How to Make a Killing Review: Glen Powell’s 'Eat the Rich' Film Lacks Bite

John Patton Ford’s second film, How to Make a Killing, stars Glen Powell as Becket Redfellow, a man convinced he’s owed a multibillion-dollar inheritance. After a visit from his childhood love, Julia (Margaret Qualley), Becket begins systematically killing the seven people between him and $28 billion.

The film opens at the end, with Becket confessing his crimes on the day of his execution, and then works backward to show how money corrupted him. Ford places the film’s message about income inequality front and center, and that emphasis often dilutes the thriller at the movie’s core.

Many supporting characters—played by the likes of Topher Grace, Raff Law, Zach Woods, Bill Camp and Jessica Henwick—get rushed introductions or too little to do, even when their odd personalities seem worth exploring. The story revisits familiar “eat the rich” territory, echoing themes seen in recent satires without adding much new depth.

glen powell, john patton, margaret qualley, becket redfellow, topher grace, raff law, zach woods, income inequality, satire, thriller