Glen Powell stars in the new dark thriller How to Make a Killing, a film that explores a brutal game of wealth and murder set against the backdrop of a corrupt, high-stakes family fortune. Released in 2023, the movie follows Becket Redfellow, portrayed by Powell, as he systematically eliminates his wealthy relatives to claim a vast inheritance, weaving deceit and violence into a sharp critique of greed and power.
A Modern Take on a Classic Murder Tale
How to Make a Killing is a contemporary reimagining of the 1949 British black comedy Kind Hearts and Coronets, which originally depicted a cunning serial killer systematically dispatching aristocratic kin to secure an inheritance. This latest version, written and directed by John Patton Ford, transplants that deadly premise into a ruthless, yuppie-infused setting, where the stakes are as financial as they are lethal. Unlike the original’s cold, debonair English tone, Ford’s adaptation infuses the story with noir, satire, and a complex mix of romance and greed.
Ford, known for his indie hit Emily the Criminal, keeps the core premise — one man’s plan to murder his way to family riches — but updates the atmosphere with Wall Street scheming and contemporary social clashes. The sordid tale unfolds across Belleville, New Jersey, where Becket Redfellow is born into poverty amid a disgraced family history, only to return as a sharply dressed, calculating predator eager to claim his birthright by eliminating anyone in his path.
Becket Redfellow’s Deadly Plot and Its Players
Glen Powell’s Becket Redfellow begins his deadly campaign by murdering Taylor, a finance professional, in a manner that immediately signals the brutal lengths to which he will go. The victims are Becket’s seven cousins, each obstructing his claim to the family’s old money. These killings are portrayed with a blend of dark humor and cold efficiency that underscores themes of moral decay and desperation underneath the polished surface of wealth.
Becket’s victims are vividly drawn: Noah, a pretentious photographer, is dispatched in a way that echoes his annoying personality; his girlfriend Ruth becomes entangled in the story, representing Becket’s complex relationships amid his murderous spree. Meanwhile, Julia — Becket’s childhood love portrayed by Margaret Qualley — injects the film with a volatile mix of charm and dangerous ambition, embodying the insatiable hunger for money that permeates the narrative.
Exploring Greed, Power, and Moral Ambiguity
How to Make a Killing positions itself as a sharp commentary on the modern financial world’s ruthlessness, akin to other contemporary works that unpack moral ambiguity through violent means. The movie notably blends the allure of old money with the cutthroat energy of Wall Street, highlighting the fractures within elite family networks. Ed Harris delivers a commanding performance as Whitelaw, Becket’s entitled grandfather, symbolizing the oppressive legacy Becket strives to overcome, while Topher Grace energizes his role as a megachurch pastor entwined with corrupt influence.
Though Becket narrates from prison as his execution looms, the film deliberately omits forensic drama, instead relying on the psychological tension between him and the detective trailing the trail of dead Redfellows. This approach amplifies the film’s focus on character motivations and the dark humor woven throughout the unraveling tragedy.
Glen Powell’s Complex Portrayal and the Film’s Cultural Context
Known for his energetic roles, including in Richard Linklater’s Hit Man, Powell channels a blend of charm, cunning, and cold calculation as Becket, capturing the performer’s constant mental maneuvering. His role invites the audience to both sympathize with and recoil from a protagonist who embraces murder as a means to achieve dreams of wealth and status. This portrayal, paired with the film’s tonal shifts between satire and suspense, creates a unique cinematic experience.
The film’s depiction of old wealthy families, tainted by scandal and moral corruption, resonates particularly in the current cultural climate, where revelations about the behavior of the rich and powerful have shifted public perception. Against this backdrop, Becket’s ruthless climb to fortune feels less like mere fiction and more like a reflection of societal tensions surrounding privilege and justice.
A Dark Mirror on Contemporary Ambition and Morality
While some may find How to Make a Killing a patchy blend of genres and tones, the film’s audacious approach to exploring money, murder, and ambition holds its grip through sharp social commentary and compelling performances. The presence of Margaret Qualley, in particular, adds a potent energy to the portrayal of money-driven amorality, making her scenes resonate as a commentary on detached desire for wealth.
As the film ends with Becket awaiting his fate, viewers are left to ponder the cost of greed and the lengths individuals will go to claim power. The story’s dark humor and tense narrative serve as a reminder of the dangerous interplay between wealth, family loyalty, and self-preservation in today’s world, promising ongoing conversations about morality in the age of financial excess.
