By David Baldwin
Gary Johnson (Glen Powell) is a professor who moonlights as a surveillance operative for the police. He is asked to fill in as an “undercover hitman-for-hire” during one sting, and surprises everyone with the strength and believability of his performance. Gary quickly becomes the go-to undercover performer and one day meets Madison (Adria Arjona), who wants to hire him to kill her husband.
Talk about your classic meet cute.
HIT MAN, the latest from multi-hyphenate Director Richard Linklater, is easily one of the hottest and most sought-after tickets at TIFF ’23. It is not hard to figure out why – he directs the hell out of the Film, crafting an offbeat Romantic Comedy that is just a joy to watch. Linklater has never been nailed down to one genre over the course of his nearly 40-year career, always swinging for the fences with mainstream experimentation and zigging when you assume he should be zagging. Though there are a few occasional story stumbles here and places where it could have been tightened, this is easily one of his best and funniest films; the kind of screwball Comedy we have not seen in decades.
Of course, we cannot give Linklater all the credit. The Film is very much a collaboration between him and Writer/Producer Powell, who is having the time of his life. This is their third film together and I can only hope there will be more collabs soon, because this has the promise of being one of the great actor/director pairings. Powell is electric from the moment the Film begins, narrating with gusto and confidently jumping into every scene headfirst. The scenes with him chatting with different perps in very different costumes are a clear highlight, showcasing his range and adoration for the material (which is based on a true story). But it is his powder keg chemistry with Arjona that really makes the Film sing. It is immediately palpable in their first scene together, and only gets stronger and sexier as the Film goes on.
Make sure you have the fire department on speed dial when you watch. Because any time these two are together threatens to ignite the screen from how incendiary their chemistry is.
HIT MAN screens at TIFF ’23:
Monday, September 11 at 5:30 PM at Royal Alexandra Theatre
Tuesday, September 12 at 2:00 PM at Royal Alexandra Theatre
Saturday, September 16 at 8:30 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto [Newly Added]
Paramount Pictures Canada + Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to see the “spiritual sequel” to DAZED AND CONFUSED! Screenings for Richard Linklater’s EVERYBODY WANTS SOME, take place in Toronto, Ottawa + Montreal!
Synopsis:
A “spiritual sequel” to Dazed and Confused set in the world of 1980 college life, Everybody Wants Some is a comedy that follows a group of friends as they navigate their way through the freedoms and responsibilities of unsupervised adulthood. Get ready for the best weekend ever.
See the Trailer:
Artwork:
To enter to win, simply click “Like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and let us know your city. Click “share” from there for an extra chance!
Paramount Pictures Canada release EVERYBODY WANTS SOME on March 30, 2016 in Toronto, April 8, 2016 in Montreal/Vancouver and across Canada April 15, 2016.
(Photo/video credit: Paramount Pictures Canada)
There is no breakthrough Actor getting more acclaim and buzz right now than Ellar Coltrane. The 18-year-old has put forth a few days of year after year, creating Director Richard Linklater‘s Masterpiece, Boyhood.
The Film starring Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette, was filmed over 12 years, documenting the transition of a Boy named Mason (Coltrane) into a Man. It captures the subtle nuances of life as he goes from one Video Game fad to another, loving Coldplay to Pharrell. At two hours and fourty-five minutes, many Critics already are calling the Film a frontrunner for Best Picture in the forthcoming Awards Season. It ends with a new beginning, suggesting Linklater might even follow-up with another based on his fondness of time as seen and loved in his Before Trilogy, also starring Hawke.
This weekend only, Coltrane will be popping-up at screenings of Boyhood around Toronto including TIFF Bell Lightbox and Varsity Cinemas, doing intimate Q&As with Audiences. Refer here for which screenings specifically.
Coltrane, getting comfortable with his new-found stardom, was nice enough to stop for a quick Photo after casually walking up the Escalator with his Publicist to a foyer where a huge display of himself stands. He made a surprise appearance this evening at Varsity Cinemas, which surely will delight the Audience who might not have had the slightest clue he’d be coming!
See our Snap:
Mongrel Media release BOYHOOD, now in theatres.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
One of the year’s best-reviewed Films is getting up-close and intimate with Toronto this weekend with a series of public screenings. In a super-rare opportunity, the Star of BOYHOOD, Ellar Coltrane, will be doing a Series of Q&As this weekend following Screenings of the Film. The Film directed by Richard Linklater documents the life of a Boy named Mason as he grows from age five to eighteen and yes, Coltrane literally grows-up before your eyes as he was filmed over a span of twelve years.
If you’re interested in checking it out, here are the Screenings:
Friday, July 25th at 7:15pm · TIFF Bell Lightbox
Saturday, July 26th at 3:45pm · TIFF Bell Lightbox
Saturday, July 26th at 8:20pm · Cineplex Varsity Cinema
Trailer below:
Have fun and don’t miss your chance to see Rising Star Coltrane in-person and witness the magic of this Movie for yourself!
Mongrel Media release BOYHOOD, now in select theatres.
(Photo/video credit: Mongrel Media)
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