Hit Man

FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://fandomwire.com/hit-man-venice-film-festival-review-one-of-the-years-greatest-comedies/ "Hit Man leaves everyone floored with one of the best comedies of the year in a magical case of cinema in which direction, screenplay, and cast combine so well with each other that, in the end, it's impossible not to applaud. Richard Linklater and Glen Powell deliver an insanely hilarious, genuinely entertaining script elevated by the filmmaker's flawless technical execution and career-best performances from Powell and Adria Arjona. A light, non-stop narrative filled with memorable, thought-provoking, sharp dialogue, exploring notions of identity and personality through the question: "can we really change who we are?" One of the most sensationally enjoyable theater experiences in recent years." Rating: A-

At this rate, Glen Powell is going to be able to pay Tom Cruise back for his flying lessons pretty swiftly! Here, he's a rather geeky teacher (Gary) who teaches philosophy at a college whilst occasionally helping out the cops with some criminal profiling. When one of their investigators "Jasper" (Austin Amelio) goes a bit too far and gets suspended, Gary gets drafted in last minute and proves quite effective at getting folks who want to bump of their nearest and dearest for $5,000 to admit their cunning plans to a well wired-up con. The more of these cases he does, the better he gets; the more fun he has dressing up and adept he becomes at assuming a range of identities. It's "Maddy" (Adria Arjona) who sets the cat amongst the pigeons when she asks him to get shot of her thuggish husband "Ray" (Evan Holtzman). He takes a shine to her and talks her out of her criminal ploy. Quickly the two are seeing each other - which is manna from heaven for the deposed "Jasper". When her husband is found dead, he thinks he knows exactly who did what and how best to exact his revenge... It's quite an entertaining romantic thriller this, providing Powell with an opportunity to charm his way through an almost two hours of cinema that is light and fluffy, completely preposterous yet based on a true character. Arjona looks like she is having a good time here, too - and the last twenty minutes are quite fun. No, it won't trouble a BAFTA jury I suspect - but it's quite enjoyable summertime fayre.