„Chivalry may be dead, but I didn’t kill it“
In 2001, author Skip Hollandsworth published a piece for the Texas Monthly about a man called Gary Johnson. Naming him “the most professional killer in Houston”, he was hired to kill more than 60 people – what his clients didn’t know is that he never actually killed. He is a fake Hit Man who works for the police as a side hustle. In everyday life Gary Johnson is your average guy. Always polite. Friendly. Living on his own with his two cats.
Would be an interesting premise for a film, right? At least that’s what director Richard Linklater and Hollywood’s rising actor and this film’s producer Glen Powell thought as well. While changing some (major) details on the true story of Johnson, they presented their new film ‘Hit Man’ this week at the Venice Film Festival outside its competition and received a flood of positive Feedback.
Director Richard Linklater had his hands on comedies before. You might know some of his films since he also worked on classics like ‘School of Rock’ or even well-known Love Stories like the ‘Before Sunset’ trilogy. For a good while he didn’t really land a hit, but I think that might change once this one hits theatres. With Hit Man, he attempts to bring Rom-Coms back to the big screen. And these days I feel like we desperately need them back.
In his Version of the Gary Johnson story, the fake Hitman is portrayed by producer Glen Powell himself. Just that Gary here isn’t aware that he looks like Glen Powell. He wears his flannels in his shorts. Jackets that are way too big for him. Small glasses and outside his little side hustle for the police he passionately offers classes at the local university. He actually used to be the IT dude for these Hit Man cases. He just suddenly has to replace their usual guy for a while. Turns out this can be a fun way to invent yourself. Dive into new roles. He researches each Client and creates a fictional Hit Man based on their likings. Patriotic American dude? Sure, Gary will put on some fake Tattoos, a denim vest and gel his hair back to make it look more nasty. Someone intimidating? How about we imitate Patrick Bateman from American Psycho. It’s all fun and games until he meets Madison (Adria Arjona). A client who doesn’t really want to get her husband killed, but sees no other way to escape her marriage. Instead of exposing her to the police, he wants to help her out. Then again… then again and, oops, are we catching feelings here? The falling in love with a client part certainly wasn’t in the books. Especially given the fact that Madison doesn’t know Gary but only the cool, laid-back Hit Man ‘Ron’.
The screenplay is very well and humorously written by Linklater and Powell himself. It feels well-paced, and you barely notice the time passing by. It plays around a lot with Film Noir Clichés. Always trying to reflect those and never being too much. This may be Linklaters best film in years.
Powell proves to be Hollywood’s rising star. It was incredible to watch him dive into so many different roles and prove that he doesn’t only have the charisma and looks to but that he has the perfect comedic timing to be an excellent actor in comedies.
Something I truly liked was the question of identity always remaining front and center. Gary educates his students on the Id, ego and superego after Freud. Simultaneously exploring his own self constantly and challenging it, by playing different Hit Man for every individual client.
It would’ve been even more interesting to dive deeper into the darkness of the story and while the film looked amazing one could’ve put more work into the production design. Nevertheless, the fact that the audience gave huge scene applauses and constant cheers during the screening solidify the film’s exceptionality.
This is truly a hidden gem at the Venice Film Festival that proves that comedies can also have its place in here.
Funny, intelligent, and always having the question of Identity in its center makes ‘Hit Man’ the Rom-Com we all may need after a long day.
-Rue