The 6 Best Mistaken Identity Films To Watch After ‘Hit Man’

Mistaken identity films are a dime a dozen in Hollywood, having been played out countless times to the point in which the audience can’t help but roll their eyes when another one arrives. Netflix’s Hit Man, though, injects freshness into this trope. There’s a glint in the Richard Linklater-directed film’s eye, as Glen Powell’s Gary Johnson embraces his persona of Ron as he falls deeper in love with Madison (Adria Arjona). The meek-and-mild Gary all but disappears as the cool-and-collected Ron takes over his body and breaks all the rules to protect Madison. 

With an overwhelmingly positive score from critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, it looks like Hit Man is locked and loaded to become a bona fide classic among mistaken identity films. The good news is, there are a bunch of other great movies that explore this same popular storytelling device, so let’s take a look at the best of the best. And no, Big Momma’s House won’t feature on this list!

The Big Lebowski (1998)

When it comes to cult mistaken identity films, viewers will be hard pressed to find a more beloved feature than The Big Lebowski. The story gets out of hand rather fast and features more twists, turns, and unexpected occurrences that merits its own analysis, but the gist is this: Slacker Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski (Jeff Bridges) is mistaken for his namesake who happens to be a millionaire. Two men with a score to settle attack the wrong Lebowski (the Dude) in his home and one of them proceeds to urinate on his rug because he’s a vile troglodyte. The Dude loves his rug – and hey, they aren’t cheap – so he seeks out the other Jeffrey Lebowski to be compensated for it. However, this results in him being pulled into even more intricate and convoluted drama. 

The Big Lebowski prides itself in being a wild and unpredictable ride with a protagonist who’d much rather chill at the bowling alley and hang out with his friends than be a hero. It’s highly relatable and establishes the Dude as the role model we all need and deserve. Watch The Big Lebowski on Amazon Video. 

School of Rock (2003)

Down-and-out rock ‘n’ roller Dewey Finn (Jack Black) needs cash – and fast – so he poses as his friend and roommate, Ned Schneebly (Mike White), to get a substitute teaching gig. Needless to say, Dewey’s teaching methods prove to be unconventional and matters take another turn when he decides to use the young kids to form a musical outfit for a Battle of the Bands competition. 

School of Rock celebrates the rebellious spirit of rock and captures the genuine fun and absurdity of starting a band. It isn’t always easy to put different creative personalities in a room and align them in the same direction, but when it clicks, there’s an inexplicable magic in the moment. To quote Dewey: “If you wanna rock, you gotta break the rules.” Watch School of Rock on Paramount+.

Dumb & Dumber (1994)

Lloyd Christmas (Jim Carrey) and Harry Dunne (Jeff Daniels) are menaces to society. Whatever they do – even whatever they think of doing – inevitably results in disaster in the end. Case in point: In Dumb & Dumber, when Lloyd picks up the briefcase that Mary Swanson (Lauren Holly) dropped at the airport for her husband’s kidnappers. Inadvertently, Lloyd and Harry get pulled into the situation, where the real criminals believe them to be professionals working with law enforcement or hired by Mary. Considering how everything pans out, maybe they are savantes?

Dumb & Dumber isn’t only one of Carrey’s best movies of all time, but it’s also non-stop, madcap mayhem as Lloyd and Harry entangle (and detangle) themselves from all the precarious situations they find themselves in. They are weaponized, after all – remember how Lloyd said, “Wanna hear the most annoying sound in the world?” He wasn’t lying. Watch Dumb and Dumber on Amazon Video.

Maid in Manhattan (2002)

Something of a modern-day Cinderella story, Maid in Manhattan sees Jennifer Lopez play the role of Marisa Ventura, who is a maid at a high-end hotel in Manhattan. After being mistaken for socialite Caroline Lane (Natasha Richardson) due to her trying on Caroline’s luxurious coat, politician Chris Marshall (Ralph Fiennes) falls head over heels for her because this is a rom-com and logic doesn’t exist. Marisa develops an attraction to Chris, too, but fears the repercussions of what will happen when he finds out her true identity and her job at the hotel. 

Look, Maid in Manhattan is about as predictable as an episode of One Tree Hill, but there’s a comforting quality to the warm and fuzzies it gives the audience. It’s also J-Lo’s best role to date, and doesn’t force anyone to sit through the type of horrendous acting she expels in films such as Gigli and Atlas. Watch Maid in Manhattan on Amazon Video and The Roku Channel.

Bean (1997)

Like the intro to the Mr. Bean demonstrates, Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson) fell to Earth and landed smack-bang in the middle of the street. No one knows what it means, but it’s likely that he’s a well-meaning but destructive demon expelled from Heaven and set to wreak havoc on Earth. In the movie Bean, after terrorizing England for many years, the gallery he works for sends him to Los Angeles as a representative – purely to get rid of him for a while and get some respite. Throughout the film, Bean stumbles into a number of interesting situations, such as being mistaken for an art expert and surgeon, to hilarious consequences.

Chaos follows Bean wherever he goes, and this film proves to be no different. While he doesn’t headbutt the Queen of England or shove steak tartare in anyone’s handbag here, he manages to destroy a priceless painting and get up to his usual brand of antics. Watch Bean on Amazon Video.

Blue Streak (1999)

While there’s no Big Momma’s House on this list – because that film deserves its own feature celebrating its sophistication and cinematic value – there’s another Martin Lawrence classic in the form of Blue Streak. Jewel thief Miles Logan (Lawrence) serves time behind bars for a heist; however, before he was apprehended, he hid the diamonds in a building under construction. When Miles gets out of the joint, he goes to the site to recover his stash. Lo and behold, it’s now the location of the Los Angeles Police Department Station. Miles ends up posing as the transferred Detective Malone to get closer to the jewels and it’s hijinks galore from there on out. 

Blue Streak hits the sweet spot of other action-comedy films like Bad Boys and Beverly Hills Cop, but with the twist of mistaken identity. There’s a lot of ugly laughs to be had, and fans still hold a grudge against the filmmakers for not delivering on the long-promised sequel that never materialized. Watch Blue Streak on Netflix.