Hit Man (2023)
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An undercover police contractor posing as a hitman finds himself entangled in a complex web of romance and deception.
The story
Gary Johnson is a mild-mannered professor of psychology and philosophy at the University of New Orleans who also works for the New Orleans Police Department to assist in sting operations. When a colleague is suspended for brutality, Gary is unwillingly ushered into the role of a fake hitman to solicit and prevent murder-for-hire schemes. Gary quickly becomes a natural at the role, adopting a charismatic persona to interact with clients. He eventually meets Madison, a woman seeking to have her abusive husband killed. Gary finds himself both sympathetic and attracted to her, leading to a complicated dynamic as he attempts to navigate his dual identity while trying to protect her.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Gary Johnson, a professor and undercover police operative, takes over the role of a fake hitman after his colleague is suspended. He adopts the persona 'Ron' to work with Madison, a woman seeking to eliminate her abusive husband. Gary and Madison begin a romantic relationship while Gary maintains his secret identity. After a confrontation with Madison's husband, Ray, who is subsequently killed, Gary is forced to reveal his true identity to Madison. Following a period of separation, the police discover evidence against Madison. To protect her, Gary and Madison perform a staged interrogation to convince the police of her innocence. However, a suspicious colleague, Jasper, blackmails them for the insurance money. They manage to neutralize Jasper and stage his death as a suicide. Years later, Gary and Madison are shown living happily together as a married couple with two children.
- First release year
- 2023
- Runtime (minutes)
- 115
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Richard Linklater
- Writers
- Richard Linklater · screenplay; Glen Powell · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Glen Powell · Gary Johnson; Adria Arjona · Madison; Austin Amelio; Retta; Sanjay Rao
- Genres
- romantic crime comedy; romance; comedy
- Themes
- identity
- Tone and mood
- romantic; humorous
- Premise and plot tags
- undercover; fake hitman; romance; comedy
- Source material / true-story basis
- The true story of a college professor who worked for the Houston police in the late 1980s and 1990s as a fake hitman, as described in a 2001 magazine article by Skip Hollandsworth.
- Reception
- The film received critical acclaim, with critics praising its humor, romance, and the lead performance, while some noted a lack of subtlety in the philosophical elements.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 82 · scale: 100 · review count: 55
- Production trivia
- The film is based on a true story from the 1980s and 1990s.; The film includes a dedication to the real-life inspiration, Gary Johnson.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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