Richard Linklater is one of America’s most versatile filmmakers. We owe him the romantic trilogy Before – Sunset, Sunrise And Midnight –the ode to celebration Dazed and Confusedscience fiction in rotoscope At Scanner Darkly, rejoicing him School of Rockthe masterful coming-of-age story Boyhood and many others.
Hitman is possibly his most entertaining film. His charm works on us in the same way that that of Gary Johnson – who really existed – works on his colleagues, his students and Madison.
Gary (Glen Powell, Top Gun – Maverick, Anyone But You) is a somewhat uptight university professor, also a part-time hacker for the New Orleans Police Department. He occasionally accompanies a team specializing in infiltration, one of whose members, Jasper (Austin Amelio, The Walking Dead), pretends to be a hitman. Equipped with a hidden microphone, he traps those who wish to hire him to silence their “problem” forever. When Jasper is suspended, Gary is called in to replace him without warning. Against all odds, he slips into the skin of an assassin with ease.
The missions and disguises then follow one another, which gives Glen Powell, who co-wrote the screenplay with Richard Linklater, the opportunity to demonstrate the extent of his talent, especially comic. He changes accent, delivery, posture, attitude. He adapts to each of his “clients”.
When Madison (Adria Ajorna, Andor) wants to entrust her with the task of killing her husband, Ron – pseudonym chosen for the occasion – dissuades her from committing the irreparable rather than incriminating her. This beautiful gesture and Ron’s charm will create a desire in Madison, which will quickly become reciprocal. Gary, although always rational, will convince himself that he is not breaking the rules of police ethics by associating with the woman he was supposed to trap. Different circumstances will only make his lie worse.
It’s all about charm in Hitman. We realize that the right words said by the right person at the right time can persuade anyone of almost anything. We too are won over by this romantic comedy with unusual and daring mechanisms. Although the methods are very different, the effect is similar to that ofAbout Time, by Richard Curtis. The whole thing is surprising, sincere and sexy.
The outcome is not surprising. This is no reason to shy away from your pleasure, especially since there is not an abundance of works feel-good on the big screen.
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Comedy of manners
Hitman
(VF: Hitman)
Richard Linklater
With Glen Powell, Adria Ajorna, Austin Amelio
1:55 a.m.
Indoors