3 dark details about Gary Johnson's life that Netflix's Hit Man left out

Hit Man is a dark comedy thriller that dropped on Netflix on June 7, 2024. The film centers around a fascinating true story about an undercover police contractor who disguises himself as a hitman to rescue a woman.

Directed by Richard Linklater, the film is a great mixture of comedy, action, and romance. Hit Man is roughly based on the 2001 Texas Monthly article of the same name, penned by Skip Hollandsworth. Actor Glen Powell portrays Gary Johnson, a mild-mannered college professor by day and an undercover hitman by night.

The official synopsis reads:

"A professor moonlighting as a hit man of sorts for his city police department, descends into dangerous, dubious territory when he finds himself attracted to a woman who enlists his services."

Hit Man explores many entertaining aspects of the real-life Gary Johnson, who donned a myriad of disguises to do his undercover work. However, Johnson's work was rather dangerous and he even ended up being shot during one of his covert encounters. He passed away in 2022 and the cause of his death is unknown.

This article throws light on some of the details about Johnson's life that may have been left out in the cinematic version.

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3 darker details about Gary Johnson's life that are left out of Netflix movie Hit Man

1) Gary Johnson's perilous interactions with clients have been softened in Netflix's Hit Man

Glen Powell as Gary Johnson in the film (Image via Netflix)

Working as an undercover police worker is no simple feat and Gary Johnson adorned the disguise of a hitman which put his life in a considerable amount of danger. He often had to collect information about powerful officials which would have led him into their crosshairs had his identity been revealed.

One of the stark cases softened in the film is about a teenager Shawn Quinn (as mentioned in Hollandsworth’s article), who wanted his classmate murdered by the the real-life Gary Johnson. However, the film depicts that the teen wanted his mother killed. The movie also maintains a slight comedic undertone while showcasing this sequence.

Similarly, the real Johnson was also embroiled with a high-profile Republican politician who wanted to have her husband killed. She could have easily put Gary in danger had she figured out his true identity.

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2) Gary Johnson was an isolated person in real life

Hit Man portrays Gary as a funny person who eventually ends up marrying one of the women he rescues during an undercover assignment. On the contrary, Hollandsworth's article doesn't provide any substantial evidence that Gary dated any of his clients. In fact, the character Madison Figueroa Masters (Adria Arjona) was turned in by Gary in real life.

Unlike the cinematic portrayal, Gary led a very isolated life and hardly let people get too close to him. He interacted with very dark individuals throughout his assignments, and it led to an apprehension towards getting close to people.

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3) Gary Johnson was married thrice, all of which ended up in divorces

In the Texas Monthly article, journalist Hollandsworth describes Johnson as a 'loner.' Netflix's Hit Man brings his fictional romantic life on screen, Gary got divorced thrice in reality.

Moreover, real Johnson did rescue a woman (who inspired Adria Arjona's character Madison) from her abusive husband. He helped her check into a woman's shelter to receive care and guidance.

On the other hand, Gary's ex-wife in the film (played by Molly Bernard) doesn't go deep into his struggles, unlike his real-life second ex-wife Sunny. As per Hollandsworth's article, Sunny described Gary as a very isolated person who preferred solitude over companionship and socialization.

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Hit Man is currently available for streaming on Netflix.