There is something undeniably magnetic about watching a charming man do very bad things. When that man is Glen Powell, currently the golden boy of the silver screen, the magnetic pull becomes an almost irresistible tractor beam. In How to Make a Killing (2026), directed by John Patton Ford, we aren’t just watching a crime thriller; we are witnessing a high-stakes, sharp-witted demolition of the British aristocracy and the American “one percent” dream. It’s a film that asks us to park our moral compass at the door and enjoy the view as the bodies: and the bank accounts: pile up.
At Film & TV Review, we’ve seen our fair share of remakes and reimaginings, but this modern take on the 1907 novel Israel Rank: The Autobiography of a Criminal (and, more famously, the 1949 Ealing classic Kind Hearts and Coronets) feels particularly timely. In an era where the wealth gap is a canyon and “eat the rich” is more than just a slogan, Ford’s film serves up a decadent multi-course meal of satire and suspense.
The Premise: A Blood-Stained Career Path
The story follows a man driven not just by greed, but by a perceived ancestral slight. Glen Powell plays our protagonist, a man who discovers his lineage connects him to a vast fortune: if only a dozen or so inconvenient relatives would stop breathing. What follows is a systematic, often hilarious, and occasionally grisly journey through the upper echelons of society.
John Patton Ford, who previously dazzled with the gritty Emily the Criminal, swaps the desperate streets of Los Angeles for the polished marble floors of the elite. The transition is seamless. The film utilizes a framing device where Powell’s character narratively guides us through his motivations, turning the audience into accomplices. It’s a bold move that relies entirely on the lead actor’s ability to keep the viewer on his side while he commits the unthinkable.
Detailed Analysis: Glen Powell’s Masterclass in Charisma
To say Glen Powell carries the film would be an understatement; he is the film. The consensus across the major critical landscape is that Powell provides a performance that transcends the standard “leading man” trope. He avoids the pitfall of making the character a one-dimensional psychopath. Instead, he crafts a figure who is chillingly relatable in his ambition, even as his methods turn lethal.
The satire in How to Make a Killing is pointed. It tackles economic inequity not through a lecture, but through the absurdity of the protagonist’s quest. The film suggests that the world of high finance and old money is already so cutthroat that a little bit of actual murder doesn’t look that different from “business as usual.” This cynical perspective is the engine that drives the plot, and Ford keeps the tone consistent: a difficult tightrope walk between black comedy and genuine crime drama.
The Verdict: Is It Worth the Trip to the Cinema?
The use of voice-over, a nod to its Ealing predecessor, is a polarizing choice. While it occasionally narrates what is already obvious on screen, in Powell’s hands, it becomes a confession to a friend. It bridges the gap between the character’s actions and the audience’s empathy, making the “killing” of the title feel like a series of necessary administrative tasks. Sadly however it’s a film that has impossible task , having to escape the shadow of the Alec Guiness in a Landmark piece of Ealing comedy that tempered a dark story with lightness of touch , that made it a classic. All that remains here is a safe if even bland offshoot of the Roy Horniman.novel : The Autobiography of a Criminal.****
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