Hit Man features a multitude of compelling themes, meditating on the conflict between public and private personae, the subjective nature of truth and deception, and how adopting a false identity can ironically result in self-actualization.
First and foremost, though, it’s about Glen Powell’s effortless charisma, magnetic screen presence, and sheer sex appeal.
This playfully dark, quirky, noir-flavored romcom is an old school star vehicle of the highest caliber, boasting a novel premise and sharp, witty script that give the lead actor plenty of space to flaunt his versatility as a performer. The protagonist—a mild-mannered college professor that gradually discovers his repressed confidence by moonlighting as an undercover operative for the local police department—is a deliciously complex character, and Powell clearly relishes the opportunity to explore his various facets and nuances (which, of course, entails donning a succession of increasingly absurd disguises, complete with dodgy wigs, fake teeth, and latex scars). Director Richard Linklater—who is quietly one of the most chameleonic auteurs currently working in the industry, with a filmography that includes both the boldly experimental Boyhood and the unapologetically populist School of Rock—wisely remains an unobtrusive presence, adopting a relatively invisible authorial voice and creative vision. His camera is neither a voyeuristic observer nor an omnipotent moral judge; it simply tells the story—efficiently, competently, and without unnecessary spectacle.
In an age where every major studio release is seemingly required to be a huge Event (and believe me, the capital E isn't silent), Hit Man might not sound terribly exciting; indeed, it makes little effort to be stylish, profound, or innovative. It is, however, charming, laid-back, and a whole lot of fun. And honestly, those modest artistic ambitions lend the movie a refreshing sense of earnestness and sincerity that recent cinema (oversaturated as it is with blandly inoffensive IP-based blockbusters and cynical postmodern deconstructions thereof) has been sorely lacking.
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