The Hit

Willie Parker, a London gangster, testifies against his associates and disappears into protection. Ten years later he is living comfortably in Spain when he is taken. The men who come for him are Braddock, a hit man, and Myron, his apprentice. The journey sets off toward Paris. Willie is disconcertingly calm, behaving as though he has accepted that he will die, and that attitude starts turning the two men against each other. Stephen Frears directed. Terence Stamp plays Willie, John Hurt plays Braddock and Tim Roth, in his first film, plays Myron, with Laura del Sol in the cast. Eric Clapton and Roger Waters wrote the title theme and Paco de Lucia provided the score. Rotten Tomatoes sits at 89 percent. Tim Roth won the Evening Standard award for Most Promising Newcomer. One review noted that the film builds its tension through talk rather than guns. Wes Anderson later placed it fifth on his list of the finest British films. Criterion released it on DVD in 2009 and Blu-ray in 2020. Who it is for: viewers who like a road film crossed with a gangster film and a pace lowered on purpose. Who it is not for: anyone wanting action. Almost all of it happens in a car, in conversation.