How to Make a Killing – Explainer

A Promise Written in Blood

In How to Make a Killing, Glen Powell plays Becket, the secret son of a disowned heiress. His mother gave up her family’s staggering wealth for love, but tragedy struck fast: Becket’s father died before he was even born, and his mother passed away when he was just a teenager. Left with nothing but upper-class manners and a minimum-wage job as a shoe salesman, Becket is broke but surprisingly content.

That is, until Julia (Margaret Qualley) walks back into his life. Julia is the childhood friend he would have dated if he’d grown up rich. Now, she’s married, beautiful, and absolutely ruthless. She taunts his poverty and mocks the childhood promise he made to his dying mother to reclaim their stolen fortune. Her parting shot? “Let me know when you have taken out the rest of those family members.” And just like that, Becket’s descent into murder, heartbreak, and obsession begins.

Sympathy for the Devil

The film opens at the end: Becket is on death row, cold, emotionless, and confessing to a priest. It gives the impression he was always a monster. But as the story flashes back, Glen Powell works his charm. He perfectly balances Becket’s tragic innocence with his obsessive need for retribution. Powell makes us empathize with him, even as we watch him commit unspeakable acts. We know we shouldn’t root for him, but the performance makes it incredibly hard not to.

The Light, The Dark, and The Dangerous Question

Enter Ruth (Jessica Henwick), who is dating Becket’s cousin, Noah (Zach Woods)—an entitled, talentless snob who takes her completely for granted. Becket murders Noah with deranged, merciless precision. But the kill isn’t the focal point; it’s the unexpected connection Becket forms with Ruth afterward. She accepts him exactly as he is, without a dime to his name, and hits him with the film’s heaviest question: “How much is enough?”

Ruth represents the light at the end of the tunnel. She offers forgiveness, healing, and a way out. But Becket is already neck-deep in blood.

Then there’s Uncle Warren (Bill Camp), the only family member who escaped the toxic bloodline to actually use his wealth for good. Warren represents pure nurture over destruction. He gives Becket a new perspective, proving that coming from darkness doesn’t mean you can’t find the light. He’s the only target Becket refuses to kill. If Warren hadn’t tragically died, Becket might have actually walked away from his crusade altogether.

Apex Predators: Whitelaw and Julia

Ed Harris casts a massive shadow as the patriarch, Whitelaw. He operates on a strict “me or you” policy. He knows exactly what Becket is doing and actually respects the hustle. He even gives Becket a free shot to take his life. When Becket hesitates, the hunt is on. Becket technically wins by refusing to play Whitelaw’s game, but by ignoring Ruth’s pleas to walk away, he gets the money and loses his soul.

But the real monster? Julia. She is undeniably the most manipulative, seductive, and harsh character in the film. We learn she’s been pulling the strings since they were kids, pushing every button to get Becket—and his eventual fortune—for herself. Her prison visits are masterclasses in pure, evil deception. To Julia, Becket is nothing more than a servant. She plays a game where she is her only equal.

A Hollow Victory

explosions, and poisonings. Becket attends every single funeral, bouncing between genuine remorse and arrogant mockery. But the walls eventually close in. The feds are sniffing around, the lies to Ruth pile up, and the film proves that vengeance demands you go all in.

The final act isn’t meant to make you cheer. It’s a gut punch. Becket sacrifices genuine happiness for a hollow inheritance. He ends up right back where he started: a servant. Only this time, he’s trapped under Julia’s thumb, living in constant fear of the very death game he started. It’s a bleak, unsatisfying reality check about the toxic pursuit of power—and a profoundly important life lesson.

How to Make a Killing is a wild, engaging ride packed with great characters and shocking twists. It won’t restore your faith in humanity, but it will keep you glued to the screen.

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