How to Make a Killing: Cast Glen Powell (Early Review)

It’s Glen Powell’s world, and we all live in it. He effortlessly provides the consistent charisma and gravitas that is sorely missing in the modern age of blockbuster movie stars. Thrusting audiences straight into Powell’s narration through this winding and familiar tale of greed, revenge, and patient determination, writer-director John Patton Ford’s How to Make a Killing takes audiences through Becket Redfellow’s (Powell) wild journey into doing whatever it takes to reclaim his inheritance, one murder plot after another. Inspired by Robert Hamer’s Kind Hearts and Coronets, Becket is determined in murdering the seven relatives standing in his way to glory. Disowned by his family at birth, Becket will stop at nothing to get what he wants.

Closely following the eerily similar Park Chan-wook’s ‘No Other Choice‘, Ford provides an alternative effort towards the darkly comedic thriller about an average worker trying to kill his way to the top. Alternatively to No Other Choice’s clever script, Ford’s film focuses on spotlighting the peculiar characters surrounding the Redfellow family tree, between the self-aggrandizing artist cousin Noah (Zach Woods), televangelist uncle Steven (Topher Grace), and the stubbornly pragmatic patriarch Whitelaw Redfellow (Ed Harris). Out of the three, Woods and Grace, in particular, deeply commit to their caricatures, resulting in some of the film’s biggest comedic moments.

Becket’s huge undertaking of a quest accompanies Ford’s inconsistent showcasing of his murder targets, often lacking the development and structure of Becket’s purpose and sudden skill set to meticulously plan these elaborate murders and elude suspicion. When Becket dives deep undercover into the lives of his estranged family, it is where his practical knowledge truly shines, while others become a mere after-thought as he starts to develop complex emotions towards his distinct predicament. As heavy-handed narration leads to a rocky destination, the film’s final act emits incredible turbulence as the disproportionate balance between his thorough plans transitions straight into an undeserved final showdown that tries to rush through multiple conclusions of Becket’s many relationships and connections along the way.

Evidently, How to Make a Killing requires significant suspension of disbelief and becomes an instant tongue-in-cheek experience one would expect from such titular wordplay. The power of Powell propels this film forward, neatly overshadowing this simplicity. His enthusiastic charisma seeps through the screen, comfortably allowing audiences to enjoy the journey beyond the details. Becket’s quest for glory becomes much more compelling as he juggles connections between his fiery, chaotic childhood friend Julia Steinway (Qualley) and the level-headed, affable love interest Ruth (Henwick). The mischievous banter between Powell and Qualley pulls the audience into their captivating circumstances, as their teetering connection keeps them wanting more. Their long-lasting friendship is an effective portrait of a toxic relationship without ever showing any affection. A force akin to repelling magnets, they naturally pull away from each other when one draws closer to the other.

Overall, Ford’s sophomore feature is a significant departure from his grounded, thrilling debut in 2022’s ‘Emily the Criminal‘. Compared to similar recent films, this darkly comedic and thrilling plot may draw audiences away from the repetitiveness, but Ford is able to distinguish How to Make a Killing through eccentric and chaotic characters, enhanced by an endlessly charismatic star in Powell, who delivers every bit of determination needed from a man doing whatever it takes to claim his inheritance. Meanwhile, Powell and Qualley prove once again to be incredible forces who will keep audiences eager for their remarkable futures ahead.

still courtesy of VVS Films

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Costa Christoulas

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