Movie Review: How to Make a Killing

 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. 

Today's song:

Sunday Stealing: Thanks Redux

 I have come home from Sydney to a recalcitrant cat. Oh well. The business in Sydney went well, and I got back to the airport early enough to get an earlier flight home. The ungrateful critter is now using me for a scratching post. It seems that ensuring he's been fed is not enough for him.Oh no. I went away for a night and I am to be punished. 

Blooming cats - who would have them?

Regardless, today's questions have been brought by Sunday Stealing. I'll be quick. It's been a long day. 

1. It's the middle of the night. There isn't another car in sight. You're stuck at a red light that just won't change. How long do wait until you run it?

Umm, it depends on a few things: 

• It there a known red light camera at the intersection?
• Can I back up and try run over the sensors again - I've done this in the past. 
• It the last point fails and there is nothing around, I'd say about two minutes. There are some intersections in East Melbourne which do my head in - backing up and running up the intersections seem to get them working again. 

2. What's your favorite recipe?

My grandmother's yoyo biscuits, and I do a really cool roast pumpkin, mange tout (snow peas) lime and chilli stir fry. 

3. When did you last ask yourself, "What the hell was I thinking?"

I ask myself this all the time. Normally when I find myself in one of these situations: 

• Stuck in a mosh pit (don't do it after you turn 30 - daft move)
• Going into anywhere really noisy. 
• Getting on a too crowded tram instead of waiting for the next one. 
• Taking Punt Road at any time of day or night. (If you're in Adelaide, think of the Dequetteville Terrace roundabout, in England, the Swindon Roundabout or the North Circular)
• Trying to clip my cat's toenails - that is just asking for trouble. 

4. Have you ever had a mole removed? If yes, where on your body was it?

I've not had a mole removed per se, but I get cysts cut out regularly thanks to a genetic trait passed down through my mother's line where I grow sebaceous cysts in my scalp, They feel like little horns. I've got a couple that need to go. I also had a small skin cancer taken off my temple a few years back. Other than a fine scar, it's been dealt with. 

5. What website do you faithfully check (other than email)?

Most mornings I go to the New York Times website just to answer the questions, "Is he dead yet?' and 'What's he done now?'

Other daily searches include:

• www.reg.bom.gov.au (the old Bureau of Meteorology website)
• www.theage.com.au (Local newspaper)
• www.theguardian.com (Good for international news)
• Various banking websites. 
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Substack - to set the daily haiku topic.

Today's Song:

Placeholder

 I have so many feelings about Sydney. I shouldn’t, but I do.

Sydney to me, is a bit of a lawless place. The people are hard. The streets are difficult to navigate. It has a rundown field of it once you get out of the CBD, which only recently had some money injected into it to make it look a little bit better. Like many other big cities you can turn a corner in the atmosphere changes. 

I could never live here. It’s far too humid.

Regardless, I am in Sydney. My plane was late. Not too late but late enough. My friend was waiting for me at the gate, she had just arrived from Adelaide. We’re going to the same meeting tomorrow.

She’s staying down the hall. I reckon she’s doing the same thing as me ironing a white shirt for tomorrow. Yes, we are going to look like hospitality workers. It’s okay it’s all part of the plan.

She was a bit worried about getting her masonic apron through the scanners at the airport. It wasn’t a problem. Mine didn’t set off the alarms either. It might be a bit drifting if you’re trying to get through a ceremonial sword. I wonder what the airlines think about getting those through. You definitely have to put them into the hold, if they let you take it at all.

We’ll get up in the morning, get some breakfast meet the third of our contingent and make our way to the Sydney Temple, which is set in an industrial estate in deepest , darkest Yagoona (It’s alright, I don’t know where it is either).We will do what we have to do then head back to the airport and get a plane home.

The hotel room is fine. The iron is very good even if the ironing board is tiny. I have ironed my crisp white shirt, noting that I have  not worn a button down shirt for a very long time. You can thank Covid for that. My only gripe is that I cannot connect to the streaming services. Nevermind. The hotel room is spotlessly clean and the sheets are fresh, white cotton.

But, it’s 1130, and really it’s going to be a big day tomorrow so I have to have a shower and go to bed.

I can sleep away by differing feelings about Sydney. 

It’s only for one night.

Today’s song:

Habit

 I'm packing once again. Just an overnight trip, but I've got to make sure I've got everything I need for Saturday. 

The list isn't too bad. 

• Travel computer and accouterments
• Mason's apron
• Mason's dress code wear (think waiter)
• White gloves
• Undies
• Light change of clothes so I don't have to look like a hospo going back to the airport
• Sponge bag
• Charging cables
• Meds
• Book
• Glasses / sunglasses

There will be a few other things that will get tossed in the bag before I go. 

But my big habit. Packing and repacking the toiletries bag. With the travelling I do, why is it that small pocketknife always gets in there? How is it I always take two lots of eyeliner and mascara, but never a hairbrush? Why does it always take three goes to get it right?

It's strange.

I'm nearly packed. 

Today's song: 

Not today

 I think I need to go to bed - I'm not feeling anything tonight. 

I forgot to take my afternoon meds and I felt it. I think I should be setting myself up a reminder on the phone - I really felt not having it in me - and I craved sugar. And felt a bit all over the place. 

I'm sick of my left ear ringing - I'm a bit deaf in my left ear - but it's showing some improvement. 

Nah, sod it, to bed I go. 

Today's song: 

On Zadie Smith

The Event: Zadie Smith: Dead and Alive, in conversation with Benjamin Law

Location: Melbourne Town Hall

Produced by The Wheeler Centre

Zadie Smith's first novel, White Teeth was first published 25 years ago. Argh. 

Part if me can measure my life by Zadie Smith and her writing. 

I remember reading it on a beach in Greece around the time wondering what the fuss was all about. Smith, born to one Jamaican parent and one white parent, the first person from her North London family to go to a university, and that university being Cambridge, she's inciteful, funny, deep thinking, up-to-date and culturally aware. She's great. I remember reading White Teeth and recognising a lot of the areas - having lived around NW3 and NW6 while I was there. She was relatable. 

My other memory of Zadie Smith involves Andrew O'Hagan, a Scottish writer cut from a similar cloth. I was doing some driving for the Writer's Festival and we were stuck in traffic. He was texting somebody while we were chatting. The next thing he tells me is, "I'm having a chat with Zadie Smith. Told her I'm stuck in traffic with a woman called Panda who is also a writer who's driving me about." 

That's my six degrees of separation story with her. 

Tonight, she was in conversation with Benjamin Law at the Melbourne Town Hall. The stalls were sold out, the gods were half full. For an hour and a half,  I got to be blown away by two people having a deep, fun, exploring conversation about writing, life, the joys of change, process and the extraordinary luck she's had (which you can clearly see has been set of with an extreme amount of hard work). 

Both Smith, and by extension, Benjamin Law are very generous in their conversation. I get the feeling Law was a little star struck, just as Smith is down to earth. 

Part of this talk was looked at her writing process, the ever-encroaching role of AI, what it was like growing up as a literary darling... the chat was as fascinating as it was fun. 

A large span of the chat was spent talking about her new book of essays, Dead and Alive. Part of Smith's greatness is her ability to write fantastic non-fiction alongside of her fiction. And I agree with her, the great thing about writing essays is that you can finish them easily. 

And then it was back onto the tram and home to the cat. 

I do have one question, though. In the audience of around 2000 people, about 85% of the crowd were woman. I wouldn't call Zadie Smith a woman's writer. She's a literary writer. She doesn't write romance or chick lit. Nor does she write commercial crime novels. I was just a little floored at the lack of men in the crowd. Don't they read any more? Where are the men and why aren't they showing up to listen to ideas and engage in discourse about the world. Is this why there's a male loneliness crisis? Just an observation. 

I've downloaded her book of essays onto my kindle. Looking forward to that. 

Today's song:

The Can and Bottle Bank

 I'm on a recycling kick. 

If I'm honest, it's something I believe in and participate in as much as possible. I've got a large bag of aluminium coffee pods waiting to go back to Nescafe. My rubbish is sorted and put in the correct bins. 

And today, for shits and giggles, I took two bags of cans to the recycling station just to see what it was like. The interwebs had been telling me of these new-fangled machines where you could recycle your cans and bottles. All they need is a recognisable bar code. Simples. 

In the scheme of things, returning around 40 cans to a machine which will give me a voucher for returning them seems like a fool's errand, but I was curious. I drink a bit of fluids which come out of cans. My nightly Sodaly. A bit of coke Zero... why shouldn't I return my cans and get 10 cents back on each. 

I also wanted to try the experience. 

A public holiday is a good day to do this, making my way to the recycling station in Camberwell. 

Things I found out. 

Lots of people do this. When I left, there were five people waiting patiently to use the machines - most, like me, had two or three shoppers with them. There was no average demographic - a young couple, a woman my age, a dad and his two kids were in the line.  

Well, there was a queue. I was first in the queue behind a family group who seemed to have five barbeques worth of bottles and cans in front of me. Also, there were two machines - one wasn't working. One was. 

It was a nice day, and a ten-minute wait with my audio book and some good pokemonning make the time go quickly. 

Finally, it was my time. I scanned the app. I put my cans and bottles in once at a time sending them down the scanning conveyor. Took all of about 5 minutes, a couple of cans came back - most went through on a second round - and at the end of it, I got a voucher that can be redeemed at Coles for about $4.00. 

Is this a worthwhile activity, collecting cans so that every few weeks I can go run them through the machine for a few buck - possibly not, but I like that I get my money back on the cans and save the funds, after a while, I could put the pin money towards something. 

I just think it's a worthwhile thing to do. The cans can live in my car boot until I send them on their way - and if I'm honest, coming from a state which has always had a 10 cent refund on cans, I never could work out why more places haven't done this to try to get more glass, aluminium and plastic back into the recycling arena. But as much as we've had this scheme, finding places to recycle has always been difficult and time consuming. 

I think I'll keep doing this, even if it's a just for me thing.  

Today's song: