Movie Number 11 of 2026
The Movie: How to Make a Killing
The Cinema: Hoyts Victoria Gardens
Runtime: One hour 47 Minutes
Stars: 4
Fun fact. Hoyts is currently doing $12 tickets for sessions that are on before midday on a Sunday. Result!
Especially as there are films I don't want to pay full whack for, especially if they're a bit of an unknown quantity. How to Make a Killing looked a touch dodgy, but paying to lower amount made it feel fine.
And yeah, it was fine. More than fine. As a bit of time out at an eleven 'o' clock session on a Sunday, it was great. I'd go on to say this would be a great date night movie. it's fun. It's also got Glen Powell in it - he's everywhere - and there's a reason for this - he's fun. Oh, it\s dark humour tickled my funny bone.
This is dark, but in a good, funny way, with limited sex and violence, it's really just a big shaggy dog story.
We meet Beckett Redfellow (Glen Powell) at the start of the film as he awaits his fate on death row. A priest has come to visit him to offer solace. Beckett tells him his story. See Beckett is the illegitimate son of a Redfellow daughter who was kicked out of the family for getting pregnant. Raised by his single mother, he's always told that he has a large inheritance coming his way if he lucks out. Otherwise, he should live a good life and do his best.
What's explained is that his grandfather Whitelaw Redfellow (Ed Harris) has set up an irrevocable trust, and on his death, the 28-billion-dollar fortune will go to his oldest living relative. Beckett is a way down the list, and even with his mother being excommunicated from the family, the trust has not been altered.
A young Beckett also meets Julia (Margaret Qualley) a precocious young girl who can't work out why Beckett doesn't have any money. They talk and bond, then Beckett's mother dies and he has to fend for himself.
Fast forward around 15 years, Beckett is working in a suit shop, still living in New Jersey, and the mysterious Julia, recently married and Chanel clad gets in contact - and drops a hint that his life would pick up if he started knocking off his family members to get the inheritance.
This is where the fun starts.
As much as I don't condone murdering your relatives, Beckett did this with style. They were odious cretins anyway. Raf Law (Jude Law's son - he's the spitting image), Zach Woods, Bianca Amato and Topher Grace are all dispatched with a lot of grace and humour. He was merciful towards his uncle, who gave him a job in Finance and did look after him. See, he's not all bad.
Oh, and he took up with hid dead cousin's girlfriend, Ruth (Jessica Henwick), which seemed to be working out until the mysterious Julia gets rather demanding.
I'm not going to tell you how Beckett ended up on death row. Nor am I going to say what else happens. But this is a good laugh. It's not going to win any best film awards, but it's very entertaining. Glen Powell is the most benign of leading men - good to look at, a bit goofy and he doesn't take himself too seriously.
John Patton Ford's script and direction are fine as well. As I said before, it's one big shaggy dog story told in a fun way.
I'm glad I saw this. I wouldn't begrudge paying for a full price ticket. It's fun. If your sense of humour is a bit bent and dark, even better.
No comments:
Post a Comment