The new Glen Powell movie How To Make A Killing has finally arrived in theaters, and audiences are walking out with one big question on their minds: What exactly happens to Becket Redfellow at the end, and does he actually get away with systematically murdering his wealthy relatives?
The dark comedy, which hit theaters on February 20, 2026, tells the story of a man disowned at birth who decides to kill everyone standing between him and a massive family fortune . But unlike typical Hollywood thrillers, this one takes a unique approach by revealing the ending right at the very beginning.
The Movie Starts With Becket On Death Row
Here is what makes How To Make A Killing different from other murder comedies. The film opens with Becket Redfellow sitting in a prison cell, just hours away from his scheduled execution . He is calm, collected, and strangely at peace for a man who is about to die. He asks to speak with a priest, Father Morris, and proceeds to tell him the whole story of how he ended up on death row.
Right away, the movie answers the biggest question: Becket gets caught. He is convicted and sentenced to death. But the real question becomes not if he gets caught, but how the authorities finally figured out what he was doing .
The entire film unfolds through flashbacks as Becket explains his plan to eliminate the Redfellow family members one by one. He grew up in New Jersey with his single mother Mary, who was kicked out of the wealthy family when she got pregnant as a teenager . Before she died, she made him promise he would claim the life he deserved.
How Becket Methodically Eliminates His Relatives
Becket’s plan involves killing off the seven relatives who stand between him and the family billions . He tailors each murder to the victim’s personality, making them look like accidents.
First goes Taylor Redfellow (Raff Law), a party-loving financier who dies in what looks like a tragic accident at his beachside pool party . Then comes Noah (Zach Woods), an artist who appropriates work from real creators. Steven (Topher Grace) plays a megachurch pastor who meets his end. An aunt who adopted children from other countries also dies, followed by an uncle obsessed with private space travel .
Throughout all of this, Becket manages to avoid suspicion because he plays the role of the long-lost, humble relative who just wants to connect with his family. His Uncle Warren (Bill Camp) actually feels guilty about what happened to Becket’s mother and gives him a legitimate job at the family brokerage . This is important because Becket actually likes Warren and does not plan to kill him. Warren is one of the only decent people in the family.
The Women Who Complicate Everything
Two women play huge roles in how Becket’s story ends. The first is Julia Steinway (Margaret Qualley), a childhood friend who grew up in the same wealthy circles as the Redfellows. She enters the story as a classic femme fatale who understands the game of power and money . Julia is married to a man running the family business into the ground, and she sees Becket as a way to protect her lifestyle .
The second woman is Ruth (Jessica Henwick), a schoolteacher Becket meets and genuinely falls for . Unlike everyone else in his life, Ruth has no interest in money or status. She is hardworking, honest, and gives Becket something he never expected to find: real love. This complicates his mission because he starts to imagine a normal life with her.
So What Happens At The End? Does Becket Get Away?
Here is where the ending gets interesting. Throughout the movie, Becket is telling his story to the priest on death row. But as he talks, it becomes clear that he is not confessing because he feels guilty. He is telling the story because he finds it amusing .
The film reveals that Becket did not get caught because of DNA evidence or a police investigation. He got caught because someone close to him figured out the truth. Multiple reviews confirm that the women in his life play a key role in his downfall . While critics are keeping the exact details spoiler-free to preserve the theater experience, the general consensus is that Julia and Ruth both complicate things in ways Becket never anticipated.
The Houston Chronicle review notes that the ending intends to hit a home run but might leave some viewers feeling like it was more of a swing and a miss . The movie does not take a strong moral stand on murder for financial gain. Becket never really strays from his path or shows true remorse .
The Real Twist About Becket’s Fate
Here is what makes the ending clever. Because the movie opens with Becket on death row, there is no surprise that he gets caught. The surprise is who turns him in and why.
According to the Italian publication FilmTV, the two female characters represent different paths for Becket. Julia is connected to the past and to power, while Ruth offers a possible alternative future . When those two worlds collide, Becket’s fate is sealed.
The Alliance of Women Film Journalists review points out that Becket is kind of a difficult character to root for, but Glen Powell’s charisma makes audiences hope he might make the right choice at some point . He never really does, but Powell makes viewers believe he might, which is quite a trick.
Does Anyone Survive? What Happens To Uncle Warren?
One important detail is that Becket never intended to kill Uncle Warren. Warren was the only family member who showed him genuine kindness, giving him a job and treating him like a real nephew . This creates a moral line Becket does not want to cross.
However, the nature of his plan means that once he starts killing, it becomes difficult to stop. The ending reportedly involves Warren discovering the truth about what Becket has been doing, which forces a final confrontation.
The Final Scene: What Viewers Should Know
The movie ends back on death row, with Becket finishing his story. He is calm and self-assured right up until the end . The priest who listened to his confession is left to process the fact that a man who murdered multiple people feels completely justified in his actions.
Glen Powell plays Becket with a complete lack of moral center, which critics say is a brave choice for the actor known for likable roles in films like Top Gun: Maverick and Anyone But You . He does not ask for forgiveness or show regret. He simply believes he deserved the money and did what he had to do to get it.
How To Watch How To Make A Killing
How To Make A Killing is playing exclusively in theaters as of February 20, 2026 . The film runs approximately 105 minutes and is rated R for language and some violence .
For those wondering about streaming, the movie will eventually be available on HBO Max due to A24’s partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery, but no streaming date has been announced yet . Currently, the only way to see how Becket’s story ends is to catch it on the big screen.
The cast includes Glen Powell as Becket Redfellow, Margaret Qualley as Julia Steinway, Jessica Henwick as Ruth, Bill Camp as Uncle Warren, Topher Grace as Steven, and Ed Harris as the family patriarch Whitelaw Redfellow .
What Critics Are Saying About The Ending
Reviews for How To Make A Killing have been mixed but generally positive about Powell’s performance. The Arizona Republic gave it 3 out of 5 stars, calling it a perfectly average movie that works mainly because of Powell’s star power . UPI described it as a basic dark comedy with mild satire that is entertaining enough to want to see how it resolves .
The Houston Chronicle was less kind, giving it 2.5 out of 5 stars and calling it a good idea that was squandered . However, they praised Ed Harris and Topher Grace for their brief but colorful performances.
The Alliance of Women Film Journalists also gave it 3 out of 5 stars, noting that while the believability factor is low and female characters are somewhat one-dimensional, the humor and Powell’s charisma drive the film forward .
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Final Thoughts On Becket’s Fate
So does Becket Redfellow get away with murder? No. He ends up on death row, convicted and hours away from execution. The movie tells you this in the first five minutes. But does he get away with it in a larger sense? That depends on how you define getting away.
Becket never faces justice in the moral sense. He never repents, never feels guilty, and goes to his death believing he was right. In his mind, he was simply claiming what belonged to him. The movie leaves audiences to decide whether that counts as getting away with it or not.
For viewers who enjoy dark comedies about awful people doing terrible things, How To Make A Killing delivers exactly what the title promises. Just do not expect a happy ending where the hero learns his lesson and rides off into the sunset. Becket Redfellow is not that kind of guy, and Glen Powell is clearly having too much fun playing him to soften the blow.
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