One of the best-reviewed films of last year’s fall fests is being released in 2024.
Netflix has released a trailer for Richard Linklater’s “Hit Man,” which is set to hit theaters, for an awards-qualifying run, on May 24 before finally streaming on the platform on June 7.
Linklater’s “Hit Man” was a critical darling at Venice and TIFF, but that wasn’t enough for Netflix to give it a proper release for last year’s Oscars. I guess Linklater’s film isn’t what you’d call token Oscar-bait, but critics might have pushed this one forward.
Netflix bought “Hit Man” at TIFF for $20 million. It was the biggest deal of the festival. They also snatched up Anna Kendrick’s “Woman of the Hour,” for $11 million, and that one is also said to be a 2024 release.
“Hit Man” stars Glenn Powell (“Top Gun: Maverick”) as Gary Johnson, a police staff investigator who plays the role of a hit man to catch individuals ordering a hit. He ends up falling hard for Madison (Adria Arjona) whom he talks out of a hit on her abusive husband.
This was a surprisingly sexy noir from Linklater. It kept messing with my head as characters switched identities, and lies upon lies got piled up. It’s also darkly funny. Powell’s shape-shifting performance is a career booster, but I must also mention Adria Arjona as the femme fatale — she’s stunning. Her chemistry with Powell in this film is electric.
With “Hit Man,” Linklater cements his status one of the best working filmmakers today, his filmography says it all: “Dazed and Confused,” “Boyhood,” “The School of Rock,” “Waking Life,” “Bernie,” “Everybody Wants Some,” and, of course, the ‘Before’ trilogy. Some of his under-the-radar gems include “Me and Orson Welles,” “Tape,” and “Apollo 10 1/2.”