If you’re tired of seeing Glenn Powell everywhere, brace yourself, because he’s back again, but this time he’s portraying a villain. How to Make a Killing, which hit theaters on February 20th 2026, is a dark comedy film written and directed by John Patton Ford. Powell plays the protagonist, but a villainous one, who goes by the name of Becket Redfellow. Basically, Redfellow was kicked out of his billionaire family before he was even born. When he finds out that he could inherit $28 billion if a few unfortunate accidents happened to his relatives, he decides to go full John Wick; he violently takes revenge on the people around him. I recently found out that the movie is loosely based on an old film from the 1940s known as Kind Hearts and Coronets. Instead, it feels way more like a twisted modern “dark eat the rich story,” meaning when the poor have nothing to eat, they will “eat” (turn on) the rich. This is similar to how Redfellow systematically murders wealthy, estranged relatives to seal a massive inheritance.
The best part of the movie is definitely the overall vibe. It feels like a mix of everyone who is wealthy, terrible, and looks great in expensive clothes. Powell is really talented at playing a guy who is kind of a loser but also a total psycho. For instance, he uses his charm as a tactical disguise to gain his family’s trust as he proceeds to eventually kill them. Seeing him interact with his weird, snobby family is easily the funniest part of the film. They are so out of touch due to how absurdly wealthy they are, making them pretentious; they treat family like business, and they seem to assume everyone will grow up rich. The cinematography is top-tier; it uses dark, noir-style shadows that make the scenes look more like a cool heist than a horror movie. If you like fast-paced dialogue and watching rich people finally get what they deserve, you’ll probably be into it.
However, aside from the movie’s strengths, there are, of course, weak moments. The biggest issue is that Powell’s character Becket, isn’t a heroic type of protagonist, which makes it difficult to root for him. Sometimes he’s a loveable underdog, and other times he’s just a complete murderer, and the movie can’t really decide which one it wants him to be. That mix creates a weird dynamic where the audience is sometimes cheering for him against his obnoxious family, even though his actions are clearly not justified. Also, the ending feels super rushed. It feels like the writer painted himself into a corner and chose the easiest way out possible. Some other weak moments in the film included the planning of the killings because they start to get repetitive, and it’s just a lot of him talking to himself or his mother’s locket, which gets sort of old after a few times.
Even though it’s a dark comedy, and the main character does morally questionable things underneath all that, the movie still has a valuable message. It showcases that greed doesn’t just change one’s life but also diminishes one’s soul. By the time the credits roll, Powell’s character Becket has everything he ever wanted, but he has absolutely no one left to share it with. It’s a very loud warning about how chasing money can make you lose yourself mentally. For our generation, where everyone is obsessed with grind culture, becoming a billionaire might actually be a nightmare if you have to become a monster to get there. It’s not a perfect movie, but it’s definitely one that’ll make you think twice before wishing you were part of the wealthiest 1% of society.