Featuring a dynamic central performance from Michael Jai White, Making a Killing is a true crime story that has the characters and plot that will suck you into its stranger than fiction tale.

The truth, they say, is always stranger than fiction. With the deluge of true-crime documentaries, TV shows, and especially podcasts being all the rage these days, it is an adage that has proven to be, well, true. Add Making a Killing to that list. Based on the true story that shocked the small-town community of Florence, South Carolina, this Devin Hume written and directed crime thriller works its grizzly charm like an engrossing page turner.

The film centres on a trio of morticians, and their claim to a rare collection of coins that can make one rich, if one knows how to sell them. There is Arthur Herring (Mike Starr), the town mayor and priest. His brother Vincent (Jude Moran) who serves as Arthur’s ever faithful right-hand man. And then there is Lloyd Mickey (Christopher Lloyd), recently released from prison for child-sex offenses. He wants possession of his coins, so he can start his life anew elsewhere. Someone decided to destination to be Hell, by way of a bullet to the head. 

Enter police detective Orlando Hudson. Played by Michael Jai White, the formidable Hudson proves himself an incorruptible and tenacious presence amongst this small-town community, where its shiny veneer hides darks truths. It says something about White’s growth as an actor that he still proves himself to be a magnetic and impressive presence on-screen, even when not resorting to his training as a skilled martial artist (spoiler alert: there are no fight scenes here). In fact, so strong is White’s performance, that the film seems to lag when he is not on screen. Hopefully we will see White reprise the character of Orlando Hudson in future movies, as this is a character with franchise potential.

Director and co-writer Devin Hume (his feature debut) keep things at a steady pace, letting his characters determine the films beats and depth. The further down the dark hole of greed, lust and murder they travel down, the more we are engrossed in this story of murder and conspiracy in small town USA. At the end of Making a Killing, not only will you be thoroughly intrigued and entertained, but you cannot keep yourself shaking in disbelief as well, such are the results of a tale of crime and justice done right.