The 2023 Canadian crime film Dusk for a Hitman follows the true story of Donald Lavoie, a hitman for Montreal's notorious Dubois brothers crime gang. Lavoie is most well known for testifying against the family, which led to their imprisonment. We follow Lavoie as he makes his kills and works up to this point.
The central problem with Dusk for a Hitman is that it uses tired tropes that are hard to escape. The crime genre has been present in film mediums since its inception. With that comes a plethora of story material, whether fictional or pulled from the world of true crime. It's a genre that has often remained fresh throughout the decades, with exceptions. Sometimes, it can be boiled down to tropes popularized by the most famous crime movies: our antihero and their career established; they become too wild or power-hungry, then they face the consequences and lose it all.
Dusk for a Hitman fails at having anything new to say, not only about the crime genre but also about the biopic genre. It is a by-the-books account that is well-acted for the most part, but there's nothing accomplished that has yet to be done or said (much better) in other crime films. They are even better at being period pieces - while Dusk for a Hitman takes place in the 70s - 80s, aside from hairstyles and specific props, the film looks as modern as today's date. Lead actor Éric Bruneau is charismatic and has the acting chops, but it's not enough to save the movie from lacking anything engaging.
Dusk for a Hitman isn't a crime, but it's nothing you should rush to see.
Watch Dusk for a Hitman