Writer-director John Patton Ford, known for his feature debut “Emily the Criminal,” returns with his second film, “How to Make a Killing.” While “Emily the Criminal” was a tense drama with underlying themes of poverty, Ford’s new offering places its “eat the rich” concept and criticisms of economic inequality at the forefront, sometimes at the expense of its thriller elements.

“How to Make a Killing” serves as a reimagining of the 1949 British black comedy classic “Kind Hearts and Coronets,” which famously featured Alec Guinness playing all eight aristocratic relatives in line for a family fortune. Ford’s version maintains the same outline: Becket Redfellow, played by Glen Powell, is the lowliest member of a preposterously wealthy dynasty. Disowned at birth after his mother was kicked out for getting pregnant, Becket grew up with the promise of a vast inheritance, instilled by his mother, who died young. Years later, working in a Manhattan suit shop but facing a transfer to a factory and dissatisfaction with his Staten Island apartment, Becket is spurred into action by his childhood love, Julia (Margaret Qualley), who suggests he claim his inheritance by eliminating the other seven people in line for the $28 billion.

Becket embarks on a systematic killing spree, starting with his partying cousin Taylor (Raff Law), a finance bro. Ironically, as Becket commits these murders, his life coincidentally begins to improve. His uncle Warren (Bill Camp) secures him a better job, and while doing recon on his second victim, faux artist Noah (Zach Woods), he meets a potential love interest in Ruth (Jessica Henwick). Despite these positive turns, Becket continues down his murderous path, convinced that killing his way up the ladder will lead him to the “right kind of life.” The film's narrative structure begins at the end, with Becket confessing his sins to a priest on the day of his execution, immediately revealing his tragic fate and the corrupting power of wealth.

The film’s central message about money and power corrupting, and the pursuit of wealth at all costs, is explicit from the start. This directness, while intentional, sometimes dilutes the story’s potential as a dark-comedy thriller, a contrast to “Emily the Criminal” where the social commentary was more subtly woven into the narrative. Critics suggest that “How to Make a Killing” doesn’t bring much new to the