Astra Midseason Movie Awards July 3, 2024 Best Picture Hit Man Nominated [32]
[33]
Best Actor Glen Powell Won
Best Supporting Actress Adria Arjona Runner-up
Best Screenplay Glen Powell and Richard Linklater Runner-up
SCAD Savannah Film Festival November 2, 2024 Lifetime Achievement in Screenwriting Award Richard Linklater Won [34]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Multiple references:[19][20][21][22][23][24]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Hit Man (15)". BBFC. February 22, 2024. Archived from the original on February 23, 2024. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  2. ^ "Fastlane NextGen: Initial Certification Search" (Type "Hitman" in the search box). Louisiana Economic Development. October 14, 2022. Archived from the original on June 15, 2020. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  3. ^ "Hit Man (2024)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  4. ^ Ravindran, Manori (May 11, 2022). "Richard Linklater to Direct Hitman Starring Glen Powell and Adria Arjona, AGC International Selling in Cannes (Exclusive)". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on August 20, 2023. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  5. ^ Hollandsworth, Skip (October 2001). "Hit Man". Texas Monthly. Archived from the original on June 3, 2024. Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  6. ^ Mercuri, Monica (June 7, 2024). "The Unbelievable True Story Behind 'Hit Man' On Netflix—Who Was Gary Johnson?". Forbes. Archived from the original on July 1, 2024. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  7. ^ Calver, Charlie (June 7, 2024). "The real story behind Glen Powell's fake hitman in 'Hit Man'". GQ Australia. Archived from the original on June 9, 2024. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  8. ^ Kay, Jeremy (September 20, 2022). "AGC Studios reports strong TIFF pre-sales on 'Hitman', 'The Dating Game'". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on September 20, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  9. ^ Vlessing, Etan (October 3, 2022). "Austin Amelio Joins Richard Linklater's Hitman (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. PMRC. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  10. ^ a b Chitwood, Adam (October 4, 2022). "Richard Linklater's Hitman Adds Retta, Molly Bernard as Filming Begins". TheWrap. Archived from the original on November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  11. ^ Lutz, John (October 19, 2022). "Glen Powell Shares Set Image From Richard Linklater's Hitman". Collider. Archived from the original on July 24, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  12. ^ "Productions - Film New Orleans". filmneworleans.org. City of New Orleans. Archived from the original on November 4, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  13. ^ Roxborough, Scott (July 25, 2023). "Venice Scores Star-Studded Lineup Despite Strikes (Full List)". The Hollywood Reporter. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on August 29, 2023. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  14. ^ "Hit Man". TIFF. Archived from the original on August 16, 2023. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  15. ^ Semlyen, Phil de (August 31, 2023). "This year's London Film Festival line-up has just been revealed". Time Out London. Archived from the original on June 9, 2024. Retrieved June 9, 2024.
  16. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr (September 18, 2023). "Netflix Lands Richard Linklater-Helmed Hit Man For $20 Million Toronto Deal; Aggregate/AGC Studios Pic Stars Glen Powell & Adria Arjona". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on September 18, 2023. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  17. ^ Bagchi, Soham (April 18, 2024). "'Hit Man': Release Date, Cast, Trailer, and Everything We Know About the Glen Powell Comedy". Collider. Archived from the original on May 3, 2024. Retrieved April 18, 2024.
  18. ^ Holub, Christian (January 22, 2024). "How Richard Linklater, Glen Powell's Hit Man deconstructs assassin movies — watch the first trailer". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 22, 2024. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  19. ^ Zuckerman, Esther (September 12, 2023). "The Real Story Behind Hit Man's Fake Contract Killer". TIME. Archived from the original on June 21, 2024. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  20. ^ "Glen Powell's critically acclaimed new movie heads to Netflix". Digital Spy. September 18, 2023. Archived from the original on June 21, 2024. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  21. ^ Milici, Lauren (June 10, 2024). "New Netflix movie from School of Rock director becomes one of the highest rated originals on Rotten Tomatoes with a near-perfect score". Total Film. GamesRadar+. Archived from the original on June 21, 2024. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  22. ^ Ahmed, Tufayel (May 16, 2024). "Glen Powell's Parents Playfully Troll Him at 'Hit Man' Premiere". Us Weekly. Archived from the original on June 21, 2024. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  23. ^ "Hit Man: See release date, trailer, cast, plot and more". The Economic Times. January 23, 2024. ISSN 0013-0389. Archived from the original on June 25, 2024. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  24. ^ Gunning, Cathal (June 19, 2024). "Hit Man's Netflix Success Redeems A Forgotten Richard Linklater Box Office Flop With 88% On Rotten Tomatoes". ScreenRant. Archived from the original on June 19, 2024. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  25. ^ "Hit Man". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved August 5, 2024. Edit this at Wikidata
  26. ^ Burr, Ty (May 21, 2024). "Linklater's 'Hit Man' deserves to be a hit, man". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  27. ^ Wilkinson, Alissa (May 23, 2024). "'Hit Man' Review: It's a Hit, Man". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on May 23, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  28. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (May 23, 2024). "Hit Man review – Richard Linklater's thoroughly entertaining fake-killer caper". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on June 7, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  29. ^ Tallerico, Brian. "Hit Man movie review & film summary (2024) | Roger Ebert". RogerEbert.com. Archived from the original on May 23, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  30. ^ Barnes, Zachary (May 23, 2024). "'Hit Man' Review: Glen Powell's Parade of Killers". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on May 23, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  31. ^ Evangelista, Chris (May 24, 2024). "Hit Man Review: Glen Powell Charms His Way Through Richard Linklater's Light Comedy". SlashFilm. Archived from the original on May 24, 2024. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  32. ^ "Hollywood Creative Alliance Announces the Nominees for the 2024 Astra Midseason Movie Awards" (Press release). The Astra Awards. July 1, 2024. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  33. ^ Neglia, Matt (July 3, 2024). "The 2024 Hollywood Creative Alliance (HCA) Midseason Astra Award Winners". Next Best Picture. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  34. ^ Feinberg, Scott (September 26, 2024). "SCAD Savannah Film Fest: 'Blitz' to Open, 'Emilia Pérez' and 'Anora' Stars Among 11 Honorees". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
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