---
title: "Hit Man"
year: 2024
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/hit-man"
fi1m_id: "hit-man"
imdb_id: "tt20215968"
tmdb_id: 974635
wikidata_id: "Q114437078"
fi1m_score: 74
critics_score: 80
critics_reviews: 32
published: "2026-09-30T22:25:15.150553+00:00"
updated: "2026-09-30T22:25:20.575275+00:00"
region: "PL"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Hit Man (2024)

Directed by Richard Linklater · 1h 56m · Comedy, Romance, Crime

## Identity

Hit Man

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/hit-man
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** hit-man
- **IMDb ID:** tt20215968
- **TMDB ID:** 974635
- **Wikidata ID:** Q114437078
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt20215968/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/974635, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q114437078

**Fi1m score: 74** · Critics 80 from 32 reviews

*In a sentence:* A shy man discovers the best version of himself is a killer for hire, and the film thinks that is sweet

> Glen Powell gives himself a dozen men to play and is good as all of them, and Adria Arjona matches him. Linklater’s comedy is warm, funny and well made; it turns dark late on and keeps smiling, which we found harder to like.

## Synopsis

New Orleans. Gary Johnson (Glen Powell) teaches psychology and lives with two cats called Id and Ego. On the side he does technical work for the police, sitting in a van with headphones while Jasper (Austin Amelio), an undercover officer, poses as a contract killer for people who want a spouse or a business partner dead. When Jasper is suspended, Gary is sent in to do the talking, and finds he is good at it: he gives each client the killer they have imagined, in a different wig, accent and set of teeth. Then Madison Figueroa Masters (Adria Arjona) sits down opposite him wanting her husband Ray (Evan Holtzman) gone, and Gary, posing as a smooth operator called Ron, breaks the rules and talks her out of it.

## Review

Richard Linklater has made a comedy about a mild man who discovers he is good at pretending to be a dangerous one, and it is the most enjoyable thing he has done in years. Gary Johnson (Glen Powell) teaches psychology in New Orleans. He also wires the van for the police while Jasper (Austin Amelio), an undercover officer, sits in diners posing as a contract killer for people who want someone dead. When Jasper is suspended, Gary is sent in to do the talking. The film is funny, well acted and handsomely put together, and in its second half it becomes something darker and is not sure how dark it wants to be. That reservation is not small.

Powell co-wrote the script with Linklater and has written himself the part actors dream about: half a dozen men in an hour. Each client gets the hitman they have pictured. A rich boy in a suit gets a smooth professional; a man in a truck gets a swamp creature with ruined teeth; one poor soul gets a pale figure in black who has never seen daylight. Powell plays each one straight, and the joke is that Gary, who cannot hold a room as himself, holds every one of these. We laughed a good deal, and the arrests that follow each sting, the clients led away looking baffled, are the film at its sharpest about the people who go looking for a killer.

Then Madison walks in. Adria Arjona plays her as a woman who has rehearsed this meeting and is frightened of it anyway, and Gary, in the version of himself he calls Ron, no glasses, dark shirt, a lower voice, does the one thing he must not and tells her to keep the money and leave her husband instead. We sat forward. It is a long scene in a booth, mostly in two-shot, and Sandra Adair cuts away from it no more than she has to. The pleasure of the film is watching these two decide that they like each other more than the situation allows.

Shane F. Kelly shoots New Orleans in flat, humid daylight rather than the wet neon the genre usually reaches for; nothing about the place looks like a crime picture, which is the point. Bruce Curtis’s production design gives Gary a house full of paperbacks and Madison a rented bungalow that looks like a fresh start. Juliana Hoffpauir puts Gary in polo shirts and shorts and Ron in black; the clothes do the character work. Graham Reynolds’s score is light and jazzy and stays out of the way. In the van, Retta and Sanjay Rao, as Claudette and Phil, are a chorus who cannot believe what their tech man is doing, and they get some of the best lines.

The second half takes a turn we will not describe. The consequences arrive, and Linklater keeps the tone as breezy as it was when the worst thing was a bad wig. The first hour enjoyed watching cowards get caught. The second asks us to enjoy something else, and does not slow down long enough for us to feel the difference. Gary’s lectures to his students, about the self as a thing you build rather than a thing you are, tell us what the film means in case we missed it. We had not missed it. At 116 minutes the middle stretch lets the plot machinery take over from the people, and the film loses some of its lightness without gaining any weight.

Against Linklater’s own work, the nearest relation is *Bernie*, another comedy about a likeable man with a talent for being what people wanted. That film kept a chill under its jokes. This one mostly does not, which is why *Bernie* stays with you and *Hit Man* is a lovely evening. Most critics have put it a little higher than we have; they are right about the leads and, we think, a bit forgiving about the ending.

Watch it with someone you fancy. Enjoy the wigs and the booth, and try not to think too hard on the way to bed about what it has asked you to smile at.

*Fi1m score 74, published 30 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics like Hit Man, and they agree on where the credit lies. Glen Powell’s performance, and in particular his run of comic disguises as Gary tries on one hitman persona after another, is singled out in almost every review. Close behind is his chemistry with Adria Arjona; more than one review names a long argument scene between them as the film’s high point. Linklater’s direction is called relaxed and generous, and the script gets credit for keeping a dark moral edge under the farce.

The reservations are mild and cluster around tone and length. Several reviews find the move from comedy into something darker uneven, and the character shifts underwritten. The spread is narrow: nobody is hostile, and even the mixed notices call the film charming. Variety thinks the plot sprawls and the identity theme grows self-conscious; /Film finds it slight and forgettable; The AV Club says the polish makes it feel less personal than Linklater’s best work.

## Straight answers

**Is Hit Man worth watching?**

*Hit Man* is worth watching for anyone who wants a warm, funny crime comedy with two leads who plainly enjoy each other, and we scored it 74. Glen Powell plays half a dozen fake killers and Adria Arjona matches him in the long booth scene where the film catches fire. The second half turns darker than the tone admits, and that is our one real reservation.

**How long is Hit Man, and what is it rated?**

*Hit Man* runs 1h 56m. It is a comedy and romance film.

**Where can I watch Hit Man in Poland?**

*Hit Man* is not on any streaming or rental service in Poland at the moment. It is available in 39 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How violent or frightening is Hit Man, and is it suitable for children?**

*Hit Man* is a 15 in the UK and an R in the US, and it is not for children. The comedy is about people trying to hire a killer, and the second half brings real consequences, though we cannot describe them without spoiling. There is adult content and a romance played for heat; older teenagers and up.

**How does Hit Man compare to Body Heat?**

*Hit Man* is a comedy that borrows the shape of [*Body Heat*](https://film.one/film/body-heat), a wife, a husband in the way and a hot Southern setting, but plays it for laughs where Kasdan plays it for dread. *Body Heat* is the better thriller and takes desire seriously; *Hit Man* is the better night out and shrugs off its own darkness. Choose by mood.

**What should I watch after Hit Man?**

After *Hit Man*, try [*Body Heat*](https://film.one/film/body-heat) (1981, Fi1m 83): The wife, the husband and the sweat; noir with the temperature turned right up. Then [*Kind Hearts and Coronets*](https://film.one/film/kind-hearts-and-coronets) (1949, Fi1m 91): Murder as a career path, and one actor playing an entire family; and [*Grosse Pointe Blank*](https://film.one/film/grosse-pointe-blank) (1997, Fi1m 55): A contract killer goes home for his reunion; deadpan romance with a body count.

### Reviews we read (32)

- **Evening Standard**, Jo-Ann Titmarsh (90/100, inferred): Titmarsh calls the film hugely entertaining and a gem. She praises how its screenplay deftly combines dark thrills with classic farce. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/hit-man-movie-review-richard-linklater-glen-powell-b1104997.html)
- **Little White Lies**, Hannah Strong (90/100, inferred): Strong finds the film a riotously entertaining, fresh black comedy with a darker moral undercurrent. She especially praises Glen Powell’s shape-shifting lead performance and the sharp script. [Read](https://lwlies.com/festivals/hit-man-first-look-review)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Leslie Felperin (90/100, inferred): Felperin calls the film smart, steamy screwball fun and predicts viewers will leave delighted. She particularly praises the chemistry and comic timing of Glen Powell and Adria Arjona. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/hit-man-review-richard-linklater-glen-powell-1235582145/)
- **Vulture**, Bilge Ebiri (90/100, inferred): Ebiri finds the film genuinely fresh and suggests it could be a masterpiece. He praises Linklater’s gentle, generous direction and Glen Powell’s charming, self-aware star turn. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/richard-linklaters-hit-man-review-glen-powell-a-star.html)
- **The i Paper**, Christina Newland (85/100, inferred): Newland finds Hit Man an entertaining, light-footed crime romp that balances comedy with darker moral questions. She especially praises the fizzy chemistry between Glen Powell and Adria Arjona. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/hit-man-review-richard-linklater-glen-powell-cinema-gold-3091879)
- **The New Yorker**, Richard Brody (82/100, inferred): Brody finds the film a clever, resonant romantic comedy, though its rushed character development and clichéd ending weaken it. He especially praises Glen Powell and Adria Arjona’s lively performances and charged chemistry. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/06/10/hit-man-movie-review)
- **Time Out**, Phil de Semlyen (4/5): The critic calls the film very good and supremely funny. The review singles out its entertaining take on assassin-comedy conventions. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/hit-man-2023)
- **Total Film**, Jane Crowther (4/5): The critic calls the film a fizzy, funny, heightened good time, though not an awards contender. She especially praises the combustible chemistry between Glen Powell and Adria Arjona. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/hitman-2023-review/)
- **Empire**, Sophie Butcher (78/100, inferred): Butcher calls it an entertaining, refreshing romantic thriller, though its character shifts and emotional pacing sometimes feel underdeveloped. She especially praises Powell and Arjona’s magnetic chemistry and Powell’s comic transformations into a parade of hitman personas. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/hit-man/)
- **The AV Club**, Natalia Keogan (B): Keogan finds the film a slick, sexy comedy-noir, but says its polished commercial tone feels less personal than Linklater’s best work. She praises Powell and Arjona’s crackling chemistry while noting Powell’s magnetism can undercut the character’s depth. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/hit-man-review-killer-chemistry-meets-existential-exam-1851523318)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Mark Olsen (75/100, inferred): Olsen finds Hit Man an enjoyable, breezy film with unexpected depth, though its tonal shift and plot mechanics cause it to lag. He especially praises the chemistry between Glen Powell and Adria Arjona, singling out their multi-layered argument scene. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-06-06/hit-man-glen-powell-adria-arjona-richard-linklater-review)
- **Screen Daily**, Fionnuala Halligan (75/100, inferred): Halligan presents the film as a funny, confident crowdpleaser. She singles out its lively treatment of the twisting true story of Gary Johnson. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/hit-man-venice-review/5185572.article)
- **Sight and Sound**, BFI (75/100, inferred): The critic finds the comedy’s surface charm gives way to a persuasive, refreshingly bitter edge. Glen Powell’s performance is singled out for its deft, funny portrayal of a self-conscious man trying on new identities. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/hit-man-richard-linklaters-contract-killer-comedy-leaves-refreshingly-bitter-aftertaste)
- **Slant Magazine**, Zach Lewis (3/4): Lewis finds the film relaxed and engaging, praising its playful subversion of contract-killer movie expectations. He also highlights Glen Powell’s nuanced performance as Gary shifts between identities. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/hit-man-review-richard-linklater-glen-powell/)
- **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis (75/100, inferred): Dargis finds the film an entertaining, deftly handled romantic comedy. She singles out Glen Powell’s performance and the film’s playful genre-bending. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/23/movies/hit-man-review.html)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (72/100, inferred): Bradshaw finds the film a thoroughly entertaining, diverting caper, though it struggles to blend off-screen violence with its good-humoured comedy. He praises Glen Powell’s cheerfully likable performance and the film’s playful exploration of identity through Gary’s shifting roles. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/article/2024/may/23/hit-man-review-glen-powell-richard-linklater)
- **IndieWire**, David Ehrlich (B-): Ehrlich finds the comedy charming but too safe and not particularly funny. He praises Glen Powell’s movie-star charisma and the fizzy chemistry between Powell and Adria Arjona. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/hit-man-review-glen-powell-richard-linklater-1234902288/)
- **RogerEbert.com** (64/100, inferred): The page content is blocked, so the critic’s verdict cannot be determined. No specific praise or complaint can be verified. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/hit-man-film-review-2024)
- **Variety**, Owen Gleiberman (60/100, inferred): Gleiberman finds the film amusing and entertaining, but says its sprawling plot runs too long and its identity theme grows self-conscious. He praises Glen Powell’s performance and the film’s delicious comic moments. [Read](https://variety.com/2023/film/reviews/hit-man-review-richard-linklater-glen-powell-venice-film-festival-1235713234/)
- **The Wrap**, William Bibbiani (95/100, inferred): The critic calls the film uproariously entertaining and praises its revival of the screwball studio comedy. They single out Glen Powell’s comic transformations and the sizzling chemistry between Powell and Adria Arjona. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/hit-man-review-richard-linklater/)
- **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (90/100, inferred): Hammond calls it a hilarious winner and a crowd-pleasing sleeper. He praises Glen Powell’s effortless performance through the disguises and shifting circumstances. [Read](https://deadline.com/2023/09/hit-man-review-glen-powell-richard-linklater-venice-film-festival-1235536369/)
- **Digital Spy**, Mireia Mullor (90/100, inferred): The critic calls Hit Man a delightful, highly entertaining romantic comedy with an unusually thoughtful edge. She especially praises Glen Powell’s charismatic performance and physical comedy. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a61005342/hit-man-netflix-review/)
- **Film Stories**, James Harvey (90/100, inferred): The critic calls it a hilariously charming, highly entertaining genre mash-up with star-making potential for Glen Powell. They praise Powell’s transformative performance and the chemistry between him and Adria Arjona. [Read](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/hit-man-review-glen-powell-shoots-for-stardom-in-richard-linklaters-brilliant-comedy/)
- **HeyUGuys** (90/100, inferred): The critic calls Hit Man an exceptionally fun, crowd-pleasing film. They single out Glen Powell’s range and comic timing, along with his chemistry with Adria Arjona. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/hit-man-review/)
- **NME** (90/100, inferred): The critic finds Hit Man an uproarious crowd-pleaser and praises Linklater’s precise pacing. They also single out the chemistry between Glen Powell and Adria Arjona. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/hit-man-richard-linklater-3758252)
- **Polygon**, Oli Welsh (85/100, inferred): The critic calls it a great romantic comedy with a delicious bite, despite some slackness and underwritten elements. They single out a brilliantly conceived scene where the leads’ chemistry and dialogue unite romance with danger. [Read](https://www.polygon.com/24172887/hit-man-netflix-review-glen-powell-adria-arjona/)
- **The Playlist** (83/100, inferred): The headline presents the film as a smart, sexy, delightful comedy. It singles out how well the role suits Glen Powell, who co-wrote and stars in it. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/hit-man-review-glen-powell-co-writes-and-stars-in-a-smart-sexy-delightful-richard-linklater-comedy-tailored-to-his-talents-venice-20230905/)
- **Collider**, Ross Bonaime (8/10): Bonaime praises Hit Man as an entertaining, successful noir experiment and Linklater’s best film in years. He especially singles out Glen Powell’s comic versatility and the lively chemistry between Powell and Adria Arjona. [Read](https://collider.com/hit-man-movie-review/)
- **Den of Geek**, David Crow (4/5): The critic calls Hit Man an infectious, irresistible crowdpleaser and a breakout showcase for Glen Powell. He praises Powell and Adria Arjona’s charismatic performances and Linklater’s playful blend of film noir and romantic comedy. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/hit-man-review-watch-glen-powell-movie-stardom/)
- **The Ringer**, Adam Nayman (80/100, inferred): Nayman finds Hit Man slick and entertaining while arguing that its cheerful surface conceals a disturbing portrait of American rage. He particularly praises Glen Powell’s shape-shifting performance and his ability to balance goofiness with ruthlessness. [Read](https://www.theringer.com/2024/06/07/movies/hit-man-netflix-movie-richard-linklater-filmography-dark-side)
- **Paste**, Anna McKibbin (7.9/10): McKibbin finds the film a charming, lively old-school romantic comedy, despite its occasionally shallow philosophical musings. She particularly praises the easy chemistry and playful performances of Glen Powell and Adria Arjona. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/richard-linklater/hit-man-review)
- **/Film**, Chris Evangelista (6/10): The critic finds the film charming and enjoyable but slight, tonally lopsided, and often forgettable. They single out Adria Arjona’s performance and the chemistry between her and Glen Powell as its highlights. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/1588298/hit-man-review-glen-powell-netflix/)

## Details

- **Director:** Richard Linklater
- **Director:** Richard Linklater
- **Screenplay:** Richard Linklater, Glen Powell
- **Cinematography:** Shane F. Kelly
- **Editor:** Sandra Adair
- **Music:** Graham Reynolds
- **Production design:** Bruce Curtis
- **Costume design:** Juliana Hoffpauir
- **Producer:** Richard Linklater, Jason Bateman, Michael Costigan
- **Cast:** Glen Powell as Gary Johnson; Adria Arjona as Madison Figueroa Masters; Austin Amelio as Jasper; Retta as Claudette; Sanjay Rao as Phil; Molly Bernard as Alicia; Evan Holtzman as Ray; Gralen Bryant Banks as Sargeant Hank
- **Runtime:** 1h 56m
- **Release (Poland):** 17 May 2024
- **Genres:** Comedy, Romance, Crime
- **Budget:** $9 million
- **Box office:** $5 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a7C7Bxsm90

## Where to watch in Poland

Not streaming, renting or buying in Poland at the last check.

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, DE, DK, EC, ES, FI, FR, GB, HK, ID, IE, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PT, SE, SG, TH, TR, US, VN. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Bernie* (2011): Linklater’s earlier true-crime comedy about a charmer; the same warmth, with a colder heart
- *Body Heat* (1981), Fi1m 83: The wife, the husband and the sweat; noir with the temperature turned right up — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/body-heat.md)
- *Kind Hearts and Coronets* (1949), Fi1m 91: Murder as a career path, and one actor playing an entire family — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/kind-hearts-and-coronets.md)
- *Grosse Pointe Blank* (1997), Fi1m 55: A contract killer goes home for his reunion; deadpan romance with a body count — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/grosse-pointe-blank.md)
- *Out of Sight* (1998), Fi1m 86: Two people in the wrong jobs fall for each other in one long conversation — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/out-of-sight.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/hit-man