Decoding 'Hit Man': Glen Powell, director Richard Linklater explain ending
What's the story
Hit Man upends typical genre expectations, concluding on a hopeful note where love triumphs over crime.
In the movie, Glen Powell portrays Gary Johnson, a college professor moonlighting as an undercover spy for local law enforcement.
In a recent interview, director Richard Linklater and Powell discussed the film's unconventional ending.
The film arrived on Netflix on Friday.
Spoilers ahead.
Film ending
Linklater and Powell discussed the unexpected ending
During the interview with the streamer, Linklater described the final scenes.
He explained: "Jasper totally has Gary. If it was a chess game, he played his last thing and said, 'Check.' He didn't say checkmate, he said check. So it's up to them to weasel their way out somehow."
"The film noir rules would be usually [that you wind up] dead, or in prison...We thought it's kind of more darkly funny to get away with it," he said.
Statement
'That's sort of the secret sauce to this...'
Powell agreed with Linklater, stating that despite the plot's danger and murder, audiences are rooting for love.
"That's sort of the secret sauce to this, [that this] is a guy who lives a solitary existence...you see if he's on that path, he's never going to meet anyone or live a fully developed life."
"So it's really fun to watch this guy get caught up in all of this danger and find love at the end. And I think that's...magic."
Unique approach
'Hit Man' differentiates itself from typical noir films
Hit Man distinguishes itself from other film noir by its unique approach to consequences.
The characters, despite their criminal activities, do not face extreme repercussions such as death or imprisonment. Instead, they experience lasting but muted consequences.
For instance, Madison continues to struggle with the events of the movie even after escaping her abusive relationship and marrying Gary.
This unconventional handling of outcomes is what sets Hit Man apart in the film noir genre.
Character analysis
Characters lead double lives in the film
Hit Man features characters leading double lives, with Gary pretending to be a hitman and Madison Masters (Adria Arjona) plotting to have her husband killed.
Unlike typical noir films, Hit Man does not impose severe consequences on its main characters. Gary avoids jail time, and Madison escapes her abusive relationship with Ray.
The most significant change is that Gary temporarily becomes a real hitman, leaving a trail of bodies behind him.