I wouldn't have expected Richard Linklater (Boyhood, Before Midnight, Dazed and Confused) to craft a modern, funny take on "Body Heat", but that's the film noir classic that his enjoyable, twisty new film HIT MAN brought to mind.
Rising movie star Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick, Twisters) stars as Gary Johnson, a boring college philosophy professor living a very quiet life.
Feeding his cats seems to be the biggest adventure in a ho hum life.
His side hustle is providing electronic surveillance support to local detectives.
When usual undercover cop Jasper (the lethal AustIn Amelio) pulls a viral stunt and is suspended, Gary is pressed into service to pretend to be a hit man.
His fellow team members Claudette (a hilarious Retta) and Phil (Sanjay Rao) watch in amazement as Gary transforms into a hit man in front of the suspect, vibing gruesome, specific details about how he'll do the murder with amazing flair.
Gary and his squad become a very efficient team.
Powell hilariously inhabits every side of Gary, becoming a master of disguises and tailoring his hit man to the individual person wanting to hire him. The hair person on this film deserves an award, changing Powell's Gary from white trash to nerd to biker to business man with a very lethal comb.
Things hit a snag when he meets up with Madison Masters, a stunning young woman trying to escape an abusive marriage. Adria Arjona (True Detective, 6 Underground) is a force in the role. Beautiful, damaged, seductive, she's the sleek 2024 version of Kathleen Turner's Maddy in "Body Heat".
Gary has transformed into his slickest cover yet for Madison's case. His "Ron" is charming, quick witted and a perfect match for Madison.
What follows their first meeting is a funny, winding road that I won't dive into here, as the surprises drive the fun.
Linklater has always been an observant, smart writer. He's taken the seeds of a true story and nurtured them into something far more entertaining than real life. He creates memorable supporting characters and casts them perfectly. Gralen Bryant Banks is a great example, perfect as Sergeant Hank, firmly in charge of the team but not yelling and screaming like every police captain in "Lethal Weapon" and "48 Hours". His facial expressions and one liners are flawless.
Powell and Arjona have killer chemistry on screen.
Who is seducing who? Where do Gary and Madison's true loyalties lie?
Can you be in love with someone pretending to be someone else?
I laughed a lot, but found myself on the edge of my seat too. I didn't see some of these twists coming and enjoyed them all.
Powell also produced the film and co-wrote with Linklater.
With TWISTERS coming out next week, I think all the talk of Powell becoming the "next big thing" can stop. He's already there.
HIT MAN is fun with a dangerous edge and perfectly on target, nailing a B.
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