FILM REVIEW: HOW TO MAKE A KILLING (15) ESP RATING: 2.5/5

A fun premise that runs out of steam well before the film runs out of victims.

Writer-director John Patton Ford – who previously made a strong impression with the gritty 2022 crime thriller Emily the Criminal – shifts gears into dark comedy for his latest outing.

Though this time the results are far more scattergun.

Glen Powell – still trying to move up the Hollywood ladder after headlining last year’s divisive The Running Man remake – stars as Becket Redfellow, a man disowned by his obscenely wealthy family as a child.

Years later, after a string of personal setbacks and with the promise of a vast inheritance just out of reach, Becket comes to a rather extreme conclusion: if the relatives standing in his way were to suddenly disappear, the fortune could be his.

What follows is a murderous climb up the family tree as Becket begins eliminating the competition in a darkly comic killing spree – with an impressive cast that includes Margaret Qualley, Jessica Henwick, Topher Grace and Ed Harris.

It’s also worth noting that this is a remake – or at least a modern reimagining – of the classic British black comedy Kind Hearts and Coronets from 1949, which famously followed a man murdering his way through a noble family in order to secure an inheritance.

It really is a fun set-up. The idea of someone quietly ‘knocking off’ increasingly ridiculous members of a wealthy dynasty has plenty of potential.

Unfortunately, as the deaths start to pile up, the momentum begins to slow – quite noticeably. With seven relatives standing between Becket and his fortune, you suddenly become very aware that you’re simply watching the movie tick them off one-by-one.

If the kills themselves were more inventive or memorable, that might not have been such an issue. Sadly, many of them feel a little flat, which takes some of the sting out of what should be the film’s biggest selling point.

That’s not to say there isn’t fun to be had here. Powell has enough charm to keep things watchable, and the premise remains entertaining throughout. But Ford misses more than he hits this time around.

Punishing the rich and powerful evils of this world feels incredibly timely right now – which makes it all the more frustrating that this never quite ‘kills it’ with such a promising concept.

ESP Rating: 2.5/5

Mike Clarke

Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough & Odeon Luxe Peterborough, Out Now

Cast: Glen Powell, Margaret Qualley, Jessica Henwick, Bill Camp, Zach Woods, Topher Grace & Ed Harris

Running Time: 1 Hr 45 Mins

Director: John Patton Ford

Film Review Venue: Showcase Cinema De Lux Peterborough

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