HOW TO MAKE
A KILLING
( Todsicheres Erbe)
Review by Marinell Haegelin
With its unlikely beginning and even unlikelier ending, How to Make a Killing is paced fast, loose, and lethal— its cast is lively, its locations are breathtaking. The dark, cynically comedic events unfold as Becket Redfellow’ s story skims over his humble, albeit accomplished, beginnings, on his youthful crush on Julia( Maggie Toomey) to Beckett’ s( Grady Wilson) promise to his mother( Nell Williams) considering his grandparents’, Cassandra( Bianca Amato) and Whitelaw’ s( Ed Harris), impassiveness.
© STUDIO CANAL DEUTSCHLAND
HOW TO MAKE A KILLING
( Ein todsicheres Erbe)
UK | FRANCE | USA 2026 OPENING APRIL 9, 2026 DIRECTED BY JOHN PATTON FORD
WRITING CREDITS: JOHN PATTON FORD, ROBERT HAMER, JOHN DIGHTON, ROY HORNIMAN
PRINCIPAL ACTORS: GLEN POWELL, MARGARET QUALLEY, ED HARRIS, JESSICA HENWICK, TOPHER GRACE
All grown up and gainfully employed, Becket( Glen Powell) and Julia( Margaret Qualley) adventitiously meet again, effectively reminding him of what was. Her rapidfire questions are needling, particularly about his longago claim to untold riches. We quickly derive that Julia’ s moral compass is honed on the pecuniary, as does Becket. Nevertheless, wheels within wheels begin turning in Becket’ s head, triggering an ingeniously deadly plan. Using modern technology, he finds several living Redfellows: Waren( Bill Camp), Xavier( Rafferty Law), David( Sean C. Michael), Noah( Zach Woods), Pastor Steven( Topher Grace) and then, without trying, he is lucky. Serendipitously, he meets Ruth( Jessica Henwick). Becket experiences a watershed juncture in his life just as, with a cruel ironic twist, he can only wonder what chance he stands against kismet.
Israel Rank: The Autobiography of a Criminal( 1907) by Roy Horniman is the foundation of Robert Hame and John Dighton’ s storyline with director John Patton Ford’ s knife-edged, pun-laced screenplay. The protagonists seem to be having fun, and production values are solid: cinematographer Todd Banhazl on location in South Africa; editor Harrison Atkins; Emile Mosseri’ s appropriately spunky score, and Christian Huband’ s production design. Instead of working your way up the financial ladder— filthy business— be entertained by this high rolling smart, slick satirical thriller. What would you even do with a million dollars anyway?
38 HAMBURG HAPPENINGS