How To Make A Killing – Review

Release Date – 13th March 2026, Cert – 15, Run-time – 1 hour 45 minutes, Director – John Patton Ford

Becket (Glen Powell) has never seen his family after his mother (Nell Williams) was disowned before he was born, deciding he’s had enough he tries to ensure a $10 billion inheritance by pruning the family tree.

It goes without saying that almost no film is necessary, but particular ones along the lines of a remake of Kind Hearts And Coronets. However, while trying to pass itself as ‘inspired by’ the Ealing classic, here we are with How To Make A Killing, a remake that exchanges some of the original’s British wit and sharpness for an extra helping of darkness.

While not pitch black there’s an enjoyable smirk to the film, especially as Glen Powell’s lead Becket Redfellow goes about trimming the family tree in order to obtain an otherwise unreachable $10 billion inheritance, alongside the lifestyle of the ridiculously rich and famous. He’s had to graft and be undermined much of his life after his mother (Nell Williams) was disowned after falling pregnant, eventually passing away when Becket was young, and himself subsequently rejected by head Redfellow Whitelaw (Ed Harris). The kills themselves may not be darkly comic, generally they play out with the humour surrounding them, but over time they develop more into the mould of the film as Becket’s life changes.

He starts to fall in with Jessica Henwick’s Ruth, despite still maybe having feelings for childhood crush Julia (Margaret Qualley). While Ruth is a direct and likable character, bringing about much of the film’s ideas about money and happiness, Julia is an odd figure. As Becket finds himself in better positions at work she starts to appear more with requests for money, and suggestions of unhappiness in her marriage. However, her appearances are brief and each time feel somewhat patchy, bringing about a feeling of unintentional inconsistency to her. Perhaps boosted by the feeling of only a rough character outline.

To some extent her character matches the humour in the film. While there are some good chuckles here and there, especially once the film finds its rhythm with Becket’s plan properly unfurling, there are also good stretches where they falter or just don’t seem to be coming through at all. There’s still a general likability to the film, helped by Powell’s lead performance, as is the case with much that he leads, but it can sometimes feel as if its slowing down as it tries to reconfirm what it wants to say amongst the various killings and relationships we see struck up by the murderous tailor employee trying to evade the circling FBI (with agents played by Phumi Tau and Stevel Marc).

In tackling Becket’s conflicting feelings about money, happiness, love and wants things are dealt with fairly lightly but fitting for what the film is. However, there’s a feeling of things twisting around themselves in the third act, especially in the very final stages where it feels like the film has a slight vein of uncertainty about whether it’s going to get away with its end (which it generally does, but feels held back by that uncertainty). It’s a feeling likely stemmed from the reduced sharpness, and more upfront satirical edges through the lifestyles led by the wealthy Redfellow family members – including an amusing turn from Zach Woods as attempting artist Noah.

For the most part the film works and provides a good amount of chuckles and amusement as Powell goes about offing the Redfellow family more swiftly as the run-time goes on. There may be patches where things sit uncertainly as to character or whether the film will get away with how it eventually presents its ideas, but for the most part the darker edges help to see it through while maintaining the lead’s likability in the wake of his character’s murderous activities.

While there may be some bumpy patches in terms of character and confidence in how themes are presented How To Make A Killing gets through with a good handful of dark, satirical chuckles and Glen Powell’s naturally likable presence.