My Thoughts on the Film, Hit Man (2023), 3/1/2026….

Every once in a while, a gem—a true gem—comes along, and this time it’s Hit Man (2023). This movie captivated me from the opening credits until the very end.

With filmmaker Richard Linklater (Slacker) behind the camera and a hand in writing the script, and Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick) cowriting it as well, the film bristles with wit and personality, with some excellent rapport from its two lead actors.

Gary Johnson (Powell, also handling the lead role) is a mild-mannered-yet-fast-thinking philosophy professor who moonlights with the New Orleans Police Department as an undercover, or fake, hit man. His job is to reel in the poor fools who want someone else killed and are willing to pay for it, collect the evidence to convict them, and move on to the next mark. It goes swimmingly until he meets Madison Figueroa Masters (Adria Arjona, Endor). From that point, the story takes some dark, humorous, and unexpected turns.

The other major characters, especially the team of detectives hooking the marks, are brilliantly portrayed by Austin Amelio (The Walking Dead), Retta (Parks and Recreation), and Sanjay Rao (Truth Be Told). But Powell and Arjana are the ones to watch, bringing a tangible chemistry to the screen in every scene they’re in.

It’s dispiriting to know that such a film as this had a limited theatrical run, only to be relegated to Netflix weeks later. Smart people brought this film to life, and audiences everywhere should be able to hear about and actually see it. The movie is that good.

My only criticism of Hit Man is how Gary figures out the resolution. All of the plot events lead up to an obvious conclusion, but they also lock the finale into a trap of the narrative’s own design. I found myself saying, “Really…?” at this point. But it did not detract from my overall enjoyment of the film.

I highly recommend this film.