Glen Powell is still on his way to becoming one of the most in-demand lead actors in Hollywood. After a supporting role in Tom Cruise’s ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ co-starring in ‘Devotion’ and leading the rom-com ‘Anyone But You’ alongside Sydney Sweeney, the actor will deliver one of his most powerful performances in the comedy-romantic thriller ‘Hit Man.’
The movie, which premiered at Venice in 2023 and became one of the most acclaimed, will finally be released on Netflix in select countries, including the US, on Friday, June 7, 2024 with a limited theatrical release prior.
Powell not only stars in the film, as he also co-wrote the script alongside director Richard Linklater (with both also producing). The movie is based on a true story first published in an article by Skip Hollandsworth on Texas Monthly in 2001. Here’s what you need to know about the film.
‘Hit Man’ with Glen Powell: Plot, cast and more
Per Netflix, the story follows a straight-laced professor Gary Johnson (Powell), who discovers he has a hidden talent as a fake hit man but he falls in love with Madison (Adria Arjona), a potential client. Their romance sets off a chain reaction of lies, joy, and confused identities.
The rest of the cast also includes Austin Amelio (The Walking Dead, Everybody Wants Some!!), Retta (Parks and Recreation, Good Girls), Sanjay Rao (The Flight Attendant), Molly Bernard (Chicago Med, Younger), and Evan Holtzman (Hidden Figures).
Speaking to Netflix Tudum, Linklater said that the film is “about a lot of things” but, ultimately, it is “just a guy who gets in a little too deep. His passions lead him in a direction where he’s deceiving someone he’s in love with, and being someone else. They have to deal with those repercussions.”
While the film is inspired by a real life character, the late Gary Johnson, who worked as a fake hit man for the police, the story is fictionalized and the plot twists are totally the invention of the screenwriters.
“Hit Man” is set to become one of the most acclaimed movies after its premiere on the platform, as it already boasts a universal acclaim. Critics agree that Powell’s performance and Linklater’s direction are masterful. To many experts, this is a movie that can solidify Powell’s career as a Hollywood leading man.
