A Killer Romance (Hit Man)
U.S.A. 2023

Opening 4 Jul 2024

Directed by: Richard Linklater
Writing credits: Richard Linklater, Glen Powell, Skip Hollandsworth
Principal actors: Glen Powell, Adria Arjona, Austin Amelio, Sanjay Rao, Molly Bernard

Gary Johnson (Glen Powell) teaches psychology and philosophy in a New Orleans high school. He asks the students, “How many of you think you know yourselves” and tells them to “seize the identity you want for yourself.” It’s not easy for him to “know” his own self because he has a second identity. Working undercover for the police force as a man named Ron, he meets people who wish to have someone murdered. He pretends to be a killer and collects information, which leads to the arrest of the person about to hire him, “bringing the asshole to jail.” One such person is Madison (Adria Arjona), who wishes to hire Ron to do away with her soon-to-be ex-husband, Ray (Evan Holtzman). Life gets complicated as “Ron” and Madison fall in love. Then Ray is dead. Soon there is danger on the horizon. Gary is presently filling in for Jasper, who eventually returns and wants his police job back; he thinks he knows what’s going on and considers blackmail, not a bad idea, considering that Madison has collected one million dollars in life insurance.

Lead actor Glen Powell is excellent and can take credit for making A Killer Romance quite successful, even though it’s unusual to imagine murders being the basis for a feel-good film. He changes his name and appearance for each contact with a customer who seeks a killer. Then, after another successful arrest, he returns to being a schoolteacher. Filmed in New Orleans, director Richard Linklater has based his film on a real-life event. Interesting will be to compare similarities: guns, blackmail, corpses, police, and a love affair, with another upcoming film, Love Lies Bleeding. (Becky Tan)