In 'How to Make a Killing,' a new take on an Ealing black comedy classic

The film starring Glen Powell as a working-class man seeking to murderously reclaim his inheritance fails to match the biting farce and chilling darkness of its inspiration

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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The new film 'How to Make a Killing,' directed by John Patton Ford, is inspired by the classic 1949 Ealing black comedy 'Kind Hearts and Coronets.' However, unlike that sublimely wicked film, 'How to Make a Killing' never quite connects its contemporary class themes with the gritty genre narrative, resulting in a disappointingly flat almost-remake that lacks the tonal balance to match its black comedy ambitions.

Why it matters

While 'How to Make a Killing' has a promising premise and an impressive cast, including several 'nepo babies,' the film ultimately fails to live up to the high bar set by its inspiration. The movie's inability to blend the biting farce and chilling darkness necessary for a successful black comedy leaves it falling short of the mark.

The details

In 'How to Make a Killing,' Glen Powell plays Becket Redfellow, a working-class man who sets out to murderously reclaim his inheritance from his wealthy family. The film follows Becket as he tracks down his cousins who stand to inherit the family fortune, motivated by advice from his exiled mother and a chance encounter with his childhood crush. However, Becket's descent into serial killing happens in a curiously uninteresting way, and the supporting cast, while featuring several Hollywood nepo babies, is largely forgettable.

  • The film is set in the present day, with Becket telling his story from a jail cell, four hours before his execution.

The players

Becket Redfellow

The protagonist of the film, a working-class man who sets out to murderously reclaim his inheritance from his wealthy family.

Whitelaw Redfellow

Becket's grandfather, the patriarch of the wealthy Redfellow family who exiled Becket's mother.

John Patton Ford

The writer and director of 'How to Make a Killing.'

Glen Powell

The actor who plays the lead role of Becket Redfellow.

Jessica Henwick

The actress who plays Becket's down-to-earth girlfriend, whose presence increasingly makes the audience doubt Becket's motivation for murder.

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What they’re saying

“Kill me now.”

— Becket Redfellow

The takeaway

While 'How to Make a Killing' has the potential to be a compelling black comedy, the film ultimately fails to capture the biting farce and chilling darkness that made its inspiration, 'Kind Hearts and Coronets,' such a classic. The movie's inability to blend these tonal elements leaves it feeling disappointingly flat and uninteresting, despite its promising premise and talented cast.