Hit Man: a 'sizzling romance' and 'tense action flick' rolled into one

Richard Linklater is known for films "that play with the passage of time", such as his award-winning "Boyhood", which was shot over more than a decade, said Robbie Collin in The Daily Telegraph. "But he also does a nice line in comedies about local eccentrics", such as "School of Rock"; and "Hit Man" fits "neatly into this second group". 

Based (loosely) on a true story, it stars Glen Powell as Gary, a mild- mannered psychology lecturer from New Orleans who has a second job as an investigator, gathering evidence for the police against embittered lovers plotting to have their partners killed. "His MO is to pose as a professional assassin – a man-in-black type he gives the name 'Ron'." He then catches would-be clients "ordering the hit". Gary gets in a pickle, however, when he falls for Madison (Adria Arjona), a beautiful divorcée who wants to rid herself of a toxic ex. 

The film "trips along on great writing" and Linklater's "witty, light-touch direction", but what makes it "especially pleasurable is Powell and Arjona's naturally steamy rapport. Here is a screen couple who look like they really do want to take each other to bed." It's easy to root for them and to pardon their "mounting misdeeds". 

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Co-written by Powell and Linklater, Hit Man is "a sizzling romance, a hilarious dark comedy and a tense action flick all rolled into one, with a light sprinkle of philosophy on top", said Larushka Ivan-Zadeh in the Daily Mail. "If you don't find this one in cinemas, be sure to catch it on Netflix come 7 June." There are plenty of tiresome films about assassins out there, and "the heart might sink" at the thought of yet another, said Danny Leigh in the FT. "But wait!" This is a "richly enjoyable" charmer that carries off a "clash of tones that would capsize most films".