Upamanyu Biswas
In Netflix’s romantic thriller ‘Hit Man,’ Gary Johnson (Glen Powell), an undercover hitman, becomes entangled in a chain of events when he starts developing feelings for a bereft housewife, Maddy Masters. The pair enter into a covert relationship full of double lives, lies, and intrigue as boundaries are established in how they conduct their intimacy. However, Maddy manages to convince Gary to let go of his fears and go out with her for a night. The pair engage in a shooting lesson and take a trip to a bar named Virgo’s, where they share a romantic dance. With their night taking on a colorful tone inside the bar, its existence in New Orleans, Louisiana, becomes a matter of interest!
Virgo’s is a Fictional Bar
Virgo’s in ‘Hit Man’ is a fictional bar. The bar is the setting of a pivotal scene in which Gary and Maddy bond with each other over a discussion regarding the moon and tidal waves in the lot outside. The viewers are then given a glimpse of the establishment’s interiors when they dance among the hustling and bustling crowd. However, the nightclub cannot be found in reality, as it was conceived by screenwriters Richard Linklater and Glen Powell, who also directed and starred in the film, respectively. After their dance ends, Maddy and Gary’s night turns sour when the former’s ex-husband arrives to belittle her outside the bar’s exit.
While Virgo’s isn’t a real establishment in New Orleans, a club called Virgo can be found in New York City. The nightclub was opened in 2022 in the skyscraper-dominated Manhattan. The club features a vibe similar to the liveliness found in the bar shown in the movie, and it also hosts a dance floor where people flock in numbers three nights a week, from Thursday to Saturday. The establishment blends elements from other exotic locales worldwide, such as London basement clubs and warehouse clubs found in Brooklyn. However, Virgo in Manhattan differs from Virgo’s in ‘Hit Man.’ The bar in the movie has a spacious exterior, which can be seen when Gary and Maddy walk down the long alley.
The film’s production department must have used a warehouse space to recreate Virgo’s for the film. The bar is integral in setting up a series of tense moments between Gary, Maddy, Jasper, and Ray. The scene in which Gary pulls out his gun to threaten Ray outside Virgo’s is a moment that is highlighted later in the film, as suspicion is cast on the romantic duo because of the events surrounding Ray’s death. Jasper and Gary even revisit the bar’s entrance to investigate Maddy’s new boyfriend, who is none other than Gary.
While Virgo’s is fictional, a real New Orleans bar is featured in the black comedy film. Vaughan’s Lounge, situated at 4229 Dauphine Street in the city, is the place where Gary and Maddy talk about the former’s ability to kill someone after their meeting at the park.
Read more: Hit Man (2024): Is the Netflix Movie Based on a True Story?
