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Netflix’s action comedy movie Hit Man has been a hit, man. With a 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the deceptively dark thriller has gone down as one of June's most anticipated new Netflix movies.
I would like to warn you though, if you’re wanting to watch an action movie with thrilling car chases and gravity defying stunts, then this fake crime caper won’t be your top choice. Personally, I would deem Hit Man as more of a comedy-drama than an action comedy. Well, it actually belongs to a number of genres: noir, screwball comedy, romance. You can take your pick, but Hit Man is still guaranteed to bring entertainment to your evening as one of the best Netflix movies.
Glen Powell stars as Gary Johnson, a philosophy professor who works as a fake hitman for the police. Outside of the classroom, he’s the seductive lady-killer Ron who exposes budding criminals that are using murder-for-hire schemes. However, Gary breaks protocol when he meets Madison (Adria Arjona) after she asks him to kill her abusive husband and they embark on a fiery romance built on lies.
Powell is a scene-stealer with his comedic timing as Gary (who is surprisingly a real person), which cleverly combines philosophy, love and fun. You’ll find yourself hypnotized by Gary’s somewhat disturbing ability to effortlessly morph into a new identity, despite being the level-headed college professor.
Star powe(ll)r
Hit Man hit it off with Hollywood’s newest A-lister Powell, whose memorable performances include the global phenomenon Top Gun:Maverick and the hit romantic comedy Anyone But You. But it’s Hit Man that propels Powell into the limelight, with Empire writing: “It was 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick that saw him really take flight, giving an unforgettably hissable-yet-heroic performance as Lt Jake ‘Hangman’ Seresin. Major turns have come since -box-office-busting romcom Anyone But You and another aviation adventure, Devotion – but it is with Hit Man that Powell announces himself as a movie star and a filmmaking force to be reckoned with.”
Powell co-wrote the movie, which is based on a 2001 Texas Monthly article by the journalist Skip Hollandsworth about the real life undercover police officer Gary Johnson. Although it is a ‘somewhat’ true story, Hit Man’s outlandish twists are all fictional, which is carried by Powell’s acting. As The Guardian says: “Powell’s cheerfully likable performance gets us past the absurdity of this beyond-implausible premise.”
Powell’s undeniable chemistry with co-star Ajorna also proved to be a success for viewers as Cinemacy wrote in their review: “Hit Man’s main headline are the performances of its stars. As Gary, star-on-the-rise Glenn Powell gets any actor’s dream role, being able to shape-shift into an endless amount of colorful characters. As Madison, Adria Ajorna is hilarious, cunning, and captivating to watch onscreen. Together, the two are magnetic.”
With Hit Man becoming one of the best movies on Netflix, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t get in on the hype.
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