Hit Man

Maybe the biggest problem with "Hit Man" is that at one point, a colleague tells Glen Powell's character that his face is "perfectly forgettable.” It's likely not a phrase that Powell has ever heard in his life, as his leading man charisma is only exceeded by his almost AI-perfect good looks, both of which have helped make him one of Hollywood's fastest rising superstars. "Hit Man" might just serve as the official announcement of his arrival as a major talent (with a leading role in "Twisters" to follow in a few months), and it's a perfect showcase for what the 35-year-old Texan can do.

We're introduced to Powell as Gary Johnson, a Honda Civic-driving, jean shorts-wearing bird enthusiast that teaches philosophy to college students and seems content in his solitary life with his two cats. He's so amiable that he even stays good friends with his ex-wife, who encourages him to get out of his comfort zone and try and meet women. Johnson is also a tech geek, and moonlights with the New Orleans Police Department, helping them arrange and record sting operations with suspects who are trying to hire a hit man to assassinate their enemies or annoyances. When the usual undercover cop that does the actual meet with the suspects gets suspended, Johnson is suddenly thrust into the role of fake hit man, having to convince people that he is a professional killer.

Johnson turns out to be unexpectedly excellent at this, going the extra mile to tailor his personality to each suspect. This leads to one of the movie's best sequences (and the best showcase for Powell), as he uses various disguises and accents in an effort to be the kind of hit man each different suspect would likely relate most to. It's a wonderfully amusing first act, as the doofy Johnson is freaking out about stepping into a more dangerous role, but is also clearly enjoying the fact that he is turning out to be a natural at it. He is playing out a fantasy; Gary tells the audience that the idea of a hit man-for-hire is basically a myth in reality, but his role with the police allows him to play out the collective fantasy that we have about hit men from movies and entertainment. This is particularly liberating for Johnson, who is able to get way out of his comfort zone and pretend at being different kinds of people who are very far removed from his boring, solitary real-life persona.

The movie shifts smoothly into rom-com mode in its second act, as Johnson meets with a beautiful suspect named Maddy (Adria Arjona), who is thinking about killing her abusive husband. Johnson adopts a suave, Matthew McConaughey-kind of persona named "Ron" with slicked back hair and a cool, collected demeanor, and has instant chemistry with Maddy. He convinces her to abandon the hit and just leave her husband, giving her his number in case she changes her mind later. Obviously, the two end up in a steamy fling, with Johnson sinking deeper and deeper into his "Ron" persona, becoming incredibly charming and suddenly great at sex (“I was once told I think too much to be a good lover,” he considers. “I like Ron. He’s not a thinker. He’s a doer.”) .

The movie is interspersed with segments of Johnson spouting philosophic gems to his class about the nature of self, all of which are, of course, relevant to his current situation. “What if your self is a construction, an illusion," he muses, "a role you’ve been playing since the day you were born?” Who is Gary Johnson really? A nerdy professor? Or the cool and confident Ron? Is it possible to change your personality so drastically? Maybe the true self is like the role of a hit man, mostly an illusion, and malleable enough to be whatever you want it to be.

As we move into the third act, things start to fall apart once Maddy's ex-husband suddenly turns up dead, and the investigation forces Maddy and "Ron" to confront the truth about each other. Thankfully, the movie doesn't spend a lot of time on the expected clichés ("You aren't really Ron, you lied to me!" "But I really do love you!" etc), instead preferring to go through a series of twisty, madcap schemes to foil a dirty cop (Austin Amelio) who has discovered Johnson's relationship with Maddy (who is suspect #1 in the murder of her ex), and is trying to exploit their situation for his own financial gain. It's a fun way to end things, and even though we're dealing with hit men and murder, the tone is light throughout.

Most of this is due to the expert hands of director Richard Linklater ("Boyhood," "School of Rock"), who presents all of this violence with sunniness and a smile, giving the movie a goofy tone similar to the best Coen brother comedies. Like most Linklater movies, the point is to have a good time, and that's exactly what this is, keeping the focus on the screwball instead of the shadows.

Casting Powell as a character who is supposed to be a nerdy loner is a little unbelievable, and having him almost instantly transform into the heartthrob Ron with a few minor cosmetic changes is very silly -- it's a little like the "nerdy" girls in 90s movies taking off their glasses and suddenly being ultra attractive. But it's relatively easy to forgive if that's the cost of having Powell in the movie. And really, isn't that all part of the fantasy? That anyone unhappy with their current self can make a few changes and become dangerous or confident or the object of a beautiful woman's desire? I unfortunately may not be able to slick my hair back and suddenly look like Glen Powell, but you can understand the movie's general point of view.

"Hit Man" is a crowd-pleasing good time and will certainly find a large audience thanks to its Netflix origins, which all bodes well for both the movie and Glen Powell's continuing upwards trajectory. It's an easygoing dose of fun that deserves to be a hit, man (I'm so sorry).