The Wasteland Reviewer

How to Make a Killing (2026) Written Review

How far will you go to inherit $28 billion? For a film like How to Make a Killing, you know this is going to go to extremes. John Patton Ford, writer/director, tackles this twisted tale of Becket, a grown man who was disowned at birth along with his mother by his obscenely rich family. With the bad influence of a woman who has been there his whole life, he makes an extreme decision to murder all seven family members who are in his way. This darkly twisted crime/thriller/comedy swings into theaters with everyone’s favorite growing indie studio who makes the most twisted films of all, A24. 

How does Patton Ford bring such a twisted tale to life on screen? Patton Ford certainly delivers an effective dark sense of humor that will deliver some uncomfortable chuckles with how these family members find their fates. But the film is never as biting and sharp as the film thinks it is. The tone of the film is quite uneven with much more of the film leaning into more drama. There are some moments that deliver some solid emotion, but it is hard to invest when so many of the characters are despicable (more on that later). The film does move quite well along the way which helps the film be an easier experience to process. The film does have a sharp, urban film that is accentuated by the cinematography by Todd Banhazi. This is a film from A24 so you should expect some strong filmmaking (and Patton Ford delivers). 

Does the screenplay deliver as well? Not as much. The film takes a framed narrative approach that features Becket explaining the story from death row. Obviously, we know that this whole genius plan does not work out perfectly (but that is quite expected when you plan on murdering seven high profile people with motive). The film leverages a lot of narration (which sounds great because Glen Powell is charismatic) but it is also so blunt and overexplains everything. Much of the film follows the structure of Becket hunting one of his family members and finding creative ways to do away with them. This is certainly entertaining in a dark morbid way but when the film tackles more of its heavier themes and gets serious, the film does not feel quite as engaging. The overall idea of giving into greed will make you a slave to it no matter what certainly delivers but the final road to getting there is not quite as sharp and compelling. Becket certainly is motivated due to the wrongs his family thrusted upon him but his corruption along the way is a bit too hard to swallow. The main romantic interests are quite frustrating though. Becket’s true love, Ruth, is quite a bland character while the dangerous femme fatale, Julia, is so frustrating and annoying as a character with little depth and mostly just an edge for the sake of it. 

How does the cast fair with this imperfect script? Powell is just so darn charismatic. He makes Becket so much more charming and empathetic than the script offers up. Powell is also able to sell some of the emotional beats with his vulnerability even when the film doesn’t quite earn them. Margaret Qualley is sexy, alluring, and dangerous and makes Julia work way better than she should in execution. Jessica Henwick is wasted as Ruth as Henwick is much more charismatic than this character must work with. Out of the family members, there are a few standout performances. Zach Wood and Topher Grace lean into the strange and unhinged nature of these rich weirdos (which are quite entertaining to watch). You get some solid work out of veterans like Bill Camp. But it is Ed Harris, who only shows up briefly in the climax, who brings some serious gravity and weight to his “final boss” character. 

Is How to Make a Killing a worthwhile new entry in A24’s catalogue? There was a lot of potential with the twisted concept that Patton Ford brings to life. Unfortunately, the writing is just not as sharp as it could have been. There are some glaring weaknesses in the writing. Some sharp performances and strong charisma do go a long way in making the film solidly engaging. Some sharp direction from Patton Ford doesn’t hurt either. This is a more middle of the road outing for this prestige studio.