Hit Man

Richard Linklater returns with a genre-bending experiment that swaps the gritty noir of typical crime thrillers for a screwball comedy wrapped in an undercover operation. The film stars Glen Powell as Gary Johnson, a mild-mannered philosophy professor at a New Orleans university who moonlights as a fake hitman for the police department. When he adopts various disguises to lure real criminals into traps, his carefully constructed double life spirals out of control after he meets Madison Figueroa Masters, played by Adria Arjona, a woman seeking his services for her husband's murder. Produced on a modest budget of $8.8 million, this intimate production relies heavily on dialogue and character chemistry rather than explosive set pieces. The movie blends elements of romance and crime while maintaining the director's signature improvisational style. Released in May 2024, the film garnered a solid rating of 6.771 from its audience, suggesting viewers appreciated the fresh take on the identity trope. While it did not break box office records, earning just over $5.1 million, it stands as a clever, character-driven entry in Linklater's extensive filmography.[edit]