How to Make a Killing (2026)
Directed by: John Patton Ford
Premise: A blue-collar worker (Glen Powell) is the disowned heir of a billion-dollar empire. He plots to murder his cousins to improve his position in the inheritance
What Works: How to Make a Killing is a black comedy and whenever the filmmakers explore the humor of the premise, the film generally works. This story has a satirical angle and it subversively punches a hole in the myth of meritocracy. Becket, played by Glen Powell, was the result of an unplanned pregnancy and his mother was kicked out of the family. As an adult, Becket is a blue-collar working man but once he insinuates himself back into the family he benefits from nepotism. Most of his cousins are idiots and How to Make a Killing dramatizes how generational wealth and massive family fortunes subsidize unremarkable people. The best part of How to Make a Killing is the supporting characters, namely an artist played by Zack Woods, a pastor played by Topher Grace, and an executive played by Bill Camp. Woods and Grace are very funny while Camp brings some reality and dramatic weight to the film.
What Doesn’t: The critical flaw of How to Make a Killing is Glen Powell. He is miscast as Becket. With his good looks and confident manner, Powell is all wrong for this character. Powell does himself no favors in the wraparound sequence in which he narrates the story. He’s on death row and hours from execution but Powell plays this all wrong with a smug sense of humor. The narration is especially bad. Powell has played violent characters in other films but he’s not believable here. The characterization causes a story problem. Powell’s character lands on his feet after the first couple of murders. He’s not sociopathic, so there’s no reason for him to keep going with his murder plot. The story gradually makes less and less sense and collapses in the ending. How to Make a Killing includes a subplot with a femme fatale played by Margaret Qualley. Becket is supposed to be obsessed with her but their relationship is not convincing. Qualley does fine but this subplot is mishandled and forced. Qualley’s character blackmails Becket and she admits as much on a prison visitation telephone line which is obviously recorded. In the end, the filmmakers try to play for irony but instead they eliminate any edge and undercut any political point they may have been trying to make.
Bottom Line: How to Make a Killing is a disappointment. It fouls up a provocative idea with miscasting, a mismatched tone, and clumsy storytelling.
Episode: #1089 (March 1, 2026)