How to Make a Killing (2026)

How to Make a Killing is the kind of wickedly entertaining black comedy that smiles at you even as it sharpens the knife—stylish, cynical, and fueled by the irresistible momentum of a thriller. John Patton Ford stages the mayhem with a sleek modern bite, letting the film’s anti-elite satire land without turning the characters into cartoons, and Glen Powell’s Becket is magnetic enough that you’ll hate what he does while still leaning in to see what he’ll do next. Margaret Qualley adds a deliciously sharp countercurrent, and the whole cast keeps the tone dancing between mordant humor and genuine tension, like a champagne toast with poison in the glass. It’s not for everyone—there’s real violence and a mean streak—but if you like your comedy dark, your thrills brisk, and your social commentary served with style, this one is hard to resist.

How to Make a Killing wants to be a slick, darkly funny inheritance thriller about entitlement curdling into violence, and you can feel the filmmakers reaching for that razor-edged, eat-the-rich bite. The problem is it often lands in an awkward middle zone: not quite tense enough to be a proper thriller, not quite sharp or consistently funny enough to justify the comedy label, with pacing that starts busy and then sags when it should be tightening the screws. Glen Powell brings enough charm to keep Becket watchable and the setup has a nasty little hook, but the script can feel overstuffed and oddly stale, like it’s coasting on the premise instead of escalating it. If you’re expecting a ruthlessly clever crowd-pleaser with big laughs and clean suspense, you may leave disappointed; if you can tolerate tonal wobble for a glossy, mean-spirited morality tale with a few strong performances, it might still be worth your time.