Hit Man

Hit Man

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9 / 10

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Overview

A mild-mannered professor moonlighting as a fake hit man in police stings ignites a chain reaction of trouble when he falls for a potential client.

Media

HIT MAN at TIFF 2023 | Q&A with Richard Linklater

Cast

Director:

Richard Linklater

Writer:

Richard Linklater, Glen Powell, Skip Hollandsworth

Release Date:

2024-05-16

Run Time:

116m

Tagline:

He's not a killer, but he can pretend.

Genres:

Comedy Crime Romance

Keywords:

based on magazine, newspaper or article disguise hitman identity moonlighting new orleans, louisiana persona professor romcom screwball comedy sting operation undercover operation

Financials and Popularity

Budget: 8,800,000.00$

Revenue: 5,101,673.00$

Vote Average: 6.8/10

Vote Count: 1640 Votes

Movie Popularity: 5.6797

Spoken Languages: English

Review

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Insomniacs Reviews
- 29 April 2026 at 7:48 pm

9 Based on 1 Votes
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⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 9/10 THE SUMMARY Richard Linklater’s latest is a rare beast: a smart, sexy, and genuinely funny action-comedy that doesn’t treat the audience like idiots. Based on an almost unbelievable true story, Glen Powell stars as Gary Johnson, a mild-mannered psychology professor who moonlights as a tech guy for the New Orleans Police Department. When their usual undercover mole is suspended, Gary is shoved into the field to pose as a professional hitman to entrap people looking to hire a killer. He’s surprisingly brilliant at it, adopting wild personas for every "client"—until he meets Madison (Adria Arjona). Instead of arresting her, he falls for her, and his double life spirals into a web of lies, murder, and high-stakes identity crises. THE PROS This is a 9/10 because it’s a "genuine belter" and an absolute showcase for Glen Powell. He co-wrote the script, and his performance is sincere, charismatic, and incredibly versatile as he hops between a dozen different hitman aliases (including a hilariously "Patrick Bateman" style snob). The chemistry between Powell and Adria Arjona is a total winner—it’s electric, honest, and probably the best romantic spark we’ve seen on screen this year. Linklater’s direction is high-quality, blending philosophical questions about whether we can actually change who we are with a fast-paced, gripping plot. It’s a 9/10 because it manages to be a dark thriller and a rom-com at the same time without missing a beat, keeping you hooked from the first "sting" to the wild, unpredictable finale. THE CONS It misses the 10/10 "Epic Status" because the middle part gets slightly bogged down in the classroom philosophy lectures. While they are meant to reflect the movie's themes of identity, they can feel a bit "on the nose" and sluggish compared to the high-energy undercover scenes. Also, the ending is a bit of a "head-scratcher" in terms of morality; it takes a dark turn that might leave some viewers feeling a bit uneasy about who they’re rooting for. It’s a bold choice, but it keeps it just shy of that universal masterpiece level. THE VERDICT A 9/10. An epic, high-quality comedy that proves Glen Powell is a certified movie star. This is a winner for anyone tired of generic streaming filler; it’s sincere, witty, and a total banger of a production. It’s one of those rare 9/10s that feels like it’s destined to be a cult classic. If you want a movie that’s actually smart and has heaps of banter, this is the one to watch. INSOMNIAC TRIVIA • True Roots: The real Gary Johnson was a Buddhist and a Vietnam vet who lived with two cats. While the romance in the movie is fictionalized, the real Gary actually did talk a woman out of hiring him and referred her to social services instead.• Chemistry Test: Director Richard Linklater warned the leads that the movie was entirely dependent on their chemistry. Glen Powell and Adria Arjona spent hours together before filming, even helping to rewrite their own dialogue to make their relationship feel more honest.• Multi-Talented: Glen Powell didn't just star and co-write; he also helped produce the flick. The various "hitman" personas Gary adopts in the film were largely based on research into actual FBI sting operations and the specific types of killers people expect to meet. THE VIBE Like a cold beer on a hot New Orleans night. It smells of expensive cologne, old library books, and the metallic tang of a hidden wire.

Videos

HIT MAN at TIFF 2023 | Q&A with Richard Linklater

Cast

Gralen Bryant Banks

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Hit Man

Comment (1)

Insomniacs Reviews
- 29 April 2026 at 8:48 PM

⭐ Insomniacs Rating: 9/10
THE SUMMARY
Richard Linklater’s latest is a rare beast: a smart, sexy, and genuinely funny action-comedy that doesn’t treat the audience like idiots. Based on an almost unbelievable true story, Glen Powell stars as Gary Johnson, a mild-mannered psychology professor who moonlights as a tech guy for the New Orleans Police Department. When their usual undercover mole is suspended, Gary is shoved into the field to pose as a professional hitman to entrap people looking to hire a killer. He’s surprisingly brilliant at it, adopting wild personas for every “client”—until he meets Madison (Adria Arjona). Instead of arresting her, he falls for her, and his double life spirals into a web of lies, murder, and high-stakes identity crises.
THE PROS
This is a 9/10 because it’s a “genuine belter” and an absolute showcase for Glen Powell. He co-wrote the script, and his performance is sincere, charismatic, and incredibly versatile as he hops between a dozen different hitman aliases (including a hilariously “Patrick Bateman” style snob). The chemistry between Powell and Adria Arjona is a total winner—it’s electric, honest, and probably the best romantic spark we’ve seen on screen this year. Linklater’s direction is high-quality, blending philosophical questions about whether we can actually change who we are with a fast-paced, gripping plot. It’s a 9/10 because it manages to be a dark thriller and a rom-com at the same time without missing a beat, keeping you hooked from the first “sting” to the wild, unpredictable finale.
THE CONS
It misses the 10/10 “Epic Status” because the middle part gets slightly bogged down in the classroom philosophy lectures. While they are meant to reflect the movie’s themes of identity, they can feel a bit “on the nose” and sluggish compared to the high-energy undercover scenes. Also, the ending is a bit of a “head-scratcher” in terms of morality; it takes a dark turn that might leave some viewers feeling a bit uneasy about who they’re rooting for. It’s a bold choice, but it keeps it just shy of that universal masterpiece level.
THE VERDICT
A 9/10. An epic, high-quality comedy that proves Glen Powell is a certified movie star. This is a winner for anyone tired of generic streaming filler; it’s sincere, witty, and a total banger of a production. It’s one of those rare 9/10s that feels like it’s destined to be a cult classic. If you want a movie that’s actually smart and has heaps of banter, this is the one to watch.
INSOMNIAC TRIVIA
• True Roots: The real Gary Johnson was a Buddhist and a Vietnam vet who lived with two cats. While the romance in the movie is fictionalized, the real Gary actually did talk a woman out of hiring him and referred her to social services instead.
• Chemistry Test: Director Richard Linklater warned the leads that the movie was entirely dependent on their chemistry. Glen Powell and Adria Arjona spent hours together before filming, even helping to rewrite their own dialogue to make their relationship feel more honest.
• Multi-Talented: Glen Powell didn’t just star and co-write; he also helped produce the flick. The various “hitman” personas Gary adopts in the film were largely based on research into actual FBI sting operations and the specific types of killers people expect to meet.
THE VIBE
Like a cold beer on a hot New Orleans night. It smells of expensive cologne, old library books, and the metallic tang of a hidden wire.

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