'How to Make a Killing' Review: Glen Powell eyes the family fortune in A24's comedic noir

Money tin marque you bash brainsick things... but would you termination for $28 billion?

That reply comes casual for Becket Redfellow successful A24's "How to Make a Killing."

Glen Powell stars arsenic Becket, the outcast of the Redfellow household dynasty. He grew up modestly successful Newark arsenic his parent was shunned by the New York billionaire patriarch erstwhile she got large retired of wedlock, and aft she died, the Redfellows kept their elephantine gates unopen connected the young orphaned boy.

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Glen Powell stars arsenic Becket Redfellow successful A24's "How to Make a Killing." (Ilze Kitshof/A24)

However, earlier she died, she told him that helium was successful enactment for the multibillion-dollar inheritance which includes the estate, backstage jets, astatine slightest 1 backstage land — you sanction it — giving him anticipation that someday it volition each beryllium handed to him.

Years later, moving astatine a tailor, Becket has a accidental brushwood with his puerility crush Julia Steinway (Margaret Qualley), who helium antecedently told astir his family's wealth.

"Well, telephone maine erstwhile you've killed them all," Julia jokingly tells him arsenic she leaves.

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Margaret Qualley stars arsenic Julia Steinway successful A24's "How to Make a Killing." (Ilze Kitshof/A24)

Except Becket doesn't precisely instrumentality it arsenic a joke. In fact, helium seemingly finds it inspirational arsenic helium begins to hatch a program to disconnected the 7 relatives that basal betwixt him and the full enchilada. Among those connected his termination database see his obnoxious aspiring creator Noah (played hilariously by Zach Woods), his rocker megachurch pastor uncle Steven (Topher Grace) and his acold gramps Whitelaw Redfellow (Ed Harris).

As you tin archer by the plot, Becket isn't rather the astir stand-up protagonist we've seen — but helium doesn't person to be. Powell is charming and charismatic capable to person you basal for Becket adjacent though he's fundamentally a psychopath, peculiarly arsenic helium narrates overmuch of the film.

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Glen Powell stars arsenic Becket Redfellow successful A24's "How to Make a Killing." (Ilze Kitshof/A24)

Julia and Becket person rather antithetic personalities, but they bash person 1 happening successful common; they volition ascent the fiscal ladder by immoderate means necessary. And she is afloat of surprises, which are delivered perfectly by the brainsick talented Qualley.

Writer/director John Patton Ford, marking his 2nd diagnostic pursuing 2022's "Emily the Criminal," helms the slick, fast-paced acheronian drama noir loosely inspired from the 1949 British movie "Kind Hearts and Coronets." Powell is besides credited arsenic an enforcement producer. 

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Margaret Qualley stars arsenic Julia Steinway successful A24's "How to Make a Killing." (Ilze Kitshof/A24)

The Verdict

"How to Make a Killing" is (perhaps ironically) a harmless clip astatine the movies that rides connected Powell and Qualley's amusive performances and Ford's coagulated pacing and twisted consciousness of humor.

★★★ — STREAM IT LATER

"How to Make a Killing" is rated R for language and immoderate violence/bloody images. Running time: 1 hour, 45 minutes. In theaters now.

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