Dusk for a Hitman

It's formula, but formula done well.

“Dusk for a Hitman” is a husk of a great film.

It's a decent crime film if you don't mind the fact that you already know all the beats.

The period detail of Montreal in the late 1970s and early 1980s is impressive, and St-Jean stages some suspenseful set pieces.

It’s impossible to sympathize with Donald given his brutally violent acts as the film unspools a mildly intriguing yet thematically mundane and morally ambiguous redemption story.

It’s competently made. Performances are solid and the action scenes have strong adrenaline spikes moments of intensity. Still, there’s a spark missing to help it stand alongside elite hitman films.

Differs from the usual hitman film.

... a solid entry in the true crime genre...

... if you’re willing to experience "Dusk" as an allegory and not as a strict “based on a true story,” there’s a lesson to be learned about the cost of loyalty to the wrong person.

The character driven plot leaves little room for the gun play or fast paced action normally found in these types of films. Ultimately, how much a person enjoys Dusk for a Hitman will depend on how much they are willing to invest in Lavoie.