For the second movie in a row, The Running Man star Glen Powell plays a man desperate to claw his way to a fortune in John Patton Ford's How to Make a Killing.
This black comedy follows a man who will stop at nothing to claim a $28 billion inheritance. The only thing standing in his way? Seven family members that he must take out.
Clever concept, even better execution. Ford previously directed the stellar Emily The Criminal, featuring Aubrey Plaza's best performance to date. He has upped his game since, directing How to Make a Killing, which brings together the best parts of Knives Out and The Estate (another Toni Collette-led movie).
It all comes together to showcase Ford's growth from his first to his second movie. Powell adds another unique performance to his growing resume.
How to Make a Killing review
The hook is quick — How to Make a Killing wastes no time getting the audience up to speed. Becket Redfellow (Glen Powell) is on death row and hours away from his execution. In the meantime, he decides to tell a priest his “tragedy” of a story.
Becket lives a fairly ordinary life, working for a tailor shop in New York City. He still lives in his childhood home in Newark, New Jersey.
It's not exactly a luxurious life. Becket promised his mother that he would achieve the life he always “deserved” before she died. His mother was the daughter of the wealthy Whitelaw Redfellow (Ed Harris), who exiled her for getting pregnant with a blue-collar worker out of wedlock.
Decades later, Becket is dead-set on getting the inheritance that he believes he deserves. How to Make a Killing is a story of vengeance, but not in the traditional sense. The people he is going after largely do not know who he is, and that's an advantage and a disadvantage.
Glen Powell continues his rise
Over the last few years, Powell has proven himself as one of Hollywood's true leading men. His portfolio continues to expand with How to Make a Killing.
On paper, it's easy to compare Powell's roles in The Running Man and How to Make a Killing. Yes, both characters are willing to kill for a life-changing amount of money, but there are fundamental differences in their moral compasses.
Ben Richards in The Running Man is trying to help his sick daughter. His desperation comes from a place of need, whereas Becket is just done with his impotent life.
Powell also plays the role drastically differently. Richards was abrasive and crass, but the viewer was still able to sympathize with him. Becket isn't a good person, but Powell's charm makes him someone to root for.
It's a similar likability seen in Hit Man, which saw Powell put several hats on. Powell's undeniable charm makes this psychopath a sympathetic character.
Granted, it's a slow descent into madness. After introducing viewers to his story, Becket begins as an average Joe. It's not until he reconnects with his childhood crush, Julia (Margaret Qualley), that he begins plotting his way to the family fortune.
If Becket were played by a similarly charming but not as charismatic force, the character would fall apart. However, Powell commands the role and the viewer's eye.
John Patton Ford's leap from his first to his second movie
Ford has made strides since his first movie, Emily the Criminal. While Emily the Criminal is great, How to Make a Killing ups his game.
One of the most noticeable changes is the lack of a handheld camera in his second feature. Ford shows a clear understanding of blocking, especially with locations like New York City and the aristocratic mansion in which the Redfellow patriarch lives.
What goes a long way for a writer-director like Ford is the clear belief he has in his subject matter, which he conveys in both of his movies.
Both of his feature films follow characters who are discontent with their lives. In turn, they take matters into their own hands. They're different situations, but there is some overlap in the “protagonists.”
Should you watch How to Make a Killing?
How to Make a Killing is such a refreshing and original idea. Powell delivers a really fun performance, and Ford has stepped up immensely from his first to second feature film.
There are also some great cameos. Ford makes the most of appearances from Zach Woods and Topher Grace. Ed Harris is also chilling as usual.
It requires a lot of suspension of disbelief, but it reaches a cold ending that ties the whole story together. Sometimes, a movie can just be a fun time, and How to Make a Killing is exactly that. If nothing else, it's so much better than your average Q1 (which is usually a dumping ground) movie.
Grade: B
How to Make a Killing is in theaters.
