How to Make a Killing is both A24’s and Glen Powell’s latest effort. It’s also the sophomore film from Emily the Criminal director John Patton Ford. For the second time, Ford takes aim at the rich and wealthy through the working-class lens. This time, though, it’s a tale about someone swindled out of a lifestyle he deserves and is willing to try whatever it takes to get it back.

How to Make a Killing Review

Eat the Rich is a prominent genre of movie these days, and it’s not all that surprising as to why. How to Make a Killing is the latest in this genre, but it’s not the most original or the most clever. It’s pretty thin and shallow in its messaging, other than being anti-rich, ultimately.

It’s a little unclear what the more focused message here is. It’s fairly obvious that the movie is saying that being rich is bad, but beyond that, what is it bringing to the table? What does the ending, which more or less gets Becket all the things he grew up really wanting, add to the message?

John Patton Ford said beforehand that he wanted How to Make a Killing to say more than just “rich people are bad,” but I’m not really sure it succeeds in that. It’s a timely message, but it’s one that’s been done many times before and in so many ways. It’s not even novel to have the protagonist be corrupted by riches, even if he starts out humble and poor.

Still, it’s not a bad message. Neither of those things is a new take, and Ford is not reinventing the wheel here. But How to Make a Killing succeeds in its messaging, and it has a pretty good time doing it. The character development (or regression) is not unearned, either.

There are plenty of moments in the script that leave a lot to be desired. Some of the writing is lackluster, relying on charismatic and fun actors to pick up the slack. This seems to be a prevailing theme with Glen Powell’s starring roles. Writers and directors rely on his charm and charisma, which is on full display here, to carry them through the low points.

To a certain extent, he does. He’s, as mentioned, very charming and charismatic. It’s so easy to root for him in this movie, which is why it succeeds at all. However, these moments of poor writing do stick out, and few actors would be able to blaze right through them without any issue. Powell’s not likely to win an Oscar, and it’s not totally fair to place that responsibility on his shoulders.

Despite that, this is a good performance from him. Whether or not Ford is placing too much on his shoulders is irrelevant because, for the most part, he’s up to the task. There’s a humanity to him that persists even to the end as he continues to sell out in hopes of unfathomable riches.

He also has pretty good chemistry with his co-stars, namely Margaret Qualley. She’s not bringing much new to the table from her other sultry roles, and she might’ve been somewhat typecast, but it’s a casting that really works. Those two share the screen more than anyone else, so it’s a good thing they’re both talented actors who work well together here.

Powell also works well with Jessica Henwick, with whom he is probably on screen the second most. The supporting cast is actually quite strong, with Bill Camp, Topher Grace, Ed Harris, and Zach Woods helping the movie survive the weaker script.

Speaking of Woods, his talent and knack for being awkward and hilarious are on full display here. He’s most known for his role in The Office, but I really think that the casting department nailed it there. There has perhaps never been a more fitting role for his particular style than Noah Redfellow.

Much like the straightforward plot and themes, the camerawork and cinematography are also fairly straightforward. There aren’t a lot of shots that will live long in the memory. There’s a competency on display, but it’s not doing much visually that hasn’t been done before. Ultimately, this is not as grave a sin as being bad in those departments, so it is better to play it safe than ruin the movie with poor visuals and bad camerawork.

The score is also solid, but it’s not going to be entering any movie fan’s playlist. How to Make a Killing makes its killing on the backs of strong actors. Had there been a tighter script to accompany them or perhaps some more inventive direction (which is no shade to Ford, who has twice now proven that he has the chops to make movies and is someone to watch moving forward), this could’ve been really good.

As it stands, it’s still good, but there’s a version of this movie that could’ve been a real contender even in a deep year like 2026.

Conclusion

How to Make a Killing would like to remind audiences of a few things. First, that rich people are bad and that the pursuit of money at all costs will damage you. Second, Glen Powell and Margaret Qualley are two of the most talented new-ish actors today. It succeeds on both fronts, so it’s hardly a bad time at the theater, especially for February.

Score: 3.5/5