Summary
Glen Powell’s hit Netflix movieHit Manasks its audience to believe that Powell isn’t currently Hollywood’s biggest rising star. The new Powell film features theTop Gun: Maverickbreakout star in his most versatile role yet, playing a loner college professor who moonlights as an assassin for his local police department.Hit Manis co-written by Powell and Richard Linklater, who directed the film and celebrated independent classics such asDazed and Confused(1993),Before Sunrise(1995), andBoyhood(2014).
Sincereleasing on Netflix on June 05, 2025,Hit Manhas become one of the most popular titles on the streaming platform.Hit Man’scastis also led by Adria Arjona who plays Madison, the unexpected love interest of Powell’s Gary Johnson. Madison believes that Gary is actually Ron, a stylish, confident, and very dangerous trained assassin.Hit Manblends several genres to create a well-balanced mix of screwball/romantic comedy, action-inspired thriller, and classic film noir. It’s already considered one of thebest movies of Richard Linklater’sillustrious career.
Hit Man Is Exactly What We Need While Waiting For This Upcoming Movie That Won’t Release Until The 2040s
Hit Man is a great indication for Linklater’s future in the modern comedy genre as he continues to film an ambitious decade-spanning musical.
Hit Man’s First Act Asks Audiences To Forget That Glen Powell Is One Of Hollywood’s Biggest Movie Stars & Leading Men
Hit Man presents Powell as the mild-mannered Gary before his alter-ego Ron shows up
Hit Manintroduces Powell’s protagonist Gary Johnson as a quiet, polite, and all-around normal albeit lonely college professor. Gary is enthusiastic about his teaching profession in philosophy as well as his two domestic cats, which he named Id and Ego. He’s just as happy, however, to give up his old life under the guise of several different personas as an undercover agent of his local police department. It’s through Gary’s revolving alter-egos thatPowell’s acting chops begin to present themselves.
The hitman alias that sticks inHit Manends up being Ron, a slick-talking and no-nonsense “cool guy” assassin who attracts Madison through his fabricated “bad boy” persona. Ron is first introduced at the same time as Madison in the Linklater film, around the 33-minute mark. Nearly every time that Madison appears throughout the rest of the film, and eventually even when she is out of the picture,Ron takes over for Gary and ultimately becomes a permanent part of his personality.
Hit Man: Freud’s Psychological Theory Of The Id, Ego & Superego Explained
The Freudian concept of id, ego, & superego as the main provinces of the human psyche act as a key theme for Gary/Ron in Richard Linklater’s Hit Man.
Hit Man’s Glen Powell Casting Repeats A Hilarious Meta Barbie Gag
Powell proves his versatility in a role of many faces
Glen Powell’s casting inHit Manis somewhat reminiscent of the meta moment inBarbiewhere Helen Mirren cuts in and says don’t cast Margot Robbie for this role. Like Robbie’s role inBarbie, the lead role in Linklater’sHit Manis not for the faint of heart or an inexperienced actor, requiring a whole lot of confidence and risk to pull off effectively. 2024 continues to be a big year for Powell as an evolving movie star. The upcoming disaster blockbusterTwisters, also a long-awaited legacy sequel likeTop Gun: Maverick, should hopefully be the highlight of Powell’s year, even after the resounding critical acclaim ofHit Man.
10 Best Movies Like Hit Man
Richard Linklater’s Hit Man combines several different film genres inclduing romantic comedy and action thrillers. Here are 10 films to watch next.
Hit Man
Cast
Hit Man centers on a mild-mannered professor involved in police sting operations as a fake hit man. His life spirals into chaos when he unexpectedly falls for a potential client, initiating a series of unforeseen complications and dilemmas.
