This review was written as a group review article. If you want to read the full thing here's the link: https://www.teentix.org/blog/5-takes-on-hit-man/

How to get away with a murder? Hit Man feels like an exploration into that twisted yet universal fantasy. The film gives the audience plenty to think about as they enter the main character’s, Gary Johnston’s, world of philosophy, psychology, and justice.

The movie begins with a seemingly ordinary professor whose persona is built around blandness, forgetfulness, and living alone with his cats: Id and Ego (A cool easter egg to look out for). The movie cleverly plays with circumstance as Gary, played by Glen Powell, slowly transforms into his alternate persona, the assassin Ron. Every step in that transformation is based on subconscious or conscious circumstances, including his choice to pursue a career in psychology and philosophy while also stumbling into a hobby of a fake hit man. The movie doesn’t spend much time hiding the journey we’ve seen a thousand times, loser to winner. Instead it focuses on highlighting the excitement and thrill Gary gets from becoming the exact opposite of who he was before. There is no fairy godmother to give Gary his new dress or shoes (other than the director Richard Linklater and his spectacular team) as Hit Man explores the psychology behind a killer's mind and the passion that lies between love and hate.

As much as Gary focuses on upgrading himself into this hitman mentally, he also seeks to upgrade himself professionally. The main antagonist and previous fake-hitman, Jasper, who was played by Austin Amelio, is no match for Gary. While Powell portrays a sophisticated and methodical chameleon, Jasper is a joke and comparatively weak in comparison to the god-like complexes of Gary and Madison (Gary’s cunning girlfriend). This characterization of Jasper makes the climax feel predictable. Although a minor detail, this lackluster villain held the movie back from reaching god-tier. Nonetheless, Hit Man did a wonderful job of enthralling the audience, combining a deep understanding of psychological and philosophical concepts to produce a universally appealing fantasy of what a hitman should be.

Link to an article about the real Gary Johnson: https://www.biography.com/movies-tv/a60991423/is-hit-man-based-on-a-true-story