#REVIEW: “HOW TO MAKE A KILLING”

Review by Nicholas Porteous for Mr. Will Wong

In How to Make a Killing, Glen Powell is heir to a multi-billion dollar fortune. The only problem–he’s eighth in line. The most entertaining solution? Kill everyone else on the list. Joining Hit Man and The Running Man in the steadily growing sub-genre of movies that playfully justify Glen Powell as a murderer, How to Make a Killing is a light and capable crime caper–the best entry in the unofficial series thus far.

The lethal Supporting Cast includes Jessica Henwick, Bill Camp, Zach Woods, Topher Grace, Ed Harris and the deadly-as-usual Margaret Qualley. Skillfully directed by John Patton Ford (Emily the Criminal), they’re all having such fun threading the seriocomic needle between mayhem, malice and misadventure–and the vibe is contagious.

If you’re expecting No Other Choice for North America–that is to say, an absurd Dramedy about class and power and the ruthless, cannibalistic pursuit of status–you might leave this one a little disappointed. How To Make a Killing is content to play with these themes, but they’re more ornamental than genuinely provocative. Think too hard about the story’s true machinations and you’ll miss all the shiny, surface-level twists and turns.

The Screenplay is all too happy to pull punches, conveniently taking agency away from Powell any time he might have to make a difficult decision, or behave in a truly cold-blooded capacity. Avoiding the gravity of Powell’s somewhat ambiguous quest for wealth at the expense of a lineup of rich lunatics, particularly in the wake of Luigi Mangione, feels like a missed opportunity at best and a gutless non-statement at worst. Yet in spite of these inescapable flaws, Killing gets away mostly scot-free. It establishes a storybook tone from the jump, and smartly plays within that register for the majority of its runtime. The story whizzes by, partly to pull focus away from its plethora of potential plot holes and contrivances, but also because it’s simply more fun that way. The Mmovie’s so plucky and pleasing, I was inclined to let any logical loopholes slide past my critical faculties.

How to Make a Killing is a gleefully executed yarn featuring a murderer’s row of talent, and well worth your trip to the theatre. VVS Films release HOW TO MAKE A KILLING February 20, 2026.