US EditionMovie Review: In ‘How to Make a Killing,’ a New Riff on an Ealing Black Comedy Classic
The film features Glen Powell as an heir scheming to kill relatives for inheritance but fails to deliver enough comedy or thrills, despite its provocative premise and R rating.
- On Feb. 19, How to Make a Killing opens in multiple theaters, featuring Glen Powell as Becket Redfellow, who confesses to a priest that he schemed to kill relatives for inheritance.
- The film features an ensemble cast including Ed Harris, Margaret Qualley, Topher Grace, Bill Camp, and Zach Woods, aiming to boost its appeal, with Harris playing Becket's estranged father and Qualley a femme fatale.
- A death-row visual detail stands out: the protagonist wears a satin slumber mask with prison coveralls, while Margaret Qualley's stylized, arch performance contrasts with low-key moments, and supporting characters receive minimal screen time.
- The R rating and mixed notices may constrain audience reach, as critics say the film needs more comedy and thrills despite its ensemble cast.
- Some reviewers describe the film as promising but flawed, noting it feels like a rough draft with intriguing little glimmers amid uneven execution, shaping its box-office outlook.
29 Articles
29 Articles
The Sun (Lowell)
Movie Review: In ‘How to Make a Killing,’ a new riff on an Ealing black comedy classic
By JAKE COYLE “How to Make a Killing,” starring Glen Powell as a working-class man who sets out to murderously reclaim his inheritance, has a clear inspiration: the great Ealing black comedy “Kind Hearts and Coronets.” Related Articles Movie Review: A punishing, hypnotic desert rave in Oliver Laxe’s Oscar-nominated ‘Sirāt’ Movie Review: In ‘Midwinter Break,’ a quiet marriage story with Lesley Manville and Ciarán Hi…
'How To Make A Killing' Is A Screwy Social Satire That Falls Just Short Of The Mark
A24What would you do for all the money in the world? The idea of instant wealth is a far-fetched dream for most of us, but for Glen Powell’s Becket Redfellow, it’s a very real possibility. And it’s one that he’s willing to kill for.How to Make a Killing, written and directed by Emily the Criminal filmmaker John Patton Ford and loosely inspired by the 1949 Alec Guinness comedy Kind Hearts and Coronets, seems like it’s tailor-made for our current …
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