hit movie review gulte

• Firstpost Defence Summit
• Entertainment
• Web Stories
• Health Supplement
• First Sports
• Fast and Factual
• Between The Lines
• Firstpost America

HIT movie review: Vishwak Sen stands out in an engaging suspense thriller; Sailesh Kolanu makes promising debut

If you love crime dramas, HIT is a thrilling experience, which falters a bit in the end.

Language: Telugu

HIT (Homicide Interventionn Team) follows the journey of Vikram Rudraraju, a tough cop, who takes over a case to trace the whereabouts of a missing girl named Preethi.

It is staged like a thriller since Vikram is also racing against time to find his longtime girlfriend Neha (Ruhani Sharma), who disappears in a similar fashion. The rest of the story is about how Vikram solves the case, and unravels the mystery behind what happened to the two.

The premise of the story might sound quite familiar but the difference lies in how newcomer Sailesh Kolanu, who wrote and directed the film, treats the characters, and evokes a sense of dread every now and then. The focus of the storytelling is as much on solving a puzzle as is about the emotional toll it takes on its protagonist. This changes the texture of the film and makes every reaction, every haunting memory, and even fire, brim out with details which are necessary to understand what drives the protagonist.

It is not just another suspense thriller which gives you some details about a crime, leaving vital clues for the finale. In fact, the method in which Vikram solves the case becomes secondary in the larger scheme of things, because Sailesh keeps pushing you to get inside Vikram’s head and listen to the voice, which keeps telling him to expect the worst. For someone who gets panic attacks, just from the mere sight of fire, there is a reason why Vikram’s approach always has a sense of urgency. He does not want to witness another nightmare in front of his eyes because the scars of his past are still fresh in his mind.

This is also applicable to us because a significant part of the story is set in the outer ring road of Hyderabad, where a young girl finds herself stranded and looking for help. The horrific true crime from December 2019 in Hyderabad, the memories of which are still fresh in our minds, casts its shadow all over the film. Thankfully, the film does not exploit the real incident but triggers a visceral reaction subconsciously.

What makes HIT  engrossing is how it treats the lead character. Vikram, who suffers from post-traumatic stress, relies on Valium to keep his sanity. His insomnia and anger make him restless. The roadblocks which he keeps facing at every turn manifold his frustration. Quite rarely has a character been developed to this extent in recent times. Sailesh Kolanu fills plenty of details in the script to give us a clear picture of Vikram’s fears, nightmares, and also, his intelligence. He has a nose for crime, which helps him solve mysteries quickly, although some people in the police department do not like his attitude.

For a film that has very few jump-scares or adrenaline-pumping moments, Kolanu still manages to make HIT an immersive experience. Vishwak Sen is in terrific form as Vikram Rudraraju. He maintains the intensity in his performance till the end. Ruhani Sharma fits the part quite well. Although she has very little screen time, she makes it count each time she appears on screen. The rest of the cast fit in their respective roles quite well.

In a film where there is so much to soak in, perhaps the only loose thread is its climax. This is the only element in the story which jolts you out of a terrific experience. It comes across like an odd fit from the rest of the story.

HIT is also one of the few Telugu films in recent years, which demand your attention both visually and aurally.

Cinematographer Manikandan keeps it real in terms of his choice of lighting and colour palette, which accentuates the grim mood of the narrative. There is not a single frame which looks out of place or stylish just for the sake of it. Perhaps, it is meant to reflect Vikram’s state of mind because as tough as he might be, he also fears the worst each time. Even the romantic portions between Vishwak and Ruhani have a sepia tone to evoke a nostalgic feeling.

Vivek Sagar’s background score is outstanding. He fills the world of HIT with so much dread, with a unique composition of soundtrack, it makes the whole film quite engrossing. And Garry, editor, deserves equal praise for maintaining the tempo of the narrative.

Kolanu makes a promising debut with this moody suspense thriller. There is no denying he is a talent to watch out for. I could not help but think of Denis Villeneuve’s Prisoners , a 2013 suspense drama about a father’s search for his missing daughter. Towards the end of that film, Hugh Jackman finds himself trapped in a basement with no way of escaping. In HIT , Vikram Rudraraju is still a prisoner of his past, but one can only wonder if he has found a closure.

A big thumbs up for the film. If you love crime dramas, HIT is a thrilling experience, which falters a bit in the end.

Rating: 3.25 stars

Find us on YouTube

Related Stories

Yodha: How Karan Johar and Sidharth Malhotra created history by unveiling the trailer mid-air at 37,000 feet

Netflix’s The Indrani Mukerjea Story – Buried Truth Review: A very mature approach to the Sheena Bora case

Here's looking at how Anant Ambani lost 108 kilos in mere 18 months ahead of his wedding with Radhika Merchant

Actress-politician Jaya Prada declared ‘absconding’ by court, arrest warrant issued for this reason

• Click on the Menu icon of the browser, it opens up a list of options.
• Click on the “Options ”, it opens up the settings page,
• Here click on the “Privacy & Security” options listed on the left hand side of the page.
• Scroll down the page to the “Permission” section .
• Here click on the “Settings” tab of the Notification option.
• A pop up will open with all listed sites, select the option “ALLOW“, for the respective site under the status head to allow the notification.
• Once the changes is done, click on the “Save Changes” option to save the changes.

• Top Listing
• Upcoming Movies

2.5 /5 Filmibeat

• Cast & Crew

Hit Cast & Crew

Hit Crew Info

Director
Cinematography
Editor
Music
Producer
Budget	TBA
Box Office	TBA
OTT Platform	Amazon Prime Video
OTT Release Date	2020-04-01

Hit Critics Review

Hit trailer.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Hit

In this Hit film, Vishwak Sen , Ruhani Sharma played the primary leads.

The Hit was released in theaters on 28 Feb 2020.

The Hit was directed by Dr Sailesh Kolanu

Movies like Double iSmart , RT 75 , Kalki 2898 AD and others in a similar vein had the same genre but quite different stories.

The Hit had a runtime of 126 minutes.

The soundtracks and background music were composed by Vivek Sagar for the movie Hit.

The cinematography for Hit was shot by S Mani Kandan .

You can watch the Hit movie on Amazon Prime Video,.

On 01 Apr 2020 Hit was released on the Amazon Prime Video, platform.

The movie Hit belonged to the Action,Thriller, genre.

Hit User Review

• Movie rating

Celeb Birthdays

Movies In Spotlight

Video Title

• Don't Block
• Block for 8 hours
• Block for 12 hours
• Block for 24 hours
• Dont send alerts during 1 am 2 am 3 am 4 am 5 am 6 am 7 am 8 am 9 am 10 am 11 am 12 pm 1 pm 2 pm 3 pm 4 pm 5 pm 6 pm 7 pm 8 pm 9 pm 10 pm 11 pm 12 am to 1 am 2 am 3 am 4 am 5 am 6 am 7 am 8 am 9 am 10 am 11 am 12 pm 1 pm 2 pm 3 pm 4 pm 5 pm 6 pm 7 pm 8 pm 9 pm 10 pm 11 pm 12 am

• Movie Schedules
• OTT and TV News

-->

Most Viewed Articles

• Anand Deverakonda’s Gam Gam Ganesha arrives on OTT
• Buzz: Salman Khan’s film with Atlee to feature a top hero from South India
• Confirmed: Lengthy runtime locked for Prabhas’ Kalki 2898 AD
• Is Rajinikanth upset with Lokesh Kanagaraj? Here’s the clarity
• Kannada superstar lauds Allu Arjun’s dedication
• Fans urge Kalki 2898 AD makers to unleash the ‘leaked’ trailer
• Darshan’s wife Vijayalakshmi breaks her silence on the murder case
• Anna Ben’s first look from Kalki 2898 AD unveiled
• Fresh buzz on Jr. NTR and Prashanth Neel’s film
• Fans swoon for Prabhas’ dashing looks

Recent Posts

• స‌మీక్ష: OMG(ఓ మంచి ఘోస్ట్) – రొటీన్ హార్ర‌ర్ కామెడీ
• Review : O Manchi Ghost – Mediocre horror comedy
• సమీక్ష : “నింద” – రోటీన్ ప్లేతో సాగే ఎమోషనల్ డ్రామా !
• Review : Varun Sandesh’s Nindha – Decent concept, flawed execution
• సమీక్ష : ప్రభుత్వ జూనియర్‌ కళాశాల – రొటీన్ అండ్ బోరింగ్ లవ్ డ్రామా !
• “గేమ్ ఛేంజర్” అవైటెడ్ అప్డేట్ పై అప్పుడు క్లారిటీ?

Release date : February 28, 2020

123telugu.com Rating : 3/5

Starring :  Vishwak Sen, Ruhani Sharma, Brahmaji, Hari Teja, Murli Sharma

Director :  Sailesh Kolanu

Producers :  Nani, Prashanti Tipirneni

Music Director :  Vivek Sagar

Cinematographer :  S.Manikandan

Editers : Garry BH

Nani’s second production, HIT has hit the screens today. Let’s see whether it has anything interesting going it’s way.

Vikram(Vishwak Sen) is an aggressive cop who has a painful past. One fine day, a girl named Preeti gets kidnapped and Vikram is involved in the case. Things become even crazier when Vikram’s girlfriend, Neha(Ruhani Sharma) also gets kidnapped in the very same way. The rest of the story is as to how Vikram solves this case and nabs the culprit.

Plus Points:

The theme of the film looks good and has been given a unique setup which is realistic. Ruhani Sharma is neat in her role but she did not get to do much. Her chemistry with Vishwak Sen is good.

The investigation scenes have been showcased with a lot of detail and they look good in the first half. Murali Sharma is good in his brief role. Hari Teja did well in her tense role.

The interval bang is good and the way each of the key factors in the story are linked looks good. The BGM needs a special mention as it elevates things quite well. It was good to see Bhanu Chandar after a long time on screen.

Last but not the least, Vishwak Sen is the life and soul of the film. He had a difficult role to play but the talented actor carried the tense tempo through the end and proved that he is a versatile actor. Vishwak was very good in all the investigation scenes.

Minus Points:

One of the biggest drawbacks of the film is that is lengthy. The runtime is quite long and this makes the audience a bit itchy as to when the big twist will be revealed finally.

The climax should have been handled even more effectively as it ended on a simple note which does not create any effect. Scenes related to Hari Teja and her investigation should have been reduced.

Any thriller generally has several twists and turns but HIT does not have many of them. It is more of a investigation film which is like solving a puzzle rather than giving the audience an adrenaline pumping effect.

Technical Aspects:

The camera work of the film is top notch and the texture given to the visuals is quite good. As said earlier, the BGM is amazing. The dialogues and production design look neat. A lot of detailing has gone into the film and this shows on screen in all the investigation scenes

Coming to the director Sailesh, he has done an okay job with the film. His detailing is good and the way he unleashes all the key factors in the case is good. But if you see them cinematically, there are not many crazy twists or edge of the seat moments created by the director.

On the whole, HIT is a suspense thriller which has some interesting investigative scenes. The suspense has been maintained till the end and Vishwak Sen is top notch in his role. But the film is lengthy and misses the needed twists which all thrillers have. Overall, its a decent attempt and can be watched for it’s passable thrills.

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click Here For Telugu Review

Articles that might interest you:

• Review : Prabuthwa Junior Kalashala – Tedious romantic drama
• OTT Review: Paruvu – Telugu web series on ZEE5
• OTT Review : Yakshini – Telugu OTT series on Disney Plus Hotstar
• Review : Harom Hara – Only for masses
• Review : Vijay Sethupathi’s Maharaja – A decent tale of emotion and vengeance
• Review : Chandini Chowdary’s Yevam – Disappointing thriller

-->

Ad : Teluguruchi - Learn.. Cook.. Enjoy the Tasty food

• తెలుగు

HIT Review: Hits Right Bullets, Misses the Target

Movie: HIT Rating: 2.75/5 Banner: Wall Poster Cinema Cast: Vishwak Sen, Ruhani Sharma, Chaitanya Sagiraju, Brahmaji, Bhanu Chander, Murali Sharma, and others Music: Vivek Sagar Cinematography: S Manikandan Editor: Garry BH Art: Avinash Kolla Producer: Prashanti Tipirneni Written and Directed by: Sailesh Kolanu Release date: Feb 28, 2020

Natural Star Nani presented ‘Awe’ which won critical acclaim and his second production is ‘HIT’. The trailer has already intrigued the audience and the promotions have been great.

So does this film live up to all the buzz it has created? Let’s analyze.

Story: Vikram (Vishwak Sen), a police officer who is good at the investigation process is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

As an officer of the police unit HIT – Homicide Intervention Team, he comes to know about a teenage girl Preeti’s missing case. Similarly, his girlfriend also goes missing.

He believes the two cases are interlinked but his higher officer refuses to hand over the case of his girlfriend Neha (Ruhani Sharma), a forensic expert to him because his emotions may run over intelligence here. He voluntarily takes up the Preeti case.

Who is behind these abductions? Will Vikram crack the puzzle?

Artistes’ Performances: This is Vishwak Sen’s show all the way. His intense act is the main highlight. He has carried the mood throughout.

Ruhani Sharma in a brief role is neat.

Debutant Chaitanya Sagiraju who played Vishwak’s partner in the investigation has done a neat job.

Strangely, Murali Sharma gets a minuscule role. Bhanu Chander, Brahmaji and Hari Teja have carried the roles with ease.

Technical Excellence: The technical team has succeeded in creating the mood required for this thriller with excellent outputs. Cinematography, sound design, and background music are at the first-rate.

Production values are good. Editing should have been crisp post-interval. 

Highlights: Vishwak Sen First half Background score

Drawback: Dampening Twist Typical thriller elements Excessive use of investigation jargon

Analysis Investigative dramas, serial killer movies, edge-of-the-seat suspenseful movies have slowly found the ground in the Telugu film industry. Of late, such movies are being regularly made. ‘HIT’ falls in the genre of investigative thriller. HIT stands for Homicide Intervention Team.

The film begins interestingly in a classical style of thrillers by establishing the premise without much fuss.

A girl gets kidnapped, the protagonist takes up the investigation – this is a classic setup. The hero going through post-traumatic stress is the novelty factor here. Something had happened in the protagonist’s past and he’s haunted by those incidents.

What is that past that keeps giving him nightmares? We never come to know the reason because this is reserved as the big reveal for the possible sequel. But this angle has suited well for Vishwak Sen, who has an off-screen image of aggressive personality. Thus, the director has played his cards well by placing the right setup. 

The investigation process is also handled differently, in a more clinical way. This has helped further elevating the mood of the movie. Since the story is set in and around the Outer Ring Road of Hyderabad, it has also given a new dimension that is hitherto unexplored. 

With each suspect proving to be innocent, the hero reaches to the dead-end in the case. This process is established neatly Though there are flashbacks of hero-heroine romance, intercuts of a past incident, the movie rivetingly focuses on the missing cases.

But when the movie reaches the climax portion to reveal the big twist, this is where the film completely goes off the track. The twist and the motive for the culprit are not at all convincing. It also raises many logical questions about the first half. This has entirely spoiled the mood.

The makers have planned the sequel to it at the scripting stage itself, thus many elements have remained unanswered. This has also become a negative factor and mood-killer.

Moreover, by entirely focusing on suspects and crossing them in the end, the story seems not moving further and doing rounds and rounds.

All in all, this thriller has succeeded in maintaining the right mood and keeping us glued to the screens for the most part but misses the target in the end.

Bottom-line: HIT and Run

• Harom Hara Review: Inconsistent And Unengaging
• Maharaja Review: A Screenplay Wonder
• Satyabhama Review: More Turns, Less Engaging

Tags: Hit HIT Movie Review HIT Movie Rating Hit Telugu Movie Review Hit Review HIT Rating

ADVERTISEMENT

• Entertainment
• Life & Style

To enjoy additional benefits

CONNECT WITH US

‘HIT’ movie review: This Vishwak Sen-starrer hits close to the bull’s eye

Director sailesh kolanu debuts with a riveting thriller, and signals the beginning of a new franchise.

February 28, 2020 02:01 pm | Updated 02:18 pm IST

Vishwak Sen in the film

The mark of a well-made thriller lies in its ability to grab our attention and keep us invested throughout, and more importantly make us care for the key characters. Writer and debut director Dr Sailesh Kolanu does that skilfully with HIT (Homicide Intervention Team), building a taut thriller that doesn’t lose momentum.

HIT has a strong screenplay and complementing Sailesh’s vision is a bravura team — cinematographer S Manikandan who creates an atmosphere of intrigue with a largely brown-green-yellow tinted colour palette, art director Avinash Kolla, editor Garry B H who ensures that the pace doesn’t dip, and above all, composer Vivek Sagar whose brilliant background score knows when to ebb and flow. The score adds to the narrative beautifully without overshadowing the proceedings.

Vikram Rudraraju (Vishwak Sen) is an intelligent and committed officer who’s also battling post traumatic stress, haunted by tragic incidents from the past. The gruesome things he witnesses during crime solving become triggers for panic attacks.

• Cast: Vishwak Sen, Ruhani Sharma
• Direction: Sailesh Konalu
• Music: Vivek Sagar

HIT explores why Vikram takes up the case of a missing girl, Preethi, and what it has to do with his own personal story. Vikram is advised against dealing with a case where someone close to him is at stake, as he might let emotions overrule intelligence, but it’s inevitable that Vikram gets to the bottom of the mystery.

In some of the recent thrillers where the plots are built around cases of missing women, the focus is on crime inflicted on women. HIT deviates from this trope and builds a complex web of incidents. At one point when Vikram says in frustration that though there are a handful of clues and suspects, nothing adds up, the tension is palpable.

In this non-linear narrative where Vikram’s past is revealed in flashes, Sailesh leaves it to you to interpret a few things and doesn’t spoon feed. He also makes you subconsciously piece together the puzzle along with Vikram and his aides, which in itself is the success of the thriller.

Vikram’s character sketch is also an intriguing one. Small incidents, presented with a dash of humour, establish what kind of a person he is — like the scene where a child who sells tea is counting money (probably to pay school fees) while his employer has been slapped, and the portion where Vikram rebukes a professor who comments about the degrading culture among students. The smaller sub plot of Vikram’s clash with a jealous colleague also fits in well.

The thriller is dotted with actors who are aptly cast for their different parts. Vishwak performs with a lot of conviction and this is his best so far. Ruhani is impressive in her limited portions. The role she’s given, at least in part one (oh yes, there’s HIT - case two coming up in 2021), is not an author backed one like in her debut film Chi La Sow , but she’s good as the forensic officer and as Vikram’s lady love, Neha. Newcomer Chaitanya as officer Rohit is apt too. Brahmaji, Bhanuchander, Hari Teja and Murali Sharma do their portions well.

The only grouse is with the big revelation in the climax. It could have been even better. The backstory of the culprit is believable and there are no obvious loopholes, and yet, it felt a little underwhelming. A well-constructed thriller such as this one had the potential to end on a high note, with a climax that can knock your socks off.

HIT deserves a thumbs up. It hasn’t revealed all its cards, so here’s looking forward to part two.

Related Topics

reviews / The Hindu Cinema Plus / entertainment (general) / Telugu cinema

Top News Today

• Access 10 free stories every month
• Save stories to read later
• Access to comment on every story
• Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
• Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products

Terms & conditions   |   Institutional Subscriber

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.

Gulte Telugu Telugu Political and Movie News Updates

Movie reviews.

సమీక్ష – హరోంహర

సమీక్ష – మహారాజ

సమీక్ష – సత్యభామ

సమీక్ష – మనమే

మంచి రోజుల ముంగిట్లో టాలీవుడ్

సమీక్ష – భజే వాయు వేగం

సమీక్ష – గ్యాంగ్స్ అఫ్ గోదావరి

సమీక్ష – లవ్ మీ ఇఫ్ యు డేర్

సమీక్ష – కృష్ణమ్మ

సమీక్ష – ప్రతినిధి 2

సమీక్ష – ప్రసన్నవదనం

సమీక్ష – ఆ ఒక్కటి అడక్కు

More From Forbes

‘hit man’ dethroned in netflix’s top 10 list by a new movie.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

This article was published on 6/18 and republished on 6/20.

Movies can only last so long on Netflix’s Top 10 list as people move on from a two hour adventure eventually, and Hit Man has now lost the #1 spot there. The 96% rated movie was universally praised but has been unseated by a new film, and not a Netflix original at that.

That would be Tell Them You Love Me, a 2023 true crime documentary, the type of thing that is usually big on Netflix, but these are also usually miniseries, not movies. This one is just an hour and forty minutes long, which is probably too short for a three-parter.

The film is an extremely unique look at a difficult situation, as you can see from the description.

“Tell Them You Love Me explores the extraordinary story of Anna Stubblefield, an esteemed university professor who becomes embroiled in a controversial affair with Derrick Johnson, a non-verbal man with cerebral palsy. Anna says she unlocked Derrick's mind from his body by teaching him to communicate using a keyboard. The relationship that followed would lead to a criminal trial that would challenge our perceptions of disability and the nature of consent.”

The film does not have enough ratings on Rotten Tomatoes for a score, and a few dozen audience reviews give it an 82%. Given that the subject matter is probably not going to be widely recommended, I would not expect it to stay on the top of the list long, and it seems likely that Hit Man will once again replace it, barring any further new additions.

Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Of 2024

Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024.

Hit Man has been #1 to this point since its release on June 7, and it is impressive to see a movie last weeks that high on the list. Normally I would wonder if this would be grounds for a sequel, but the nature of the film and prestige of the director, Richard Linklater, indicates this is probably not in the cards. But I’m sure Glen Powell has enjoyed leading what has undoubtedly been the #1 most-watched movie in the country for several weeks, probably only unseated by Inside Out 2 in theaters, which just broke records for an animated film at the box office.

Hit Man was a rare, unequivocal win for Netflix’s original film wing, which often produces widely watched but relatively low quality blockbusters. That was not the case this time, as the comedy was stellar on every front, cemented Powell as a Hollywood star and also serves as a breakout for Adria Arjona, who will now lead an Amazon series soon.

I predict Hit Man will return to the #1 spot soon with Tell Them You Love Me moving on rather quick, but we’ll have to see.

Update (6/2): Well, turns out I was wrong, and things moved quickly in the other direction. I guess I forgot how often Netflix adds movies, and now Hitman is way further down the list at #5 now, rather than getting anywhere close to retaining its top spot.

Yesterday, I looked and saw that 50 Shades of Grey was now the top movie on Netflix, but as of today, that’s dropped to #2 and Tell Them You Love Me is back on top at #1, as I guess that’s really resonating. The movie still only has a single scored review from critics, despite being the most-watched movie in America, illustrating a disconnect that often exists between streaming and criticism these days.

Younger-skewing movies make up probably half the list at this point, Home, The LEGO Batman movie, Ultraman Rising, Wonder and the Super Mario Bros. movie which I am pretty sure has been there for three full months now with just absurd staying power. No wonder a sequel is coming.

As for Hit Man, it seems its time is past. Richard Linklater is already casting his next film with the likes of Margaret Qualley and Ethan Hawke and he is moving on. I say fine, it definitely does not need a sequel. Not everything does.

Follow me on Twitter , Threads , YouTube , and Instagram .

Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy .

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

Join The Conversation

One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. 

Forbes Community Guidelines

Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.

In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's  Terms of Service.   We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.

Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:

• False or intentionally out-of-context or misleading information
• Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kind
• Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author
• Content that otherwise violates our site's  terms.

User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:

• Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected
• Racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory comments
• Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk
• Actions that otherwise violate our site's  terms.

So, how can you be a power user?

• Stay on topic and share your insights
• Feel free to be clear and thoughtful to get your point across
• ‘Like’ or ‘Dislike’ to show your point of view.
• Protect your community.
• Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules.

Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's  Terms of Service.

Luminate Streaming Ratings: ‘Hit Man’ Is the Biggest Title of the Week With 1.5 Billion Minutes Watched June 7-13

By Selome Hailu

Selome Hailu

• ‘The Morning Show’ Star Mark Duplass on Chip’s On-Air Meltdown, ‘Obsessive’ Attraction to Alex and Why He Was ‘Nervous’ to Join the Apple Drama 16 hours ago
• Nielsen Streaming Top 10: ‘Atlas’ Debuts at No. 5 With 795 Million Minutes Watched While ‘Dune: Part Two’ Has Solid Max Opening 16 hours ago
• ‘Twisted Metal’ Season 2 Casts ‘Barry’ Star Anthony Carrigan as Calypso (EXCLUSIVE) 21 hours ago

“ Hit Man ” was the most-watched streaming original of the week by far according to Luminate’s weekly viewership rankings for June 7-13. The Richard Linklater film, which had a limited run in theaters but was primarily launched as Netflix original, hit 1.5 billion minutes watched in its first seven days on the service — translating to 12.6 million estimated views when divided by the film’s runtime.

Related Stories

Tony ratings have a long gap to clear, despite efforts to mimic larger shows, zach bryan sets july 4 release for 'great american bar scene' album ... and says he's giving 23 bars across the country a 10-day sneak preview, popular on variety.

On the TV side, "Bridgerton" rose back to the top. Season 3 of Shonda Rhimes' Netflix drama led the chart from its debut week until last week, when it was beat by "Eric" and "Dancing for the Devil: The 7M Tiktok Cult," but the release of the season's final four episodes aided it back to the No. 1 position with 589 million minutes watched in their first day of availability (though this total is combined with viewership of the four episodes that were previously available). "Bridgerton" also held strong at the bottom of the chart, with Season 2 placing at No. 9 with 198.9 million minutes watched and Season 1 and No. 10 with 177 million minutes watched.

"Eric" continued to perform well for Netflix, taking the No. 2 spot with 581.2 million minutes watched. Season 3 of "Sweet Tooth" appeared on the chart for the first time right behind it with 566.4 million minutes watched, followed by the debut of "Perfect Match" Season 2 with 513.1 million minutes watched.

(Disclosure:  Variety  and  Luminate  share a common owner in PMC.)

More from Variety

‘girls5eva’ star renée elise goldsberry is envious of wickie roy’s entitlement , the state of generative ai in hollywood: a special report, shudder/ifc films ink distribution deal with severin films, fantastic latido award goes to witchcraft drama ‘ancestral’ (exclusive), matthew mcconaughey stopped acting for two years and thought about becoming a teacher or wildlife guide due to rom-com fame: ‘it was scary’, scarlett johansson vs. sam altman is the ‘black widow’ sequel we didn’t know we needed, charli xcx and lorde team up for ‘girl, so confusing’ remix, more from our brands, watch zach bryan join jason isbell and the 400 unit onstage for ‘king of oklahoma’, an austrian heiress chose 50 random people to give away her $27 million fortune, serent capital exploring sale of kore engagement marketing firm, the best loofahs and body scrubbers, according to dermatologists, kevin costner confirms his yellowstone days are over — watch, verify it's you, please log in.

Advertisement

Supported by

Critic’s pick

‘Inside Out 2’ Review: PUBERTY! OMG! LOL! IYKYK!

Anxiety meets Joy in Pixar’s eager, predictably charming sequel to its innovative 2015 hit. Sadness is still around, too, as are Fear and Disgust.

• Share full article

‘Inside Out 2’ | Anatomy of a Scene

The director kelsey mann narrates a sequence from his film..

“My name is Kelsey Mann, and I’m the director of ‘Inside Out 2.’ So here in this scene, we see Joy and the original emotions come on to this new space that’s inside Riley’s imagination. And it’s an area that’s being taken over by Anxiety. She’s working with all these mind workers to come up with worst case scenarios of what could happen the next day to Riley and how she could screw it all up.” “Riley misses an open goal. Coach writes about it in her notebook. Yes, more like that.” “Oh, no. They’re using Riley’s imagination against her.” “And Joy wants to stop that at all costs. I always envisioned this being a movie about anxiety taking over and was reflecting on my own life and how my anxiety does that in me. And the instant my head hits the pillow, I start thinking about the next day, thinking and worrying about what could go wrong and how I can kind of avoid those things. And I thought this could be something that I think a lot of people could relate to.” “Why are you drawing a hippo?” “I’m not. I’m drawing. Riley.” “Joy, you forgot her ponytail.” “Oh, I love her ponytail. Yes.” “Riley scores and everyone hugs her? 81? That is not helping.” “Visually, with this space, I always kind of imagined it like a bunch of workers in cubicles. But we’re like, well, this place is in Imagination Land. How do we make it a little bit more fun? And it was really — Jason Deamer is our production designer and Josh West is our sets art director. They came up with this really fun idea of using giant playing cards as the cubicle walls.” “Who sent that projection to Riley?” “Why would I know that?” “What is going on? Who is sending all of this positive — Joy, I know you’re in there.” “And then we’re like, wait a minute, what if the workers are actually animating? What if they’re drawing on animation desks?” “Don’t listen to Anxiety. She’s using these horrible projections to change Riley.” “A lot of this is based off of a bunch of oppressed workers that eventually stand up to their employer and their boss. And we were definitely inspired by a few scenes. There were three in particular I would refer to — ‘Field of Dreams,’ where she’s standing up talking about the book burning. Then there’s ‘Jerry Maguire,’ where he was saying, come on, everybody. Join me. I’m quitting, and come with me. And then the really iconic one was ‘Norma Rae,’ where she’s standing up and unionizing and having everybody turn off their machines.” “Yeah, there we go.” “What if Riley is so bad she has to give up hockey forever?” “What if Riley does so well that the coach cries, and the Olympics call and she rallies a weary nation to victory?” “Uh, Joy, reality is also a thing.” “And also ‘Network.’ Anger’s speech here was 100 percent influenced from ‘Network.’” “Nightmares. But you don’t have to take it anymore.” “And what better person than Lewis Black to deliver a speech like that.” [MUSIC PLAYING] “Oh, my projections!” “Pillow fight!” “Riley!” “You need to be prepared.”

By Manohla Dargis

When a dumpling of an old lady toddles into the animated charmer “Inside Out 2,” she is quickly shooed away by some other characters. Wearing rose-tinted glasses, she has twinkling eyes and a helmet of white hair. Her name is Nostalgia, and those who wave her off — Joy and Sadness included — tell her it’s too soon for her to show up. I guess that they’ve never seen a Pixar movie, much less “Inside Out,” a wistful conceptual dazzler about a girl that is also a testament to one of the pleasures of movies: the engagement of our emotions.

If you’ve seen “ Inside Out ” (2015), your tear ducts will already be primed for the sequel. The original movie centers on the life of Riley, a cute, predictably spunky if otherwise decidedly ordinary 11-year-old. What distinguishes Riley is that her inner workings are represented as an elaborate realm with characters who embody her basic emotions. For much of her life, those emotions have been orchestrated by Joy (voiced by Amy Poehler), a barefoot, manic pixie. Once Riley’s parents move the family to a new city, though, Sadness (Phyllis Smith) steps up, and our girl spirals into depression. This being the wonderful world of Pixar, the emotions eventually find a new harmonious balance, and Riley again becomes a happy child.

When “Inside Out 2” opens, Joy is still running the show with Sadness, Anger (Lewis Black), Fear (Tony Hale) and Disgust (Liza Lapira) inside a bright tower called headquarters. It’s here, in the hub of Riley’s mind — an ingeniously detailed, labyrinthine expanse that’s part carnival, part industrial zone — that they monitor her on an enormous oval screen, as if they were parked behind her eyes. They track, manage and sometimes disrupt her thinking and actions, at times by working a control console, which looks like a sound mixing board and grows more complex as she ages. By the time the first movie ends, a mysterious new button labeled “puberty” has materialized on the console; soon after the sequel opens, that button has turned into a shrieking red alarm.

Puberty unleashes trouble for Riley (Kensington Tallman) in “Inside Out 2,” some of it very poignant, most of it unsurprising. It’s been almost a decade since the first movie was released, but film time is magical and shortly after the story opens, Riley is blowing out the candles on her 13th birthday cake with metal braces on her teeth and a stubborn pimple on her chin. New emotions soon enter headed by Anxiety (Maya Hawke), a carrot-colored sprite with jumpy eyebrows and excitable hair. Not long afterward, Anxiety takes command both of the console and of Riley, with help from Envy (Ayo Edebiri), Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser) and my favorite, the studiously weary, French-accented Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos).

Directed by Kelsey Mann, this smooth, streamlined sequel largely focuses on Riley’s nerve-jangling (and strictly PG) interlude at a girls’ hockey camp, an episode that separates her from her parents while bringing her new friends, feelings and choices. (Mann came up with the story with Meg LeFauve, who wrote the screenplay with Dave Holstein.) As in the first movie, the story restlessly shifts between what happens inside Riley’s head and what happens as she navigates the world. Her new emotions find her worrying, grousing, blushing and feigning indifference, and while Joy and the rest of the older emotions are humorously waylaid at times, you can always feel the filmmakers leading Riley toward emotional wellness.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

Filed under:

Netflix’s Hit Man isn’t just a breezy crime caper — it’s a terrific rom-com

This breezy movie is as elusive and changeable as its hero

Share this story

• Share this on Facebook
• Share this on Reddit
• Share All sharing options

Share All sharing options for: Netflix’s Hit Man isn’t just a breezy crime caper — it’s a terrific rom-com

I first saw Hit Man , the new Richard Linklater movie now streaming on Netflix, at an early morning press screening at the London Film Festival. The film played really well and the audience was into it, but I was still shocked when one late scene drew huge peals of laughter from the audience and an actual applause break at its climax. An applause break! At 9:30 in the morning! From film critics! British film critics! (Something you may not know about British people: We don’t applaud in movie theaters. Ever.)

Just as surprising: the content of the scene that drew that response. Given the movie’s premise — a professor poses as a contract killer to help the police arrest people for soliciting murder, but gets lost in the role — you might guess the audience was hooting at a Tarantino-esque slapstick bloodbath. But the scene was, in fact, the most cleverly conceived and delightfully played piece of pure romantic comedy I’d seen in years.

As a filmmaker, Linklater is fluent in genre conventions, but he often finds his own space in the cracks between them. In that sense, Hit Man is true to form. Written by Linklater and its star (and frequent Linklater collaborator, and Top Gun: Maverick heavy) Glen Powell , it’s an easygoing movie that doesn’t break a sweat as it flits between comedy, romance, suspense, philosophical musing, and a quiet tinge of noirish darkness. Under a straightforward, pleasing exterior, the movie is elusive and prone to shape-shifting — a bit like its main character.

That character is Gary Johnson (Powell), a placid, nerdy professor of philosophy and psychology with a talent for electronics. That talent leads him into a side hustle running recording equipment for the New Orleans police department, and helping with a sting operation where a cop named Jasper ( The Walking Dead ’s Austin Amelio, in venal mode) poses as an assassin to catch people in the act of soliciting murder. When Jasper gets suspended and Gary is parachuted into the sting at the last minute, he discovers a new talent for role-play. He takes to being a fake hitman like a duckling takes to water.

Gary, student of human nature that he is, pours himself into researching his marks and constructing identities that will work for each of them. Contract killers are a myth anyway, he reasons, so why not lean into the fiction and play into the expectations formed by decades of cinematic assassins? Powell has a lot of fun donning wigs and voices to imitate a comical range of stereotypical killers. At one point, he does an absolutely uncanny impression of Christian Bale in American Psycho .

Up to this point, Hit Man is a more-or-less true story . There was a real Gary Johnson, in Houston, Texas, a mild-mannered cat-lover who moonlighted for the police as a fake hitman in the 1990s and 2000s. For the movie, Powell and Linklater adapted a 2001 Texas Monthly article about the real Johnson, who might not have donned so many disguises, but certainly got the arrests.

It’s a good yarn about a resonant character — the unassuming everyman who can take on another identity to slip into a netherworld. In the process of fictionalizing this story, Powell and Linklater spin it out in two directions: a philosophical inquiry into the mutability of the self, and a light romantic thriller. Gary adopts the role of cucumber-cool hitman “Ron” to meet Madison Masters (Adria Arjona), a wife who wants her abusive husband killed. He’s smitten — but is it with Madison, or with Ron, the super-smooth, confident, uninhibited version of himself he has invented for her?

For its first half, Hit Man ambles along pleasantly in a typical Linklater mode: the anecdotal shaggy-dog story that takes plenty of time to muse about its own implications. (Quite literally: Gary quotes Nietzsche and ponders questions of identity and morality with his college class. Also, his cats are named Ego and Id.)

The stakes for a hitman movie where real hitmen don’t exist seem pretty low, but the dual-identity setup with Gary/Ron and Madison is a classical Hollywood comedy gambit, like something out of a 1940s Preston Sturges movie. It kicks the movie into an uptempo second half that is more constructed, plotty, and commercial than Linklater’s usual extremely chill work. It’s easy to imagine it done in a more heightened, screwball mode — maybe something like Jonathan Demme’s quirky, snowballing 1980s comedies Something Wild and Married to the Mob .

That isn’t Linklater’s vibe, though, and that isn’t this movie. Powell and Arjona make a powerfully sexy, charming pair, and Powell and Linklater find clever ways to enmesh the characters’ simmering romance in a tightening web of compromise, danger, and deceit without tipping into the crime movie clichés the movie is spoofing.

The payoff is that perfect rom-com moment, the one that drew applause from a crowd of sleepy London critics. It’s a spectacularly conceived, written, and performed scene that plays out on two levels simultaneously: one in the fiery, hard-bitten dialogue, one in the flashing eyes, frantic gestures, and crackling chemistry of the two leads. In this moment, Hit Man joyously (and pointedly) unites the thrill of connection with the thrill of danger, and operates harmoniously as two films at once — the same way Gary is perhaps becoming two people at once.

It’s such a satisfying scene that it more than makes up for some slackness in the script elsewhere. Arjona’s part is underwritten, and as willing as Powell and Linklater are to ponder the big questions, they gloss over some of the moral implications of the storyline: Gary’s arguable gaslighting, Madison’s culpability and agency, and whether the police operation was wholesale entrapment in the first place.

There’s a darker side to this story and these characters, strongly hinted at by one surprisingly cruel late turn in the plot. Powell and Linklater nod to that darkness, but ultimately decide not to go there. Just as Gary can decide to turn himself into Ron, they can decide to steer this slippery movie into a sunnier place. Hit Man could have been a lot of different movies, and part of the joy of the film is in how playfully it gestures toward all those different potential versions of itself. But ultimately, that one perfect scene defines it as a great romantic comedy with a delicious bite.

Hit Man is streaming on Netflix now.

Loading comments...

• Stranger Things Season 5
• Deadpool and Wolverine
• The Batman 2
• Spider-Man 4
• Yellowstone Season 6
• Fallout Season 2
• The Last of Us Season 2
• Entertainment

Hit Man review: At last, the star vehicle Glen Powell deserves

“There’s a refreshing unpredictability to Hit Man. Like its main character, the movie keeps twisting itself into surprising new forms.”

• Glen Powell's blazing star power
• A funny, surprising plot
• The rare sexy comedy for adults
• It looks a little Netflix flat
• Linklater is an imperfect fit for screwball noir

It was Richard Linklater who first saw what the whole world is now seeing in Glen Powell. He capitalized on the actor’s embryonic star power — his beach-body good looks and ace comic timing — way back in 2016 with the shaggy campus hangout movie Everybody Wants Some!! So it makes sense that the cocksure Texas heartthrob from Anyone but You and Top Gun: Maverick   would reunite with the director to engineer his ideal star vehicle, a showcase for the downright Cruisian charisma that Hollywood took nearly a decade to fully embrace. That’s the sly meta dimension of this idiosyncratic comedy: What we’re watching, in more ways than one, is a self-actualization story — a portrait of a man taking life by the horns and becoming who he really wants to be.

At first, you have to wonder if Hit Man has been designed to simply spotlight the actor’s range. Powell, who co-wrote the screenplay, has essentially cast himself as a chameleon. He plays Gary Johnson — not the former Libertarian governor of New Mexico, but an equally real Southwesterner, a philosophy teacher who began moonlighting as a part-time officer of the Houston Police Department in the 1990s. Though initially hired only for his tech expertise, Johnson eventually took on what you could call a starring role in a very unusual, ongoing sting operation: He would disguise himself as a hit man for hire, and collect audio evidence of anyone looking to solicit his murderous services.

Hit Man , which transports this “somewhat true story” from Texas to New Orleans, gets some amusingly broad costume chest humor out of Johnson’s habit of fitting his alter egos to the expectations of his marks. For Powell, this is a chance to do his best Eddie Murphy or Mike Myers and show off his repertoire of SNL caricatures. With the aid of wigs and fake teeth, Gary becomes all manner of decoy lunatic and degenerate: a hulking Russian thug, an oily American psycho, a fey British killer with Tilda Swinton vibes. In truth, the “real” Gary — a soft-spoken intellectual with two cats and no swag — comes across a bit like a costume, too. There’s something rather She’s All That about expecting a textbook hunk like Glen Powell to disappear under glasses and a bad haircut.

Powell is much more convincing as “Ron,” the smooth lady-killer persona Gary invents to ensnare Madison (Adria Arjona), a flight attendant convinced that murder might be the only way to get out from under her abusive, possessive husband. The pair’s rendezvous at a local diner has the flirtatious charge of a meet cute; the two have such instant chemistry that they forget, for a moment, the grave purpose of their encounter. Gary will nudge her away from murder-for-hire, then fall into a steamy relationship with his mark — a torrid romance built on his geek-to-chic subterfuge. Powell and Arjona generate a supernova of heat between them, his fabricated swagger sparking with her sexy playfulness. Their scenes are like a transmission from a hotter era of crowd-pleasers — a bygone age when Hollywood movies still sought to turn the audience on.

There’s a refreshing unpredictability to Hit Man . Like its main character, the movie keeps twisting itself into surprising new forms. Gary, a not-so-nutty professor getting in touch with his inner Buddy Love, ends up tangled in a web of compounding complications involving Madison’s bad hubby and a colleague/fellow undercover agent played by Powell’s Everybody Wants Some!! co-star Austin Amelio. (The character actor, who also had a significant recurring role on The Walking Dead , makes a magnificent meal out of this stock dirtbag cop character.) The inherent pleasure of any double-life movie is watching the con artist try to maintain their con, and Hit Man certainly delivers on that promise as Gary and Ron’s worlds come precariously close to colliding.

As with Linklater’s earlier Bernie , starring Jack Black as the sweetest murderer you could ever meet, the inspiration here is a Texas Monthly article by Skip Hollandsworth . Hit Man arguably makes an even stronger case for truth being stranger than fiction. It’s also, in some ways, an even darker comedy. Beneath the movie’s sunny, slightly flat sitcom aesthetic (this is far from Linklater’s most vibrantly shot picture) lies a portrait of an America all too willing to entertain daydreams of violent retribution. That extends to Arjona’s Madison, who’s undeniably aroused by the thought of sleeping with a killer. And to Gary himself: He may not really be a hit man, but there’s something faintly sociopathic about the ease in which this keen observer of human psychology steps into each new identity. The wish-fulfillment fantasy of an egghead undergoing a not-to-hot makeover has a deliberately sour aftertaste. What we’re seeing is the triumphant story of someone transforming their life by embracing their dark side.

There’s one truly great scene in the movie: an undercover operation that becomes a glorious dual performance, as Gary finally gains a willing scene partner and an act of deception becomes a form of foreplay. It’s at once tense and joyously playful — a kinky dance with the highest of stakes. Here, and maybe only here, does Linklater achieve the full promise of his premise. Screwball noir is sometimes an imperfect fit for an artist of such laid-back sensibilities. Starting the film with a lecture on Nietzsche — one of a few classroom scenes that provide this story with a running academic commentary — betrays the real concerns of a bohemian cinematic philosopher more high on ideas than drama. 

There are times when Hit Man feels a bit divided against itself, where it seems caught between the buzz of a spinning top mainstream caper and something knottier and more thoughtful. Then again, maybe that’s just in keeping with the nature of its main character, a shape-shifter who discovers that the “real” him is mutable, adjustable, not set in stone. One thing’s for sure: This is the leading-man platform that has eluded Powell for too long — an opportunity to show off the smoldering, good-humored cowboy magnetism that should have made him a movie star years ago. With Hit Man , he’s finally taken the matter into his own hands. And like Gary, he’s put his best Ron forward.

Hit Man is now streaming on Netflix . For more of A.A. Dowd’s writing, please visit his Authory page .

Editors' Recommendations

• Like Netflix’s popular Hit Man? Then watch these 5 great Glen Powell movies
• 3 underrated movies you need to watch in June 2024
• Glass Onion review: a deviously intricate Knives Out sequel
• Murderville review: Will Arnett, stars put humor in homicide
• Y: The Last Man season 1 teaches an old apocalypse new tricks
• Product Reviews
• Streaming Services

On paper, Gemini Man is as close to a sure thing as Hollywood gets. It stars Will Smith in not one but two roles: An aging assassin and the assassin's young clone. It's directed by Ang Lee, who's won Best Director Oscars for both a visual effects extravaganza (Life of Pi) and an intimate character drama (Brokeback Mountain), and it's produced by blockbuster king Jerry Bruckheimer. To top it all off, it features next-level visual effects and a groundbreaking 120 frames-per-second picture that's unlike anything you've ever seen.

In all of those aspects, Gemini Man lives up to the hype. It's the film's script that simply isn't up to par. While the special effects and souped-up frame rate make Gemini Man a true spectacle, the film is plagued by poor dialogue, sloppy plotting, and thinly drawn supporting characters. Visually, it's a blast. In every other aspect, it's a missed opportunity.

The shadowy world of secrets, lies, and undercover operations conducted mysterious characters has always intrigued fans and critics alike. Countless spy TV series have captivated viewers over the years, with many more still to come as the genre enjoys no shortage of modern stories and creative approaches that will undoubtedly keep it thriving for years to come.

For viewers looking for the best spy show on the small screen today, there is a diverse selection that showcases different sides to the secretive realm of espionage. From the action-packed adventures of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan to the deadly cat-and-mouse game in Killing Eve, these contemporary classics capture the essence of the spy genre and are a master class in tension and suspense. Prepare for intricately woven tales of deception, riveting high-risk missions, and emotional explorations of the complex personal lives of those who live in the shadows. The Night Agent (2023-present)

Tubi is a free ad-supported streaming service (FAST) offering tons of great movies. You don't need to sign up for an account or provide a credit card number or even use a trial period. Just visit the site, search for a movie, and start watching. It's that easy. You can sign up (for free) if you want to access enhanced features, like watchlists, recommendations, and parental controls. But there's no obligation to do so. The only catch is that you'll have to sit through the occasional ad while you watch.

You also have to keep in mind that the selection of movies available on Tubi is constantly changing. When you see one you want to watch, it might not be available the following month. But you'll also find new titles from one month to the next. That's why we keep this list updated for you, highlighting the best movies you can watch on the streaming service. From classics like I, Robot that are more topical today than ever to relatively new titles like Ford v Ferrari, these are the 10 best movies on Tubi right now.

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, black writers week, hummingbirds.

Now streaming on:

It feels limiting or a disservice to call "Hummingbirds" simply a documentary. This quiet gem from best friends and first-time filmmakers Silvia Del Carmen Castaños and Estefanía “ Beba ” Contreras is so much more than that. A glowing self-portrait of their friendship, a call to activism, a summer bestie comedy full of devilish antics, and a frank immigrant story, this bold slice of life defies easy categorization. As Silvia and Beba sing, dance, and make mischief, they seem to be daring you to try and slap a label on them, their challenging circumstances, and the complexities of their border town lives.

Shot in the summer of 2019, "Hummingbirds" has no clear narrative structure or any discernable plot. We are quite literally following Silvia and Beba as they go about their lives in Laredo, TX, a barren town that shares a border with Mexico, and all of the difficulties that bring them as Mexican immigrants with uncertain futures. Each has been forced to deal with adult pressures since childhood, and the memories of those experiences come rushing back frequently. Between giggles and jokes, Beba recounts crossing into the country under the cover of night, riding on her mother's shoulders. Now, Beba waits patiently for an update on her immigration paperwork. Actual citizenship feels like a pipe dream; setbacks are met with equal frustration and resignation.

Even when "Hummingbirds" takes on the contours of a summertime romp, it highlights the friends' immense individual talents and activism. The lack of a clear narrative allows more natural conversations to occur, avoiding the pitfalls of heavy-handed messaging. It is in the midst of one of these friendly interactions that Silvia mentions a past abortion in the previous year. Silvia (who uses they/them pronouns) is a brilliant writer and poet who proves an eloquent wordsmith and advocate for Planned Parenthood when they're not vandalizing anti-abortion propaganda with their friend Jeffrey in one of the film's more lighthearted sequences. Beba's musical gifts are displayed in passionate, joyous tunes that play like a soundtrack to their lifelong bond.

While there are heavy topics that Silvia and Beba must navigate, "Hummingbirds" is also just a lot of fun. It feels like we're being let into a secret club, running alongside them as part of their pack, eating loads of street food, getting tattoos, being young. This is never realized more than in a hilarious scene where the two, wearing oversized, ridiculous sunglasses picked up at a convenience store, giggle their way through a Bingo match, disrupting the other players and Beba's mom, who is none-too-pleased about it. A night of bowling to celebrate Jeffrey's birthday finds Silvia and Beba tossing aside adult problems and fully enjoying their youth, even if it's just for a night.

While Silvia and Beba sought assistance from more experienced filmmakers in crafting their debut film, "Hummingbirds" doesn't feel like it could've been made by anyone other than them. Turning the camera on themselves and telling their story in the way they feel most comfortable makes for a unique cinematic experience, one full of honesty and transparency about a segment of people that most of us only hear about in the most negative way from talking heads on TV. But if "Hummingbirds" accomplishes anything, it's to show, entertainingly and thoughtfully, that immigrants are here experiencing the ups and downs of life and just trying to make it through like the rest of us. For Silvia and Beba, they manage to do it all with smiles on their faces.

Now playing

Marya E. Gates

The Bikeriders

Robert daniels.

The Watchers

Peyton robinson.

Revoir Paris

Jourdain searles.

Brian Tallerico

The Exorcism

Charles kirkland jr., film credits.

Hummingbirds (2024)

• Silvia Del Carmen Castaños
• Estefanía "Beba" Contreras

Latest blog posts

The Shield vs. The Wire

The Growing Exploration of Masculinity and Vulnerability in Media

What is the Dune of Your Dreams: Holding Time and Space for Quinta, Ego, Maya, Kristen, Michelle, and Renée

Producing Visual Anthropology

Gulte Telugu news

Latest Stories see all

Sreeleela Is Not Out Yet

Renu Desai Responds On ‘Unlucky After Divorce’

Instagram Influencer Throws Millions in Cash Outside His Home

3 YCP MPs in Touch With BJP?

Balayya: A Tale of Selflessness And Aggression

Mega Hero’s New Periodic High-Action Drama Film Announced

Divya Bharathi’s Mesmerizing Black Magic!

Sania Mirza Weds Shami – Complete Rubbish

Ma Ooru Srikakulam : Pleasant and Catchy tune

Austrian Heiress Donates ₹224 Cr

RRR Ane Nenu: Fighter In The Assembly

Shruti Haasan Slams “Idli Sambar” Remark

Case booked on Kodali Nani by volunteers

CM Revanth Went To BRS MLA House; What’s Up!

Shocking Food Safety Violations in Hyd Hostels

Glimpse see all.

Trump’s “Automatic Green Card” Promise for Foreign Students

Delhi Liquor Scam: Kavitha’s Custody Extended

Kalki Offers Breathtaking Look at Shambala Kingdom

Charan-Upsi: Klin Kaara’s 1st B’day Pic Steals the Show

Pawan Orders Social Audit; Officials Must Follow Protocol

Rashmika Unveils Bathing Rituals on World Bathing Day

Trump’s New Policy: Green Cards to Foreign Graduates

Sonakshi’s Father Busts Rumours: Hosts Dinner for Iqbal

Kejriwal’s Bail in Liquor Policy Case Under ED Scrutiny

Shabnam – First Andhraite in Indian Women’s Cricket Team

Virat Kohli – Highest Run Scorer in T20s

Featured see all.

YS Jagan Ane Nenu, Disgruntled Jagan Says

Movie schedules, icymi see all, shocking silence from deepika on project k; here’s why, samajavaragamana movie review, pics: rajamouli enjoying a family vacation, good job pawan, change begins in fans, ap politics took a ‘kapu’ turn with mudragada entry, salaar – a rehash of ugramm & thalapathy, sonia & rahul to idupulapaya, sharmila’s shock to jagan, #pushpa2: sukku in maredumilli, bunny in banjara hills, videos see all.

World Of Kalki: Kaashi, Complex & Shambala

Exclusive Interview – The Humble Maestro Vijay Sethupathi

Kannappa Teaser: Action-Packed & Well Shot

అడివి శేష్ పేరు వెనుక గమ్మత్తయిన కథ

అయ్య‌న్న ఏక‌గ్రీవ‌మే.. నామినేష‌న్ దాఖ‌లు!

మీరు అన్ లక్కీ .. భగ్గుమన్న రేణూదేశాయ్ !

‘జ‌గ‌న్ ఐపీఎస్‌’ల‌కు చంద్ర‌బాబు షాక్‌!

కొడాలిపై కేసు.. ఇక ద‌బిడిదిబిడే!

నాగఅశ్విన్ క్యాస్టింగ్ ప్రతిభకు నిదర్శనం

కాల‌ర్ ప‌ట్టి మ‌రీ.. బాల్క సుమ‌న్ అరెస్టు

చంద్ర‌బాబుకు కేంద్రం మిఠాయి.. అమ‌రావ‌తిపై కీల‌క నిర్ణ‌యం!

హింస అంటే ప్రేక్షకులకు ఎంత క్రేజో

కాంగ్రెస్‌లోకి జంప్ చేసిన పోచారం.. రేవంత్ రియాక్ష‌న్ ఇదే!

కథ అర్థమైతే బ్లాక్‌బస్టరే..

అసెంబ్లీ గేటు తాకనివ్వమన్నారు .. ఇప్పుడేమంటారు ?!

ప‌వ‌న్‌కు ముద్ర‌గ‌డ ప‌ద్మ‌నాభ‌రెడ్డి విన్న‌పాలు…!

ప్రమాణం చేసిన 2 నిమిషాల్లో వెళ్లిపోయిన జగన్

ఆ సినిమాపై అనుమానాలకు తెర

Photos see all.

Pragya Jaiswal: Purple Power Yoga Flow!

Nandini Rai: NYC Streets & Chic Treats!

Mouni Roy’s Sizzling Spanish Holiday

Shraddha Blooms in a Floral Powerhouse Suit

Most viewed.

Trends see all

In a viral clip, an Instagram influencer is seen unloading bundles of dollars outside his …

Netflix Popcorn! Pricier Than Monthly Subscription

Overseas see all.

US: Home Prices Coming Down In These Cities

US: Biden’s New Plan To Grant US Citizenship To Half Million Immigrants

US President Grants Relief to 500,000 Undocumented Spouses

US: DHS Proposes Hefty Fee Hike on H-1B Renewals

Movie reviews see all.

Music Shop Murthy Review

Harom Hara Movie Review

Maharaja Movie Review

Satyabhama Movie Review

Press release.

Surgical Strike on India – Indrani

Indrani release promo – saptagiri as agent sai, sharwa’s clean entertainer manamey usa premieres today, bhaje vaayu vegam movie premieres tonight by shloka entertainments, ‘mata’s first convention in the usa: a grand success, movie-schedule.

Maharaja (Telugu) USA Theaters List

Music shop murthy (telugu) – usa theaters list, manamey (telugu) – usa theaters list, gam gam ganesha usa theaters list, bhaje vaayu vegam (telugu) – usa theaters list.

OTTs will dictate us if we are not vigilant – Sudheer Babu

Live – nara chandrababu naidu ane nenu...

A Complete Wash Out On Day 2

Whatsapp down globally, memefest on twitter, historic moment: saudi arabia joins miss universe, celebrity holi photo dump: colorful, malavika says she was groped at a film auditions.

Trump guilty on all 34 Cases, first for a Ex U.S. President

Viral: locals build statue of liberty in punjab, biden’s campaign is hiring a meme manager, 85k and no wfh, ‘dramatic drop’: one dead, 30 injured in singapore flight’s severe turbulence, iran’s president goes missing, draws memories of ysr.