Glen Powell is starting to create a brand for himself no matter what type of character he plays. He can be bold and positive, or an egotistical businessman. He can also play someone who looks innocent while maintaining a professional, laid-back attitude. In How to Make a Killing, his nice guy vibes hide a secret. Eventually, a con-artist setup of moving parts topples the center of Powell’s personality in How to Make a Killing. While predictable at times, the story drives home the point that karma can come back with vengeance.

Written and directed by John Patton Ford. I was mesmerized by the criminality and creativity when he directed Emily the Criminal. How to Make a Killing loops in the same type of scenario, but the background is based on the theme of getting what one deserves. Emily the Criminal is different in that there is someone who does bad deeds due to a variety of legal errors. This time Ford focuses the choices on a personal matter. The film is structured, but also wicked.

Powell plays Beckett Redfellow who was abandoned at birth by his extremely rich family. With the idea his family has had privilege thrown into their laps because of nepotism, Beckett fights back. Not by actual violence, but staged scenarios which cause fatalities. His main targets are his cousins Noah Redfellow (Zach Woods), Taylor Redfellow (Raff Law), and Pastor Steven J. Redfellow (Topher Grace). From Beckett’s vantage point, he believes the family dynasty should belong to him. This makes him create ways to eliminate family members. The more he eliminates, the higher the chances are of the inheritance falling into his lap.

The film is classy with how the setups and narration flow. Powell tells the story in his performance because the film is staged where he is in prison for his actions. I will not share much, but I will say the film felt insightful due to his sharing of the details about the events leading up to the beginning of the film. Beckett may have some luck, but the power of his family may be more dangerous than he expects. It is revealed that his grandfather Whitelaw Redfellow (Ed Harris) is the reason behind the dismissal of Beckett’s childhood.

Ford knows how to highlight first-world problems and how they bring out a person’s true colors. On the inside Beckett is lonely, but on the outside, he experiences jealousy and entitlement. Hisemotions lead him to strange incidences. These make the film joyful, but also sinister with class. Ford is the master at illustrating fulfillment based on shady deeds. He always posesthe question of whether something can be mastered without getting caught. I saw this in Emily the Criminal on a more serious level and again in How to Make a Killing on a lighter, yet horrid way. 

To clarify, the other parties in the mix who pose a risk are Ruth (Jessica Henwick), Beckett’s girlfriend. She is oblivious to the shady wealth, but then his full colors start to appear. There is Julia Steinway (Margaret Qualley), an old friend of Beckett. Can Beckett’s charming personality gain him more attention? Or is there a sign that allows others to put the puzzle of his deeds-for-wealth schemes together? Overall, the film is somewhat predictable but executed with sinister laughs that revolve around an undeserved inheritance. Three-and-a-half out of four stars for How to Make a Killing.