With a stunning 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a critical consensus that calls the movie “a deceptively dark thriller that’s also loaded with laughs” and “an outstanding showcase for leading man Glen Powell — and one of the most purely entertaining films of Richard Linklater’s career,” it’s clear that “Hit Man” was a critical success. What about individual critics? Again, look at that rating: they loved it! (/Film’s own Chris Evangelista was a little more measured about this film than me, but he specifically praised Adria Arjona, writing, “As played by Adria Arjona […] Maddy is the real secret to the film’s success. As likable as Powell is, he’s matched and then outdone by Arjona, who has a kind of old school movie star charm. It’s very easy to understand why Gary is gaga over her.”)
“‘Hit Man’ makes for an undeniable good time,” Mark Olsen wrote in his review for the Los Angeles Times. “Sometimes, all you really need is a couple of impossibly attractive people enjoying each other’s company, captured by a filmmaker who knows when to stay out of their way.” Brian Tallerico agreed on RogerEbert.com, writing, “Linklater has long had a gift with playful humor, and he nails the tone here without turning ‘Hit Man’ into the slapstick it could have become.” At The Atlantic, Shirley Li spotlighted Powell, writing, “The police scenes are just light enough to be funny, the screwball sequences are just dark enough to keep you on the edge of your seat, and Powell … is obviously elated to be handling such twisty material.” Personally, I think Nick Schager hit the nail on the head in his review for The Daily Beast: “‘Hit Man’ is hot and hilarious, a winning combination amplified by a story that gets knottier at every turn.”
Richard Roeper, though, gave a shoutout to Arjona in the Chicago Sun-Times, writing, “In the offbeat comedy, Powell confirms his leading-man credentials and shows sizzling chemistry with co-star Adria Arjona.” (That’s correct; their chemistry is ridiculous.) David Sims went further in yet another review at The Atlantic: “The film’s spiral into romantic drama wouldn’t work without Powell and Arjona’s crackling chemistry. Arjona has pulled her weight in stale supporting roles in a few bad action movies, but this is a stunning star turn.”
Over at ABC News, Peter Travers was … effusive in a strange but sort of endearing way. “Oooowee, what a scorchingly sexy thriller,” he wrote. “Powered by shining new star Glen Powell, who singes the screen with wowza costar Adria Arjona, this somewhat true story from Richard Linklater adds up to one of the best and most beguiling movies of the year.” You get the point: critics went wild for “Hit Man,” and a few of them made sure to give Arjona her flowers.
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