Theater kids are often some of the most maligned kids in high schools. A little odd, a little dramatic, a little over-the-top. So when we watch movies with suave, gorgeous stars in them, we can forget that a lot of them are former theater kids. But every once in a while, we get the hint that these stunning people might have been perceived as something else not that long ago. This is heavily on display with Glen Powell’s character in Richard Linklater’s newest film, “Hit Man,” now streaming on Netflix.
Gary (Powell) is a college philosophy professor. He is divorced and lives alone with his cats, spending his free time birdwatching. One day, while doing some computer work with the local police department, he is roped into posing as a killer for hire. He discovers he has a knack for creating personas that connect with potential criminals and he leans into that work. But when he meets Maddy (Adria Arjona), a woman hiring him to kill her husband, he feels an instant connection and talks her out of her plans. When they meet again later, they begin a relationship that could compromise his work with the police, especially when Jasper (Austin Amelio) starts sniffing around.
This is such a fun movie. That it is based on a true story makes it all the more entertaining — but even if it was created entirely from whole cloth, this film would be a rollicking good time.
The performances in this are wonderful. Powell and Arjona have an electric chemistry. Their scenes are steamy, but there is also an ease between them that doesn’t always come through when a couple has that kind of animal magnetism. But this movie’s success is firmly in the hands of Powell. He plays numerous different characters in this, complete with wigs and makeup, and the result is hilarious. Powell is well on his way to superstardom and I can’t wait to see where he ends up.
My only quibble with this movie is it seems a little unsure about how to blend his life as a professor with his life as a pretend hit man. There is an incongruity there that makes the scenes where he is shown with students feel jarring. The students begin to notice when he integrates more of his Ron persona with his Gary persona, but it never feels natural. I would have liked to see a little more of Gary spill over into his Ron character. The two seemed almost entirely separate in ways that stretched credulity.
However, the complaints about this movie are minor. “Hit Man” blends genres like action, rom-com and thriller effortlessly and will likely appeal in some way to nearly everyone who turns it on. And when people see Powell donning his red wig they may rethink bullying those theater kids.
Alise Chaffins is a Morgantown writer who loves movies and sharing her opinions. She reviews a movie from a streaming service every Saturday and one newly in theaters every Sunday. Find more at MacGuffin or Meaning on Substack.
