The “How to Make A Killing” Reviews Are In
Reviews are in for the Glen Powell-led “How to Make A Killing” with the title sadly pulling in only a mixed response.
In the film, blue-collar Becket Redfellow (Glen Powell) is a man disowned at birth by his obscenely wealthy family. Now, he stops at nothing to reclaim his inheritance – no matter how many relatives stand in his way.
Margaret Qualley, Topher Grace, Ed Harris, Jessica Henwick, Zach Woods, Bill Camp, and James Frecheville co-star in the project, penned and directed by “Emily the Criminal” filmmaker John Patton Ford.
With 54 reviews counted, the film sits at a 59% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 53/100 on Metacritic. Here’s a sampling of reviews:
“‘How to Make a Killing’ boasts an opening so strong that it buys enough audience goodwill to coast through nearly its entire running time. That’s priceless in a screwball murder movie in which everyone’s soul is for sale.” – Amy Nicholson, The LA Times
“In the age of ‘Dexter’ and ‘Succession’ and ‘Beef,’ ‘How to Make a Killing’ just plays as a patchy amusement. Yet I was held by it; the film’s acrid riffs on the hidden depravity of the new greed culture keep it aloft.” – Owen Gleiberman, Variety
“Although ‘How to Make a Killing’ is far from the first eat-the-rich film we’ve seen in recent years, it knows how to be fleet-footed enough to never play as preachy or pedantic.” – Matt Goldberg, The Wrap
“It’s not a wealth of greatness, yet with a smattering of sharply written scenes, Powell finding a nice blend of heroic and dastardly, plus a smart coda, “Killing” does a good enough job as a watchable piece full of nasty comeuppance.” – Brian Truitt, USA Today
“Writer/director John Patton Ford’s second feature shares with his 2022 debut Emily The Criminal a sympathy for the world’s have-nots, but his follow-up’s cynicism never feels cutting and its twists never feel earned.” – Tim Grierson, Screen
“A disappointingly flat almost-remake that has neither the biting farce nor the chilling darkness to match its black comedy ambitions.” – Jake Coyle, Associated Press
“Ford has dulled the edge of the very premise, creating a dark comedy that feels less like punching up and more like a defeated shrug.” – Kristy Puchko, Mashable
“The whole thing is, an experience akin to watching someone try to light a match when the entire box is wet. Ford wants this to be snappy and stylish, and while it certainly has the feel of prestige pop there’s no spark here, no breath that hasn’t been stolen from elsewhere” – Benjamin Lee, The Guardian
A24 releases “How to Make a Killing” in cinemas on February 20th.