A24
Glen Powell undoubtedly ranks among Hollywood’s most promising talents, yet his 2026 film “How to Make a Killing,” inspired by the 1949 classic “Kind Hearts and Coronets” and crafted by John Patton Ford, didn’t live up to its title. Released by A24 in March, the movie failed to capture audiences. Its premise and potential have intrigued some, causing us to ask: what is this film about, and what makes it worth watching?
The narrative unfolds as Powell’s character, Becket Redfellow, converses with a priest from his cell on death row, awaiting execution. Through these discussions, we learn that young Becket, motivated by the dying wishes of his mother to pursue the life he merits, discovers he is a potential heir to a $28 billion fortune. To claim his inheritance, Becket embarks on a calculated quest to eliminate all relatives in his path. Complicating matters is Julia Steinway, played by Margaret Qualley, Becket’s childhood friend turned unexpected adversary, also chasing a hefty inheritance.
Despite its underwhelming debut at the box office—grossing only $21 million against a $15 million budget—”How to Make a Killing” has found some success on HBO Max, according to FlixPatrol. Critics, however, weren’t impressed with the film’s theatrical release. So, what were their thoughts?
Critics didn’t think Glen Powell’s movie How to Make a Killing killed it, apparently
A24
On Rotten Tomatoes, “How to Make a Killing” received a tepid reception with a 45% rating, categorized as “rotten.” Critics found it bewilderingly inconsistent, despite Glen Powell’s charismatic performance. They remarked, “This tonally bizarre comedic thriller tries to critique the wealthy without quite sticking the landing.” What did individual reviewers have to say? The sentiment was not much different.
Billie Melissa from Newsweek commented that the film feels overambitious yet underwhelming in execution, stating it falls short of its aims. Similarly, Peter Travers criticized it on his site The Travers Take, describing it as a faltering thriller where Powell’s character must kill seven family members for his inheritance, questioning if the stakes are worth the story, “ultimately draining audience interest.” Frank Scheck concurred in his review for The Hollywood Reporter, comparing it unfavorably to other thrillers and pointing out its lack of boldness, especially surprising from the creator of ‘Emily the Criminal.’
Across the board, critics simply didn’t seem charmed by this effort from Powell. At least some of them, like Manohla Dargis for The New York Times, found something to enjoy; as she mused, “The story and the actors make ‘How to Make a Killing’ easy to drift along with, even if it never coheres tonally, logically, or, really, any which way.” We’ve got good news, though. If you didn’t love “How to Make a Killing,” there’s another Powell vehicle that might tickle your fancy.
How to Make a Killing isn’t the first time Glen Powell has played a killer … kind of
Netflix
If you want to watch a different movie where Glen Powell stars as a charming schemer who may or may not be a murderer, you’re in luck — because “Hit Man” exists. Released in 2023, based on a real-life story chronicled in a 2001 article by Skip Hollandsworth, and written by Powell alongside his director Richard Linklater, “Hit Man” focuses on Powell’s meek, friendly psychology and philosophy professor Gary Johnson. Gary isn’t just a professor, though; he moonlights with the New Orleans Police Department to help set up sting operations that suss out citizens attempting to hire hitmen to take out enemies or even loved ones. When the decoy “hit man” is pulled from the operations due to bad behavior, Gary has to step in … and accidentally figures out that he’s really, really good at pretending to be a killer. This leads him to Adria Arjona’s beautiful but troubled Madison, who approaches Gary (whom she knows as “Ron”) and asks him to kill her husband before the two start falling for each other.
Powell is so charming and so good in “Hit Man” that it encouraged Stephen King to cast him in Edgar Wright’s 2025 adaptation “The Running Man,” and even though he’s not actually a murderer in this movie, it pairs pretty perfectly with “How to Make a Killing.” “Hit Man” is exclusively available to watch on Netflix, and “How to Make a Killing” is a bonafide hit on HBO Max.