How to Make a Killing Review: An overhated modern classic

Brighton Nelson

24 Feb 2026 — 6 min read

I was really excited for my How to Make A Killing and Crime 101 double-feature because, well, they would both be diving into the same concept: crime sprees. While the trailer of How to Make A Killing sold me far more, Crime 101 was getting far better reviews, so I was excited to see how my opinion of the two films panned out. So, what did I think about the film? Did How to Make A Killing live up to the expectations I had for the film? That's what I, Brighton Nelson, will be exploring in today's review.

This movie's catchline might be a little cheesy, but it hooked me enough to check out the film!

I can't think of a time in recent memory that I've been more shocked at how low a film has been rated by critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Then again, I thought last year's Sentimental Value was one of the weakest movies I watched, so I'm not exactly rating movies the way I do to gain street cred or anything. Honestly, there are only two very small negatives I have regarding the film: one, the first ten or so minutes could've been a little more show-don't-tell with the backstory; and two, the film could've been marketed a little more as a comedy. While the premise and Glen Powell screamed dark comedy to me, that didn't land for everyone, and a trailer that lost people always sets up false expectations and leads to deflated scores... so a more on-the-nose trailer may have been the right way to go here. Then again, the trailer was what made this one of my top 10 most anticipated films of 2026, and the film delivered exactly what I wanted, so, for this category, I'm only speaking on behalf of others, not myself.

Enough babbling about marketing. After all, this is a review of why this is my second-favorite release of 2026 thus far, behind only the horror masterpiece Send Help. First of all, this movie was full of fun and memorable performances. Glen Powerll perfectly plays a charming murderer that you can't help but root for. I've got no notes; his performance was exactly what I was hoping for with this premise. He's charming, as usual, but he doesn't just put on a Powell shtick; there are a lot of new things he gets to show off here. I love how he goes through a change of heart and tries to step away from it all... but then Margaret Qualley's character steps in and effs everything up.

Qualley is probably my favorite performance in the film: she starts as the cute, innocent childhood crush, teases Becket for his guilty appearance, and then descends into madness by the end. It was a transformative performance that I really enjoyed. Jessica Henwick, Ed Harris, and Bill Camp also fired on all cylinders here, too... I thought this film was truly stacked with great performances. Henwick plays the innocent girlfriend who is unaware of the events unfolding, and her reactions to everything that unfolds in the third act are truly heartwarming. Ed Harris, while having a relatively small role, has a strong screen presence that steals the show as the film's greatest antagonist.

Yet, Bill Camp's character may have been my favorite of the film. His role isn't major, but he plays the one truly kind relative in Becket's family. Not only that, but in the business of financial investment, which is typically known for ruthless, authoritative leaders, he's just such a kind and welcoming guy: kind enough to bring about change in Becket's heart. Honestly, I found all four of these performances to be among the most captivating of the year so far, and am utterly baffled that they're not being praised, like, at all by most critics. Sometimes, I swear, critics expect subdued, method-acting in every film, backed up by close-up shots of teary eyes and half-smiles, cutting to some pretentious shot of Irish cliffs as they flip upside down in the frame, as some sort of allegory for the inner lessons the characters are learning. I jest, but I swear nobody else watched the same film as me.

You look a little too happy to be a murderer, bro.

In terms of the film's plot, it's incredibly simple, yet its pacing and execution are overwhelmingly captivating. Becket goes through vignettes of varying lengths as he enters the lives of his relatives, only to quickly exit them after he ends theirs. Each relative's story is interesting, and the tension ratchets up gradually throughout the plot. Yet at times, the most interesting narrative beats come when Becket and Ruth are simply trying to live a normal life, yet the audience always knows so much more than Ruth, and the sense of dread that knowledge brings plays out throughout the film.

The film also configures its tone perfectly to my liking here. With colorful cinematography that highlights the thrills and the humor, there's a ton to love. The thrills and the humor are interwoven well, neither undermining one another. There'll be a tense scene where Becket commits the murder, and then it'll cut to the funeral, where everyone's crying and sad. In these instances, the film shows nothing funny, but the subtext of how often this happens makes it hilarious by the end. It's not a super quippy comedy, but a comedy that continues to deliver in a subdued, intelligent way based on the circumstances. I love a comedy that relies on situational wit over jokes. This film feels in the vein of last year's Bugonia with its humor. In fact, this film uses many elements as strong as Bugonia's, mixing dark comedy with thrills perfectly, yet for some reason it didn't get any of the acclaim that film did. The wit and humor, the kills, and the intelligence of the script elevate the movie to not just be dark and humorous, but also believable enough to the point that I can see Powell's character getting away with the crimes for as long as he did, but ultimately getting caught naturally as well. It worked perfectly.

The Reel Ranker Verdict

Reel or Unreel? - Reel
The Reel Ranker Score: 96%
Letter Score: S+
Star Ranking: 5 out of 5

How to Make A Killing is an instant classic in my heart, even with its shockingly low critic and middling audience scores. This is one of those special films that instantly felt made for me from the very first trailer, and I'm so happy it was made, and really hope its thrills, humor, and fun tone will win many more people over in the future.

Interested in checking out my reviews for some other recent thrilling experiences? Check them out below!